Security cameras, door access readers, Wi-Fi access points, and VoIP phones all depend on the same thing: properly planned low-voltage cabling. Get it right and devices just work. Get it wrong and you're chasing dead cameras and dropped Wi-Fi.
"Low-voltage" covers the cabling that powers and connects the devices around your building rather than the outlets in the wall. For most Denver businesses that means network cabling for IP security cameras, access control readers and intercoms, wireless access points, VoIP phones, and conference room displays.
These devices are often added one at a time, by different vendors, over several years. The result is a ceiling full of mystery cables and a network nobody fully understands. Here's what to plan for so that doesn't happen.
Most modern cameras, access points, and desk phones use Power over Ethernet. A single network cable carries both data and electrical power from a PoE switch, so there's no need for a power outlet at every camera or access point. That simplifies installs on ceilings, exterior walls, and parking lot poles.
PoE comes in several power levels, defined by IEEE standards:
| Standard | Common name | Power at the switch port |
|---|---|---|
| 802.3af | PoE | Up to 15.4 W |
| 802.3at | PoE+ | Up to 30 W |
| 802.3bt | PoE++ | Up to 60 W or 90 W |
Fixed cameras and desk phones usually fit standard PoE. Pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, cameras with heaters for outdoor use, and newer high-performance Wi-Fi access points often need PoE+ or more. Check each device's requirement before you buy the switch.
Size the switch, not just the ports. Every PoE switch has a total power budget. A 24-port switch can run out of power long before it runs out of ports if you connect PTZ cameras and access points. Proper PoE switch sizing for your device count is part of the design.
An Ethernet run, including patch cords, is limited to 100 meters (about 328 feet). That's plenty inside most offices, but parking lots, warehouses, and detached buildings can exceed it quickly. When a device is too far from the network closet, the options are a second network closet (IDF) closer to the devices, connected back with fiber, or an outdoor-rated network enclosure. Plan this during design, not after a camera won't power up.
Parking lots, building perimeters, loading docks, and entry points are where cameras matter most, and where installs get harder. Use weather-rated IP66/IP67 cameras, weatherproof terminations, and proper mounting. Runs across parking lots or to detached structures usually need underground conduit. Night coverage depends on cameras with IR illumination and on placement that avoids glare from lights.
Cameras, door controllers, and other smart devices are common targets for attackers because they're rarely updated. Put them on their own network segment (a VLAN) so a compromised camera can't reach your file server or workstations. Keep firmware updated, change default passwords, and only allow remote viewing through secure, tested access. This is where it helps to have the same team install your cameras and manage your network.
Door access readers, electric locks, and intercoms need cabling to each door and a path back to the controller. Plan the door locations, controller location, and power needs with your access control vendor and general contractor early, especially in new build-outs where walls are still open.
Good Wi-Fi starts with access point placement, and every access point needs a cable drop, usually in the ceiling. Map coverage before running cable, include spare drops in areas where you may add access points later, and use Cat6A where possible so the cabling isn't the bottleneck when you upgrade access points.
Low-voltage runs should be held to the same standard as any network cabling: certification-tested, labeled at both ends, and documented on a port map. When a camera goes offline a year from now, documentation is the difference between a five-minute fix and an afternoon tracing cables.
PoE delivers electrical power and network data over a single Ethernet cable from a PoE switch. It lets cameras, Wi-Fi access points, and phones run without a separate power outlet at each device.
A standard Ethernet run is limited to 100 meters (about 328 feet), including patch cords. Longer distances need a closer network closet connected by fiber, or an outdoor-rated enclosure.
Usually, yes. Workplace IT adds cameras to existing NVR systems, migrates older analog cameras to IP, and upgrades cabling for higher-bandwidth cameras without replacing everything unnecessarily.
Yes. Putting cameras and door systems on their own VLAN keeps a compromised device from reaching your business systems, and makes the network easier to manage.
Workplace IT handles data and low-voltage cabling in Denver and across the metro area, including camera, access control, intercom, Wi-Fi, and VoIP drops. We also design, install, and support commercial security camera systems, so your cameras are installed by the same team that manages your network, with proper PoE switch sizing, a separate camera VLAN, and remote access tested before we leave. For larger projects, see our structured cabling and fiber services and our office cabling checklist.
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