The physical layer, done in house
Most IT companies sub out cabling to whoever is available that week, then spend the next three years troubleshooting the result. Workflow IT runs, terminates, tests and labels cable itself, which means the same team that installs the drops supports the network on top of them. When something misbehaves later, there's no finger-pointing between the cabling contractor and the IT provider, because they're the same phone number.
What's offered
- New cable drops. Cat6 and Cat6A runs for workstations, phones, printers, wireless access points, cameras, TVs and conference rooms.
- Network closet cleanup. Untangling the closet a previous tenant or previous provider left behind. Re-terminating to patch panels, replacing damaged runs, labeling every port.
- Racks and patch panels. Wall-mount and floor racks, patch panels, cable management, and proper power.
- Testing and certification. Every run is tested and documented. Certification reports are available on request for new construction and tenant-improvement work.
- New construction and tenant improvements. Cabling designed before drywall, coordinated with your general contractor and electrician.
- Wireless access point and camera drops. Placed for coverage, powered over Ethernet, and terminated in the closet where they belong.
Why it's worth doing properly
Cabling outlasts everything connected to it. The computers on your desks will be replaced twice before a well-installed Cat6A run needs attention. Bad cabling, on the other hand, shows up as intermittent problems that look like software: a workstation that drops off the network every Tuesday, a phone with choppy audio, an access point that never gets full speed. Those are the most expensive problems to chase because they don't reproduce on demand.
If a network in Knoxville has an unexplained problem, the first thing we check is the closet. It's the cause more often than anyone likes.
Cat6 or Cat6A?
For a typical small office, Cat6 is fine for workstations and phones. Cat6A is the better choice for wireless access points, anything that might need more than a gigabit in the next decade, and new construction where the walls will be closed for twenty years. We'll tell you which runs need which, rather than upselling the whole building. There's a longer discussion in Cat6 vs. Cat6A for a small office.
Pricing
Cabling is quoted per drop after a walkthrough, with racks, panels and materials listed separately. The walkthrough is free and usually takes under an hour. Prices depend on ceiling type, distance, plenum requirements and how much cleanup the existing closet needs, which is why there's no honest way to give a number over the phone.
Where cabling work goes
Across Knox, Blount, Anderson, Loudon and Sevier counties, and further into East Tennessee for larger projects. Workflow IT also takes subcontracted cabling for out-of-area integrators; see onsite support and projects.
Questions people ask about this
How much does a network drop cost in Knoxville?
It depends on ceiling type, run length, plenum requirements and the state of the closet, so Workflow IT quotes per drop after a free walkthrough rather than guessing over the phone. The quote lists drops, materials and any rack or panel work separately.
Can you work while the office is occupied?
Yes. Most retrofit work is done around normal business hours with minimal disruption, and after-hours work can be arranged for spaces that can't be interrupted.
Do you certify the runs?
Every run is tested. Formal certification reports are available for projects that require them, such as new construction, tenant improvements or landlord handoffs.
Do you do fiber?
Ask. Copper Cat6 and Cat6A are the core of the work; fiber between buildings or closets can be coordinated on a project basis depending on scope.
Can you just clean up our existing closet?
Yes, and it's one of the most common requests. Re-terminating to patch panels, labeling, cable management and replacing damaged runs make the closet supportable again without pulling all new cable.
Need drops, a cleanup, or a whole new closet?
The walkthrough is free and the quote is per drop, in writing.