Case Study: Cabling Troubleshooting at National Ice Centre

Overview

The National Ice Centre (NIC), a leading venue for ice sports and entertainment in Nottingham, experienced networking issues affecting their CCTV systems and general site connectivity. Persistent packet loss and intermittent network disruptions were impacting the performance of critical systems, including video recording and surveillance.

To resolve these issues, the NIC reached out for assistance in investigating and fixing the root causes of their network problems, which were traced to issues with the site's cabling infrastructure.

Project Objectives

Investigate the cause of packet loss and networking issues across the NIC site.

Improve network reliability and performance, particularly for CCTV and recording systems.

Replace outdated or poorly terminated cabling to ensure consistent connectivity across the venue.

Enhance the quality of video recordings and general site network usage.

Challenges

The NIC's large venue and complex infrastructure made it challenging to pinpoint the source of network instability. Poorly terminated cables, outdated cabling standards, and long cable runs were contributing to significant packet loss, slow speeds, and unreliable video recording quality. A solution needed to address these issues without disrupting daily operations or compromising system performance.

Our Solution

We conducted a thorough network audit and developed a tailored solution to improve the NIC's network infrastructure:

Investigation and Diagnostics
Our team performed a detailed investigation to identify the source of packet loss and network degradation. By running diagnostics across the network and identifying weak spots, we were able to locate the specific cabling issues affecting network stability.
Replacement of Long Cables with Fibre Optic
Over-length copper cables, which were causing signal degradation and packet loss, were replaced with fibre optic cables. This not only improved the overall network speed but also ensured more stable connections, especially for critical systems like CCTV.
Re-termination of Poorly Terminated Cables
Several network cables were poorly terminated, which led to signal loss and connectivity issues. These cables were properly re-terminated to ensure consistent data flow and reduce packet loss, improving network reliability.
Upgrading to Cat 6 Cabling
Older, outdated cables were replaced with new Cat 6 cabling to meet modern network standards. This upgrade ensured higher speeds, better bandwidth, and reduced interference, especially for high-performance systems like surveillance cameras and video recording equipment.

Results & Benefits

Increased Network Reliability – Replacing outdated and poorly terminated cabling improved network stability and eliminated packet loss, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity across the venue.

Enhanced Video Recording Quality – With a more stable and high-speed network, the NIC experienced improved video recording quality from their CCTV systems, providing clearer footage with fewer interruptions.

Future-Proof Infrastructure – The installation of fibre optic cables and Cat 6 cabling ensures that the NIC’s network is future-proof, supporting higher data transfer rates and additional devices in the years to come.

Optimised Network Performance – The NIC now enjoys faster and more efficient network performance across their entire site, improving overall operations and user experience.

Cost-Effective Solution – The strategic upgrades not only improved network performance but also helped avoid more costly solutions down the road by addressing infrastructure issues at their source.

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