Wiring a Working Branch After Hours: A Regional Hardware Supplier’s Bozeman Office
At a glance
Client: A regional hardware supplier's Bozeman branch
Type: Office, paint area, and shipping and receiving
Services: structured cabling, network rack buildout, managed switching, WiFi coverage, coordination with an out-of-state IT provider
Scale: About 2,700 feet of Cat6, roughly 25 runs, 43 terminations, 3 access points
Platforms: Alta Labs
The constraint
The company opened its Bozeman branch with a firewall and a single access point supplied by its out-of-state IT provider. It worked, but the building needed wired connections at every workstation, WiFi that reached the paint area and the shipping dock, and a bigger switch to tie it together. The branch was open for business, and the new gear had to behave exactly like the network the company's home office already manages.
Up and running on day one
We walked the building with the company's president and had the rack, switch, access points, and battery backup in hand within the week. On install morning we mounted a wall rack, moved the internet provider's equipment and the firewall into it, and brought access points online so the team had WiFi to start the day. Before any cable went in, we walked the office again to lock in every drop location.
Cabling in the evenings
To keep the branch running, our team pulled cable after hours. The attic was tight, with framing, insulation, and existing obstructions in the way, so we planned each route to keep clean home runs back to the rack. In total we pulled about 2,700 feet of Cat6 across roughly 25 runs, terminated 43 keystone jacks, and continuity tested every one. Every workstation got a second line, so there is a built-in backup if a connection ever fails. We added raceway in the paint area and the shipping area, reorganized the camera cabling already in the rack, and dressed and labeled everything.
Working with an out-of-state IT provider
The company's firewall and network settings are run by an IT provider based outside Montana, and the Bozeman branch shares its setup with the home office. We coordinated with their IT contacts before and during the install, matched the network settings they already use, and verified them on site so the branch behaved like every other location. When the copier kept dropping off WiFi after the cutover, we adjusted the access point configuration that afternoon, and it ran without a problem the next day.
What's in place now
Wall-mounted network rack with battery backup
About 3,000 feet of tested Cat6, with a backup line at every workstation
Three new Alta Labs access points covering the front office, paint area, and shipping and receiving
Spare runs in the front office and blank plates ready for future drops
Labeled, dressed cabling throughout
The result
Every workstation at the Bozeman branch is wired with a backup line, the WiFi reaches the shop, and the whole network runs the way the home office expects, with a local team a phone call away.
Opening or moving an office?
New branch, new lease, or a building that has outgrown its wiring: let's plan your network before move-in day, and we'll work directly with your IT provider, wherever they are.
