The best time to run structured data cabling is while the walls are open. Once ceilings and plasterboard are closed up, everything becomes surface-mount or requires access hatches.
Where data points usually go
- Near TVs (for streaming devices, consoles and smart TVs).
- Behind or beside desks in studies and home offices.
- Adjacent to where wireless access points will be mounted (often the ceiling).
- Near where the NBN equipment and modem will live.
When to schedule the cabling
The right window is after the electrician has roughed in power and before insulation and gyprock. If Wi-Fi access points are going in the ceiling, plan those runs at the same time.
Future-proofing
- Run two cables to important locations, not one — spares are cheap while walls are open.
- Terminate to a small patch panel or wall-mount comms enclosure.
- Leave draw strings in conduits if any run is likely to need upgrading later.