Back-to-School Season: Upgrading Your Business Technology for Fall Success

If you’re moving offices, adding workstations, opening a new suite, or renovating in Orlando or Altamonte Springs, your cabling plan is one of those “do it once, do it right” decisions. It impacts Wi-Fi performance, VoIP call quality, camera reliability, and how easy it is to scale later. ACT provides structured cabling across the Orlando area, including Altamonte Springs, with commercial-grade installs designed for growth. Below is a practical checklist you can use before you sign a lease, start buildout, or bring in furniture. Why structured cabling matters more than ever Even if you’re “mostly wireless,” your business still depends on wired infrastructure for: Wi-Fi access points (PoE) VoIP / cloud phone systems Security cameras (CCTV) (PoE) Door access control Workstations, printers, POS Backups and file access Network stability under load A clean cabling plan keeps everything stable, reduces downtime, and makes troubleshooting fast. Step 1: Map your floor plan for what you actually need Before any cable is pulled, you want a simple plan that answers: How many people today vs. 12–24 months from now? Where will desks, conference rooms, printers, TVs, and POS stations be? Do you need camera coverage or access control at entrances? Where will the network rack/closet live? Pro tip: plan for growth. If you’re adding 6 desks now, plan for 10–12. Adding cable later costs more and looks worse. Step 2: Decide CAT6 vs CAT6A vs fiber (without overbuying) Here’s the no-nonsense version: CAT6: Great for most offices; supports gig speeds and PoE devices well. CAT6A: Better for higher interference areas, longer runs, and more future-proofing. Fiber: Ideal for long distances inside larger buildings, multi-suite connections, or where you want maximum speed and zero interference. If your office is “normal size” and you’re not doing heavy internal data transfers, CAT6 is usually the sweet spot, while CAT6A is a smart upgrade if you want extra headroom. Step 3: Put your MDF/IDF in the right place You don’t need to be a network engineer—just make sure these basics are right: Choose a location for the main rack/closet (MDF) that’s secure, accessible, and ventilated Keep it away from water risk and random storage clutter If your footprint is large, consider a secondary closet (IDF) to avoid long cable runs This step alone can prevent “mystery Wi-Fi dead zones” and future expansion headaches. Step 4: Plan for PoE (Power over Ethernet) Many modern business devices can run power + data on one cable: Wi-Fi access points VoIP phones security cameras door access controllers intercoms If you’re installing any of the above, structured cabling should be planned around PoE, proper switch sizing, and cable pathways that keep everything clean and serviceable. Step 5: Think about pathways, ceilings, and code The biggest “surprise costs” usually come from how the cable is routed: Drop ceilings vs. open ceiling (exposed conduit may be required) Fire-rated requirements and penetrations (commercial spaces often require this) Shared risers in multi-tenant buildings (coordination + permissions) Patch panel / rack standards and labeling requirements A professional team will coordinate this during the walkthrough so the buildout doesn’t stall. Step 6: Labeling and documentation (this is what separates pros from “a guy who runs wire”) Two businesses can spend the same money—one ends up with a usable system, the other ends up with spaghetti. Make sure your structured cabling project includes: Patch panels (not just loose ends) Port labeling (rack + wall plates) A basic as-built map (even a simple diagram is huge) Cable certification/testing (especially in commercial builds) This documentation is what saves you time and money every single time you add, change, or troubleshoot something. Step 7: Coordinate cabling with the rest of your tech stack Structured cabling shouldn’t be done in a vacuum. It should support the rest of what you’re using (or planning to use), like: managed IT support and monitoring VoIP / cloud phones business Wi-Fi design security cameras door entry / access control ACT offers these services, so you can plan everything together instead of having three vendors pointing fingers when something doesn’t work. Common mistakes we see in Orlando-area office buildouts Not running enough drops (then relying on cheap switches everywhere) Putting the rack in a bad location (heat, no access, not secure) No labeling or documentation Poor Wi-Fi planning (APs placed wherever it’s “easy”) Forgetting cameras/access control until after the walls are closed Using bargain cable that can’t properly support PoE long-term