CABLING
Having the correct data and voice cables ran is key for your pharmacy. These cables are the lifeblood of your network. Placement is very important for the data drops – you don’t want to have network cables showing more than they have to so short runs are key. Most pharmacies are not wired properly and usually the owner tries to do a make-shift network with data cables everywhere. This isn’t just unprofessional, it’s unsafe and serves as a temporary fix. Data cables should be designed and installed by professionals who know how to run the cable and hide it from the public eye.
Your cabling infrastructure must match your pharmacies needs. When planning for data drops you should consider all devices that will need a network patch cable. Items such as laser printers, computers, thermal label printers, fax machines, phones and more all require a data cable plugged into the network and each of them need their own data drop.
If you are purchasing a building that had previous network cable do not attempt to use the old cable. Most of the time when a business moves out of the building they will simply cut the network cabling because it’s easier than pulling it all out of the ceiling/wall.
If you are purchasing a pharmacy we always recommend replacing the network infrastructure to ensure your pharmacy isn’t hampered by slow or broken data connections. We especially recommend a rewire if your switching pharmacy software systems after the purchase.
How many drops is enough?: The safe way to answer this question is for every computer you will want at least 4 drops.
What type of cable do I need for my pharmacy?: Most pharmacies can get away with the cheaper CAT5 cable right now but if you can afford to install CAT6 we recommend it.
How long will my cables last, or when should I replace my data cabling?: Data cables will last your business years after being installed. However once you start having connectivity problems, slow speeds, switching pharmacy systems, or re-arranging your workflow you should consider your cable infrastructure.
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