Delivery: Online | Est. Length: 90 Minutes | Price: $125.00
Course Overview
The NCTI ® Cable Routing Techniques course provides practical methods for planning, running, securing, and protecting fiber-optic, wisted-pair, and coaxial cable from the service entry point to outlets and devices, while preserving signal quality, interior aesthetics, and meeting safety and building-code requirements. Good routing matters because a cable’s performance is highly dependent on the physical path: tight bends, crushed or stapled jackets, long unsupported runs, proximity to electrical wiring, moisture exposure, and poorly sealed penetrations can all increase signal loss, introduce noise/ingress, or create intermittent service problems that are hard to troubleshoot later. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and effectively route fiber-optic, twisted-pair, and coaxial cable in residential environments by examining common home construction styles and framing methods to determine proper entry points and routing pathways, including considerations for basements, crawl spaces, attics, and mobile homes. The course covers essential routing practices, including outlet placement, selection of installation equipment, and drilling through walls, floors, and exterior surfaces, while protecting both the cable and the structure. Learners also develop practical wallfishing skills, including tool selection, safety evaluation, and step-by-step routing techniques. Emphasis is placed on maintaining signal integrity, meeting safety and code requirements, and minimizing damage to the home during installation.
Who Should Attend:
- Entry-level residential broadband and cable technicians (new hires)
- Service technicians who troubleshoot, reroute, and replace in-home coaxial cable
- Technicians transitioning into residential work
- Contractors and subcontractors who perform customer-premise installations
- Technicians who want to refresh their skills to improve quality, safety, and reduce repeat calls
Course Outline: Interior Craftsmanship – Structural considerations, routing considerations, drill-through and entry practices, and wallfishing
OBJECTIVES
- Describe common home construction styles and materials, and assess appropriate cable entry points and routing options.
- Compare platform and balloon framing and explain key routing considerations for above-grade wall and ceiling framing (including attic/above-ceiling work).
- Explain routing and safety considerations for specialty or constrained environments, including crawl spaces, basements, and mobile homes.
- Plan outlet cable routes by selecting the optimal path and identifying required equipment and parts.
- Apply proper drilling practices for cable installation by explaining key considerations for drilling through common wall materials and through floors.
- Assess drilling and routing considerations and describe the steps involved with both.
- Explain how to protect a cable and the home’s interior when routing cable through an exterior wall.
- Identify the tools needed to inspect, penetrate, and route a cable when wallfishing.
- Evaluate considerations such as wall structure, cable routing, and safety before performing a wallfish.
- Describe the steps for performing a wallfish.