Once the cables are installed, you have to make sure they are protected from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or other types of interference that could cause problems with the signal that is traveling through the cable.
There are a few things you should consider when you first install a cable from a handling perspective to minimize negative interference effects:
- Do not overtwist the cable
- Do not pull or stretch the cable
- Pay attention to how and where you use cable ties
- Pay attention to the bend radius; different types of cables allow a different maximum bend radius, so read the cable specifications carefully
Whenever you are working with cables, EMI can cause issues, so when operating in such an environment, you might consider using fiber cables instead because they do not use electrical signals and thus EMI does not affect them. Here are a few things you should consider to avoid or minimize EMI when using copper cables:
- Avoid power cords
- Avoid electrical cables
- Avoid fluorescent lights
- Avoid fire prevention components
- Avoid any kind of powerful electrical sources
Once the cabling installation is complete and before taking the network into production, you should use dedicated testing equipment to make sure that you have a good connection on every link and EMI is not affecting your signal at any point.