TL;DR

  • Legacy LAN cabling is struggling to keep pace with the high-speed connectivity and power demands driven by AI and advanced PoE devices.
  • Organizations frequently delay infrastructure upgrades because active equipment is more visible, yet hardware cannot perform better than the underlying cable link.
  • Upgrading legacy connectivity reduces troubleshooting, secures power delivery, and prevents expensive emergency network replacements.

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Originally posted on Telecom Newsroom.

Local area network (LAN) infrastructures across the United States are facing unprecedented demands due to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, faster connectivity requirements, and high-power Power over Ethernet (PoE) demands. Many organizations delay essential cabling upgrades because their current networks seem functional or because they prioritize budgets for active equipment like switches and access points. However, active hardware cannot outperform the physical cabling layer underneath, and neglecting infrastructure upgrades leads to slow network speeds, unstable connections, overheated cable bundles, and underperforming Wi-Fi 7 systems.

The transition to higher Ethernet speeds (GBASE-T) and higher-power PoE classes (up to 90W) presents significant physical and technical risks to older brownfield installations. Legacy Cat.5e and Cat.6 cabling often fail to reliably support newer 2.5G, 5G, or 10G standards and can suffer from excessive direct current (DC) resistance unbalance, causing distorted signals, bit errors, and damaged contacts. To mitigate these issues, organizations must perform rigorous link certification testing, using frameworks like TIA’s TSB-5021, and adopt Cat.6A cabling as the default for new installations to ensure reliable high-speed performance and safe heat dissipation.

Rather than relying on non-standard, extended-reach copper solutions that increase installation weight and cost, forward-looking designs should utilize fiber optics or Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) for links exceeding 90 meters. Fiber delivers immune, virtually unlimited bandwidth over long distances, while SPE provides efficient, space-saving IP connectivity for automation. Ultimately, upgrading modular RJ45 connectivity and planning with zone cabling modernizes legacy systems, which prevents costly emergency replacements and fully unlocks the value of modern network electronics.

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