There are many Student Housing properties that have low-voltage
wiring infrastructure that is approaching or beyond its useful
service life. Campus Technologies Inc, the oldest Student Housing
wireless (Wi-Fi) and wired Internet provider, discusses why and
what to do about it in their new white paper called "Is Your
Property Wiring Obsolete? We live in interesting times. We should
plan for them."
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In the modern student
housing community, the wiring infrastructure often goes unnoticed,
yet it plays a crucial role in ensuring seamless wired and wireless
Internet service for residents. This infrastructure, like any
physical system, has a finite operating lifespan and must evolve
with advancing technology and increasing demands.
"In the modern student housing community,
the wiring infrastructure often goes unnoticed, yet it plays a
crucial role in ensuring seamless wired and wireless Internet
service for residents."
Fiber Optic and Copper Wiring
Typically, properties feature two types of low voltage wiring:
fiber optic cables that distribute bandwidth and copper wires that
connect wall jacks to the nearest fiber handoff. Both types of
wiring present unique challenges.
Fiber Optic Cables
Fiber optic cables are categorized into Single Mode (SMF) and
Multi-Mode (MMF). Properties equipped with Single Mode fiber can
rest easy, as it remains viable for the foreseeable future.
However, older Multi-Mode fiber, which cannot support more than 1
Gigabit per second over typical student housing distances, may
require upgrading to Single Mode to maintain adequate Internet
service levels. This upgrade can be costly, depending on the
property's size, layout, and initial installation.
Copper Cables
Copper cables, often referred to as UTP (Unshielded Twisted
Pair) or by categories such as Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, etc., generally
have a planned lifespan of 15-20 years. The actual lifespan depends
on installation quality and environmental conditions. While copper
cables can exceed their expected lifespan if well-maintained, they
will eventually need replacement. Properties built before 2009 may
soon face this challenge.
Capability Considerations
Most student housing Internet systems today are designed to
deliver 1 Gigabit per second to individual jacks. This is
achievable with Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6A cables, but not with Cat5,
which maxes out at 100 Mbit. As new applications and systems, such
as WiFi 7, emerge, requiring more than 1 Gigabit per access point,
the wiring infrastructure must support these higher speeds. The new
standard appears to be 10 Gigabit over copper, necessitating Cat6A
cables for distances up to 300 feet.
Planning for the Future
To maintain a competitive Internet amenity, planning for the
upgrade from Multi-Mode to Single Mode fiber is essential. This
proactive approach ensures that student housing communities can
meet the evolving technological demands and provide reliable
Internet service to residents.
For the full in-depth paper please go to
https://www.campustechnologies.com/post/new-white-paper-on-student-housing-wiring
CTI has more useful white papers to help Student Housing
Managers and Operators successfully navigate these confusing waters
of technology: https://www.campustechnologies.com/whitepapers
Media Contact
katerina shineleva, Campus Technologies Inc, 1 (215) 243-7849,
kshineleva@campustech.net, https://www.campustechnologies.com/
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SOURCE Campus Technologies Inc