If you're building or doing a major renovation, structured cabling is one of the easiest things to get right the first time — and one of the most expensive to fix later. Here's what a proper pre-wire plan typically covers.
Cat6 or Cat6A to key locations
Even in a WiFi-first world, wired connections are faster and more reliable for access points, TVs, and any equipment that streams or stores video. A good plan runs cable to spots like the media room, home office, and wherever access points will be mounted.
A dedicated spot for the equipment rack
Every cable eventually needs somewhere to land. Planning a closet or cabinet for a patch panel, network switch, and other equipment keeps things organized and easy to service later, instead of a tangle of boxes on a shelf.
Camera and access point locations, decided early
Camera placement and access point placement both benefit from being decided before drywall goes up, so cable can be run directly to those points instead of relying on wireless workarounds.
Labeling and testing, not just installation
Every run should be labeled at both ends and tested before it's considered done. It's a small step that saves hours of troubleshooting years down the road.
If you're in the planning stages of a new build, this is the conversation worth having with your builder before framing is finished.