sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Need advice/help for wiring an office

I work as an office technician for a small business and we are moving into a new building. It is a two-story building with an 8,000 square foot office area on the first floor and a 4,000 square foot office area on the second floor. The office building is built on a concrete slab and there is a concrete floor between the two levels. There is also a 20-inch air gap between the dropped ceiling and the actual ceiling on both levels. Currently there is a single RJ11 phone jack going to each office. I believe that the phone wire is daisy chained from one office room to the next.

I am planning on recommending the XBlue phone system to our office. We need 12 handsets and will have 4 lines, plus an extra dedicated line for the fax machine. Our service provider will be Comcast.

I haven't done phone wiring before beside some simple home phone wiring. So I'm not sure what sort of wiring I will need for this KSU system. From what I read online most KSU systems recommend a star wiring topology. What do you guys recommend?

Also should I just use a 66-block for the 4 lines and then connect that to the XBlue KSU or two 66-blocks cross wired or a single 110-block?

I can't imagine that someone would daisy chain telephones in a office environment, especially the size that you're talking about. Before I did anything I would research exactly what is in place. Also, there should be access holes core drilled between the two floors. You'll need to locate these.

If you were starting fresh, each handset location should have its own dedicated run-CAT3 is sufficient. You would take these back to where your KSU is going to be located and hopefully co-located with where your incoming lines come in. You should then terminate these to a patch panel. Bring your incoming lines in and terminate them to a 66 block. From there, you would simply connect to the KSU.

If you're running new telco, you may as well run your data at the same time-use CAT5e or CAT6. I would run the data lines back to a central location on each floor. You can then run a single line between the two floors using routing/switching equipment.

Make sure you familiarize yourself with codes and licensing requirements. Here in MD, an electrical permit is required and the contractor must me licensed. Next, determine if plenum rated cable is required in the open space above the ceiling tiles-plenum cable is no fun to work with.

I hope this helps as a start.

the best advice is to find a vendor to work with and let a pro do the job and sell you and set up your equipment . someone who does this daily vs trying to DIY something as important as office cabling and communications system


also consider putting in telephones rather than just handsets

just what is a "office tech " thats a new one on me

When our customers have a IT technician or maintenance person on staff, we usually work with them, if we can. In your situation, it seems as if you'd be better off with a vendor that knows how to cable and knows that XBlue system. He can be the "Project Manager" if you want and you can do the work under his directions; but doing this by yourself, when you haven't put in a system before, is going to be a bit tough. You'd be saving time & money if you could find someone in your area that you could work with. A good vendor can then warranty the equipment and provide you with support for the life of the equipment. It's a lot better deal than being out there all alone. JMHO

I disagree. They should be terminated in an industry-standard method, for instance, on a 66 block so that MAC can be done easily and neatly.


I disagree. I would make all of them home runs. Why introduce another piece of electronic equipment that will overheat, fail, need to be reset, be subject to power outages?

If the building is 8,000 feet on the first floor, and assuming a rectangular building, are any of the data runs going to exceed 100 meters?

OMG. Here we go again with the "handset" BS.

The longest data cable run will be 100 feet. I'm going to contact XBlue to see if they have an installer in the area. The thing is that we need all work to be done with unionized workers and I will have to see how I can budget things.

Then you're in luck. Pull four Cat5e's to each work station. Run them all to the same point. Create your wiring hub with adequate power, and install the incoming dial tones and internet modem, with a battery backup.

At each work station, install a 4-port plate with two 6p4c jacks and two 8p8c jacks. The job will pretty much be future proof.

At the MDF terminate two cables from each location on a 66M50 block, and terminate two cables on a data jack panel. If a cable fails, or if you need to add a phone, or a fax machine, or add a network scanner or printer, you'll look like a hero when you don't need to run more wires in the hung ceiling, dropping bits of asbestos, mouse droppings, dust balls, etc, on everyone's desk.

I have done many installations just like this, and from experience, this is the best way to do it.

Is there a fire/burglary alarm system installed, or planned? Be sure to co-ordinate the dial tone needs with the alarm installer.

By "office tech" I mean I handle pretty much everything regarding the office, which includes SQL and Access database programs, custom C++ programs, network maintenance, and non-computer tasks such as building maintenance. I am MCITP certified and also have a carpentry license and am close to getting my electrician's license (last month I helped wire a 3-phase circuit for an elevator as part of my training), so I can handle most of the tasks. If there's a task I feel that I can't handle I will usually recommend someone else. Running wire properly in walls and above ceiling tiles and through floors is no problem for me and I have read the local codes regarding the usage of plenum and riser cable. Also the local government inspector comes by to check my work and requires that I submit plans for any work. The data network is not the issue here, I'm just concentrating on the voice communications at the time being. I might just be able to stay with the current phone cable after I verify that it is all in proper working condition. My main concern was whether a KSU system requires star-wiring or daisy-chain wiring. Thanks for the input and I'll keep things updated here as things move along.

The KSU will require home runs. Even if it didn't, we would advise you to do it that way, because the next KSU will require them.

If you find that the existing wiring is adequate (type of wire, wiring scheme, number of pairs, etc), and they do not terminate where you want them to, you could always run a 25-pair Cat3 cable from the existing MDF (making it an IDF) to the new proposed location. Doing it this way would conform to industry standards, and we would not pick on you for doing so. You have to understand that we are a tough audience.

Don't forget NEC, AHJ and Permits