Wifi is handy, but it struggles through brick veneer, concrete block and long hallways, and every device on it shares the same airtime. A cabled network gives the home office, the TV and the wifi access points a fast, steady connection that holds up when the whole household is online.
We install data cabling in Christchurch homes and offices: new data points, cabling for access points and cameras, comms cabinets and patch panels. Because we are electricians, we can add the power circuits a cabinet, wall-mounted TV or access point needs on the same visit. If the walls are already open for a rewire, that is the cheapest time to add data.
Pricing: a free quote and a fixed price agreed before we start. You get a written, itemised quote, and small jobs can be quoted from photos.
One central point for the whole network
The standard layout is a star: every data point runs on its own cable back to one central spot, usually a small cabinet or panel close to where the fibre enters the house. The fibre ONT, router, network switch and patch panel sit there, and any wall jack can be connected to any service by swapping a patch lead.
The New Zealand Telecommunications Forum publishes Premises Wiring Guidelines for voice and broadband cabling in homes and buildings. They are voluntary best practice and are cited by the AS/NZS 3000 wiring rules. The TCF also has a homeowner factsheet on wiring a smart home, covering where to put the ONT, modem and access points. We plan home networks to that guidance.
- Cabinet or panel near the fibre entry
- One cable per data point, back to the patch panel
- Labels at both ends so faults are easy to trace
- Spare runs to likely future spots
Christchurch houses and cable routes
The route a cable can take depends on how the house was built, and Christchurch has a wide mix. Older bungalows usually have a timber floor with space underneath and a ceiling cavity above, so cables can drop inside walls through a small access hole. Heavier pre-1970s homes with brick or concrete block veneer need more thought where a run meets masonry.
Many homes rebuilt after the earthquakes on TC2 or TC3 land sit on enhanced concrete raft or specifically engineered foundations, with no underfloor space at all. There, cables come down from the ceiling, so we plan points on internal walls where that is easy. Apartments and townhouses in the rebuilt central city and Merivale can have concrete or fire-rated walls that limit routes, so we confirm those at the quote.
How It Works
Where to put data points
Think about where devices stay put: the TV and console, the home office desk, a gaming PC, the printer. Then add ceiling points for wifi access points, so the signal comes from the middle of the house rather than a modem in a cupboard. In larger or two-storey homes, two or three wired access points usually beat one powerful router.
Security cameras, doorbells and some access points can run on power over Ethernet, where one cable carries both data and power. That saves a power point at each camera, as long as the switch in the cabinet supports it. See our security camera installation page for camera planning.
- Lounge: TV, streaming box and console
- Home office: desk and printer
- Ceiling points for access points
- Outside: cameras and gate or garage controllers
Cable choice and testing
For most homes and small offices, Cat6 is our default. It handles current fibre plans and home network speeds with headroom to spare. Long runs, outdoor runs and runs near heavy electrical equipment may call for shielded or outdoor-rated cable, which we specify where needed.
Every cable is terminated on a jack at the wall and on the patch panel, then tested end to end for continuity and correct wiring. A cable that looks fine but has one swapped pair will run slowly or drop out, so testing is not optional. You get a labelled schedule showing which panel port goes to which room.
Power and data together, new builds and offices
Data cable is extra-low voltage, but what sits around it is not. A comms cabinet needs a power point for the router and switch, a wall-mounted TV needs power behind it, and some access points need a socket nearby. That is fixed wiring work, which WorkSafe says must be done by a licensed electrician and comes with a Certificate of Compliance. We keep data and power cables apart along their routes to avoid interference.
New builds are the easiest of all: in subdivisions such as Halswell, Wigram, Rolleston and Pegasus, cables go in at pre-wire stage before the linings close. For offices, we cable desks, meeting rooms and access points back to a rack, and can tie it into a fit-out run by our commercial electrician team.
Why Choose Cheeky's Electrical for Data Cabling
Data and power in one visit
We cable the network and wire the power points it needs, with a CoC for the electrical work.
Routes planned for your build type
Raft slab, timber floor or masonry walls, we plan the runs before we quote.
Tested end to end
Every run is tested after termination, so a faulty cable does not surface months later.
Labelled and documented
Panel ports and wall jacks are labelled, with a schedule of what goes where.
Data Cabling FAQs
Is wired better than wifi?
For devices that stay in one place, such as TVs, desks and consoles, a cable gives a faster, steadier connection. Wired access points also improve wifi through the house.
My house was rebuilt on a concrete raft. Can you still cable it?
Yes. With no underfloor space, cables come down from the ceiling, so we favour internal walls and plan the routes at the quote.
What cable do you use?
Cat6 is our default for homes and small offices, with shielded or outdoor-rated cable where the route needs it.
Do I need an electrician for data cabling?
The data cable is extra-low voltage. New power points for a cabinet, TV or access point are fixed wiring work that needs a licensed electrician and a Certificate of Compliance.
Where should the network cabinet go?
Usually close to where the fibre enters, somewhere ventilated and easy to reach, such as a hall cupboard or garage wall.
Can cameras run off the data cable?
Many can, using power over Ethernet. The network switch has to support it.
Data Cabling Across Christchurch
We cover every region: Central Christchurch, North Christchurch, East and Coastal Christchurch, South Christchurch and Port Hills, West Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri.
Related Electrical Services
See the electrician prices guide or every service we offer.