Posts by Craig Steelman

A network that runs slowly, drops connections intermittently, or fails certification testing after installation almost always has the same problem hiding somewhere in the infrastructure: a termination that wasn’t done correctly. The cable itself is rarely the issue. Ethernet cable from a reputable manufacturer performs consistently across its rated category when it’s properly installed and…

Running network cable through a building looks straightforward until the first pull binds in a conduit bend, the first termination fails a continuity test, and the first certified run comes back below the rated performance standard for the cable category that just went into the walls. Network cable installation is skilled work, and the details…

Walk into any IT supply room, browse any cabling catalog, or sit through any network infrastructure conversation long enough and you’ll hear both terms used as if they mean the same thing. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. The confusion is understandable because the overlap between the two categories is significant, but treating them as…

Walk into any discussion about network cabling and you’ll hear CAT5e, CAT6, and CAT6A thrown around like everyone already knows what they mean and which one to pick. Most business owners don’t, and that’s completely reasonable. Cabling isn’t something most people think about until a network isn’t performing the way it should, a new office…