The simple version
Structured wiring is the low-voltage cabling in a home, run from each room back to one central place: a panel or a small rack. It carries internet, Wi-Fi access points, TVs, cameras, speakers and smart home devices. Because every cable ends in the same spot, the system is easier to manage, upgrade and troubleshoot.
What gets run
- Cat6 network cable to TVs, offices, access points, cameras and door stations
- Coax where cable or satellite TV is needed
- Speaker wire from speaker locations to amplifiers
- Fiber or conduit to detached buildings and future-proof paths
- Low-voltage wire for keypads, shades, thermostats and security
Why plan it before drywall
Running cable during framing is fast and clean. After the walls close, the same cable can take much longer and may mean opening walls. Even if you don't buy every system now, running the wiring keeps every option open.
The central location
The panel or rack should be in a conditioned, ventilated space with a dedicated circuit, not a hot attic or damp corner. It's where the router, switches, amplifiers and video equipment will live.
What each room typically needs
- Living and family rooms: network and HDMI conduit at the TV, speaker wire
- Bedrooms: network at the TV location
- Office: two or more network drops
- Ceilings: access point locations on each floor
- Exterior: cameras, door station and outdoor speakers
Wi-Fi starts with wiring
Good Wi-Fi in a larger home comes from access points on the ceiling of each floor, each wired back to the rack. Running Cat6 to those locations during framing is the single best thing you can do for Wi-Fi later.
Cameras and PoE
Most modern cameras, door stations and access points are powered over the same network cable (Power over Ethernet). One Cat6 per camera location, run to the rack, gives you reliable video without batteries or outlets on the outside of the house.
Common mistakes
- Putting the panel in a hot attic or garage without ventilation
- Skipping cable to TV locations that seem unlikely today
- No conduit to the main TV wall, so future cables can't be added
- Unlabeled cables that nobody can trace later
- Forgetting exterior locations: cameras, door station, patio TV and speakers
Existing homes
Finished homes can often be wired too, using attics, basements and careful fishing through walls. It takes longer and needs more planning, but wired access points and TVs are still worth it where Wi-Fi struggles.
Working with your builder
The best results come when the low-voltage installer walks the framed house with you or your builder, marks every location, and labels every cable. We do this on every pre-wire and leave a map of what went where.