Network cabling overview
This post is part of our series on the DfE’s Technology Standards and covers the standards for networking cabling in schools and colleges.
Network cabling is the backbone of your network, connecting the infrastructure and devices together. This includes connections from the internet, between data cabinets, switches and hard-wired devices that are connected to the network, such as Servers, PCs, Printers, VoIP Phones and Wireless Access Points.
The old standard for copper cabling was Category 5 (Cat5) which has a maximum speed of 1Gbps. Upgrading to Category 6A (Cat6A) allows speeds of up to 10Gbps.
Summary of recommended standards from the DfE
The DfE make recommendations relating to the specification of your network cabling. The outline of these recommendations is below:
- Copper cabling should be Cat6A
- Fibre cabling should be minimum 16 core multi-mode OM4
- New cabling should be installed and tested in line with manufacturer guidance
When should you meet the standards?
For Cat6A upgrades, you should meet these standards when possible, such as during your next wireless network upgrade. For all of the recommendations (including Cat6A), you should meet the standard when your current solution is underperforming or when installing into new buildings.
How should you meet the standards?
You should ensure your data cable installer is meeting the installation standards. The expected timescale for implementation of the upgrades will range from months to years, dependent on the current capability and capacity of your network. Aspects of cabling, such as upgrading a building from Cat5 to Cat6, or adding redundant fibre links can be time consuming and expensive, meaning the timescale will vary considerably between different schools and colleges.
Further technical details
Technical details for each standard are provided by the DfE. These should be considered by your data cable installer.
For copper cabling:
- All cabling should comply with British Standards 6701, 50173 and 50174
- The installed cable length should be not greater than 90m
- No splices or patch panels should be used in between cable runs. The minimum bend radius should not be exceeded during installation or when the cables are in their final position
- Containment for cables should fully support the cables, as well as maintain the required bend radius and separation from other types of cable and sources of interference
- The patch leads used to connect devices to the cabling infrastructure should be the same type and standard as the installed cable from the same manufacturer
- Twisted Pair is recommended as a minimum with all terminations and installations following the manufacturer’s guidelines
For fibre cabling:
- All connections between buildings should use OM4 optical fibre cabling
- Where possible, fibre links between buildings should be installed in underground ducts
- For critical systems, redundant fibre links should be considered through different routes between buildings
For all cabling:
- Cables should be installed by manufacturer approved installation partners
- The installer should provide a test report showing successful test results for all installed cables, based on the test limits defined in British Standards 50173
- A minimum 20-year manufacturer’s performance warranty should be provided for the complete cabling system
Related standards
Data cables provide the link between your internet connection, network switches and wireless network. See our related posts in this series:
Implementing the standards
Implementation of these standards is reliant on having the available resources to fund the upgrades. Some aspects may be much more difficult to implement than others, such as schools with environments where running new cables is difficult. If budgets are limited, you should discuss and set priorities with your IT support provider or in-house IT team.
Read the standards in detail
You can find the DfE’s standards in full by following the link: Network Cabling Standards for Schools and Colleges.
How we can help
We provide data cabling services for upgrades and new builds. We meet the standards recommended by the DfE and can help to design and deploy network cabling as a one-off project or part of a wider infrastructure deployment.