Wireless connections are a great thing, as you can connect devices to the Internet and one another without the need for cables. Sadly, many of us don’t use wireless devices much beyond Wi-Fi. As we continue to use an increasing number of devices, all of which use cables, it can be hard to keep them in order. If you have a mess of cables in your office, it may be time to straighten them out.

Like most things in business, organization is key, and a neatly organized cable system not only helps IT, but can help ensure you can troubleshoot/repair if an IT professional isn’t available to do so in person.

If your server room/office looks like a Jackson Pollock painting, there are a few measures you can take to ensure a neat and tidy set of cables.

• Use a cabling professional. If you are starting out with a new system, or moving offices and need to lay new cable, it’s a good idea to skip the DIY and contact a professional who can help. This will help minimize cable mess along with potential performance and connection issues.
• Make a device map. On a piece of paper or chart, depending on how many devices you have, mark every device, assign them a unique number and mark what they connect to. For example, if you have a server and five computers, all these should link to the server.
• Tag on the hub. Use the numbers you’ve just applied to the devices and mark their current location on the Patch Panel – the panel on a server or electrical device where you attach cables. For example, If Computer #1 connects to Patch Panel B, mark this on the panel.
• Untangle those wires. Once you know the connection location, you can unplug all the cables, untangle them and plug them back in, in an orderly manner. Use Zip-Ties or twist ties to link cables together to make them easier to move or keep track of.
• Use colored cables. If you have different types of devices connected to one hub, it’s a good idea to use different colored cables so you know what is connected. For example servers could be red cords, printers yellow and computers white/blue.

Is your cabling in need of a good organizing but you lack the time or are unsure of how to go about it? Contact us, we can help.

Published on 19th October 2012 by Jeanne DeWitt.