What sits between you and the provider.
WHAT THE CHAIN TYPICALLY IS
The provider's termination equipment A router Switches Access points Cabling
WHAT TERMINATION EQUIPMENT DOES
Converts the provider's medium into something your router accepts.
WHAT A ROUTER DOES
Directs traffic between your network and the internet, and applies policy.
WHAT A SWITCH DOES
Connects wired devices within the premises.
WHAT AN ACCESS POINT DOES
Provides wireless connectivity.
WHY THE DISTINCTION MATTERS
Combined devices are convenient and limit growth.
WHAT TO PREFER AS YOU GROW
Separate devices, each doing one job well.
WHAT CABLING TO USE
Category rated for the speeds you need, terminated properly.
WHY TERMINATION MATTERS
Poorly terminated cable causes intermittent faults that are hard to trace.
WHAT TO AVOID
Long runs of flat or unshielded cable near power Daisy-chained consumer switches Cable run without protection
WHAT POWER OVER ETHERNET PROVIDES
Power and data over one cable, for access points and cameras.
WHY IT HELPS
It removes the need for power at awkward locations.
WHAT TO LABEL
Every cable, at both ends.
WHY
It is the difference between a five-minute fault and an afternoon.
WHAT TO KEEP SPARE
A router, if downtime is expensive Cables and connectors
WHAT TO DOCUMENT
The layout, with a simple diagram.
