Network cabling ยท Metro Atlanta Commercial structured cabling and fiber in Metro Atlanta
LIT Inc. designs and installs the network cabling your building runs on, from data drops and fiber backbones to racks and Wi-Fi access points. We plan it together with the cameras, card readers and alarm panels that share the network, so one team owns it from the site survey to the last drop.
Cat 5e, 6 and 6A, plus fiber Copper drops and fiber backbones
Racks and PoE switches Supplied and built out
Tested before closeout Certification testing on request
One plan for every system Cameras, readers and Wi-Fi cabled together
01What we install
Structured cabling for commercial buildings
Structured cabling is the organized system of copper runs, patch panels and racks that connects every device on your network. Done right, every run has a home in the rack, a clear path through the ceiling and a known end point. Done wrong, it becomes a ceiling full of unmarked cable that nobody wants to touch.
We install Cat 5e, Cat 6 and Cat 6A cabling and fiber for new buildings, tenant build-outs and additions to existing networks. Each run is pulled to the device location, terminated at both ends and dressed neatly into the rack, so your IT team or provider can find what they need.
What we install
- Cat 5e, Cat 6 and Cat 6A data drops for workstations, printers, point-of-sale and other wired devices
- Fiber backbone between closets, floors or buildings
- Racks and cabinets, supplied and built out
- Patch panels and cable management in telecom rooms (IDF/MDF) and data rooms
- PoE network switches for cameras, access points and other powered devices
- Structured cabling between racks in data centers
02One plan
One cabling plan for cameras, readers and Wi-Fi
IP cameras, access control, intrusion panels and Wi-Fi access points all ride on the network. In a lot of buildings, each of those systems came from a different vendor, and each vendor pulled its own cable. The ceiling shows it.
Because we also design and install video surveillance, access control, intrusion and fire alarm, we plan the cabling for all of them at once. You get one set of drawings, one pathway plan and one closet layout. Device locations are set before any cable is pulled, so each drop lands where the camera, reader or access point actually mounts.
Most of those devices also draw power from the network cable through Power over Ethernet (PoE). The IEEE PoE standards deliver roughly 15 to 90 watts per switch port depending on the type, so a heated outdoor camera needs a different plan than a card reader. We work out PoE loads and run lengths during design, not on install day, and we can supply the PoE switches that power them.
03Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi access points
Good Wi-Fi starts with where the access points go. Concrete walls, metal racking, high ceilings and crowded break rooms all change coverage. We walk the space with you, plan access point locations around how it is used, then cable and mount each one, powered over the network.
Access points
- Wi-Fi access points for offices, warehouse floors and common areas
- A dedicated cable to each access point, mounted clean and powered over the network
04Standards and testing
Installed to standard, labeled and tested
The ANSI/TIA-568 standards set the performance and installation requirements for commercial copper cabling. In practice that means horizontal runs kept within 90 meters (100 meters with patch cords), the same wiring pattern at every jack, and cable supported and bent within its limits instead of kinked over a pipe.
Above many commercial ceilings, the open space is part of the building's air return. Cable in that space generally has to be plenum-rated, and the local inspector has the final say. We confirm the ceiling type during the site survey, so the right cable is priced and installed the first time.
On most jobs, each run is labeled at the jack and at the patch panel, then tested for continuity and crossed pairs before closeout, so the next move or repair starts with answers instead of a cable toner. If your project or a manufacturer's warranty calls for certification testing with a report for each run, we provide it on request.
- 90mlongest horizontal run under TIA-568
- 100mfull channel, patch cords included
How runs are installed
- Runs kept within TIA-568 length limits
- Plenum-rated cable where the ceiling is an air return
- Labels at the jack and the patch panel
- Continuity and crossover testing on every run, with certification testing on request
05Projects
New construction, build-outs and occupied buildings
On new construction we work with your GC from the plans to final inspection. Send us the drawings and we'll design the low-voltage scope, price it from that design and schedule rough-in and trim-out around the other trades.
In occupied offices, stores and warehouses, we plan the work with you so people can keep working. We also handle moves, adds and changes, repair damaged runs and clean up closets other contractors left behind.
We cable data centers, office buildings, warehouses and industrial sites, retail and multi-site businesses, and self-storage facilities, along with banks, HOAs and gated communities.
06How a job runs
How a cabling job runs
LIT Inc. is based in Dallas, GA, in Paulding County, and serves commercial buildings across Metro Atlanta, including Paulding, Cobb, Douglas, Bartow, Cherokee, Fulton, Carroll and Polk counties and the City of Atlanta.
- 01
Site survey
We walk the building with you, check ceilings, walls and closet space, and confirm every device location.
- 02
Design and estimate
We draw the cabling plan first, then price the job from that design.
- 03
Install and test
Cable is pulled, terminated, labeled and tested before we close out.
- 04
Service
When you add a desk, move a department or need a run repaired, you call the same team.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Don't see your question? Call us at (678) 619-3548, or request a site survey and ask us in person.
Request a site surveyShould we install Cat 6 or Cat 6A?
Cat 6 carries gigabit Ethernet over the full 100-meter channel and suits most offices and cameras. Cat 6A is rated to 500 MHz, versus 250 MHz for Cat 6, and carries 10-gigabit Ethernet the full 100 meters, where Cat 6 tops out around 55 meters at that speed. Cat 6A is thicker and costs more to buy and install, so it makes sense where 10-gigabit links or multi-gigabit access points are planned.
How long can a single cable run be?
Under ANSI/TIA-568, a copper horizontal run can be up to 90 meters (about 295 feet) from the patch panel to the jack, and the full channel, patch cords included, tops out at 100 meters (328 feet). Longer distances need a second telecom closet, a switch closer to the devices, or fiber. We place closets during design so runs stay inside the limit.
Do we need plenum-rated cable?
If the space above your ceiling is used as an air return, exposed cable there generally must be plenum-rated (CMP). Plenum cable uses a jacket made to limit flame spread and smoke. The local inspector makes the final call, so we check the ceiling during the site survey and price the right cable from the start.
Can cameras and access points be powered over the network cable?
In most cases, yes. Power over Ethernet sends power and data on the same cable, so most IP cameras and Wi-Fi access points need no outlet at the device. The PoE type matters: 802.3af ports deliver up to 15.4 watts, 802.3at up to 30 watts and 802.3bt up to 60 or 90 watts. We size each device's power and the switch's total budget during design.
Do you supply the racks and network switches?
Yes. We supply and build out racks and cabinets, and we can supply PoE switches sized for the cameras, access points and other devices on the job. If your IT provider prefers to supply the switching, we work with them on port counts and power.
Can you work on cabling another contractor installed?
Yes. We add drops, repair damaged runs and clean up closets on networks we didn't install. If a closet needs more than cleanup, we tell you what it will take and what it will cost before any work starts.
What documentation should we get when the job is done?
We usually label each run at the jack and the patch panel and test every run for continuity and crossed pairs before closeout. Certification testing, with a report for each run, is a separate service we provide on request. Some owners and cable manufacturers' warranties require it.
Planning a build-out, or fixing a messy closet?
Property owners and managers: request a site survey and we'll walk the building with you. General contractors: send us your plans for a low-voltage bid. Or call (678) 619-3548.