The Benefits of Twisted Pair Cable

Introduction to Networking
October 29, 2013

Ocper Inc. is a small company that has no one dedicated to information technology or networking on the staff, and there are 20 Windows peer-to-peer client computers all connected via coax cabling. The president has indicated that the company plans to double in size over the next two years, but she is weary of drastically changing the computing environment. This is my first assignment, but I feel that I have a very good plan to help give them a faster, more secure, and efficient network. The first change that I would recommend would be to move away from a peer-to-peer network to a client/server network. I would explain that there are many advantages to switching to a client/server network such as (Dean, 2009): * User logon accounts and passwords for anyone on a server-based network can be assigned in one place. * Access to multiple shared resources (such as data files or printers) can be centrally granted to a single user or groups of users. * Problems on the network can be monitored, diagnosed, and often fixed from one location. * Servers are optimized to handle heavy processing loads and dedicated to handling requests from clients, enabling faster response time. * Because of their efficient processing and larger disk storage, servers can connect more than a handful of computers on a network.
The advantages of a client/server far outweigh any possible disadvantages.
Since Opcer Inc. has plans of expansion, I would strongly recommend that the current coaxial cable be replaced by twisted pair cable. Coaxial cable is outdated and will be more expensive to expand the computer network. Coax is also not as secure as twisted pair cable. Also, because coax is thicker it can be more difficult to work with.
I will suggest that Cat 6 UTP be used. There are many benefits to using Cat 6 cabling. As the company expands and updates their equipment, they will be able to take full advantage of the speeds that the cabling can handle (CEC Sales, 2013). There should not be any compatibility issues as the new equipment is added since Cat 6 is fully scalable. The only real negative to Cat 6 will be the price because Cat 6 is more expensive. However, it is better to pay for it now than to realize it should have been installed in the first place.
I would also discuss the possibility of using fiber optic cabling. Fiber optic cabling has many benefits. Fiber optics are more secure, efficient, and carry more information faster than Cat 6. Data from fiber optic cable is transmitted via pulsating light so there is no risk of electric shock and since Cat 6 is made of copper and transmits electricity (Hansen, 2013). However, installing fiber optic cabling will be far more expensive than Cat 6.
To make sure the customer did not feel like I was trying to push a more expensive alternative to coax for the sake of charging more money, I would definitely reiterate and review the pros and cons of all of the cabling. I would really want to stress how much more difficult it would be to upgrade their network infrastructure if the company continues to grow but decides to stick with coax.
I feel that the customer would be unsatisfied in the long run if they were to expand and still use coax. I will recommend that our firm not be involved with setting up a network for this client if they were to use anything less than Cat 6 cabling. Cat 6 cabling will satisfy all of the client’s needs while allowing them to expand easily. Since the president is weary of change, I do not anticipate that she will be inclined to spend the extra money on fiber optic cabling when Cat 6 will suit all of the company’s expansion needs.
The estimate provided here only covers the labor and the costs of the wiring (Costs to Install Computer Network Wiring 2013 Calculator, 2013). The labor for setting up one machine will be $131.87 for 2 hours. The costs for the wiring including any connectors, fittings and mounting hardware will be $47.00 per machine. The combined cost per machine is 178.87 per machine. This price does not include the hardware, software, or tax on materials and supplies. The total also does not include fees such for inspections or permits. Also, it does not include fees that may require a general contractor.

Works Cited
Costs to Install Computer Network Wiring 2013 Calculator. (2013, January). Retrieved October 31, 2013, from homewsye.com: http://www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_computer_network_wiring.html
CEC Sales. (2013, May 09). Benefits of Cat6 cabling over Cat5e. Retrieved October 29, 2013, from computerexpertscorp.com: http://www.computerexpertscorp.com/_blog/Computer_Experts_Blog/post/benefits-of-cat6-cable-over-cat5e/
Dean, T. (2009). Network + Guide to Networks. Mason: Cengage Learning.
Hansen, C. (2013, unknown). Top 5 reasons to use fiber optic cable. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from cableorganizer.com: http://www.cableorganizer.com/articles/5-reasons-to-use-fiber-optic-cables.htm