Data Networking
Every camera, access control panel, and IP intercom SDS sells needs a network to talk on, and data networking is the switches, routers, wireless access points, and structured cabling infrastructure (patch panels, jacks, racks) that carries that traffic. It’s rarely the reason a contractor walks into a franchise, but it’s on almost every job ticket once the primary system gets specced. Security Data Supply stocks networking hardware built for the security and low-voltage trade, in stock at 20+ locally owned franchises.
Why Contractors Buy Networking Gear Through SDS
A security or access control job that skips the network conversation ends up with cameras that can’t reach the recorder or a panel that can’t phone home. SDS franchises stock networking gear alongside the systems it supports, so a contractor can walk out with a PoE switch sized to the camera count on the same trip, not a separate IT supply run.
Choosing Data Networking Gear by Job Type
PoE for camera and device runs
Video surveillance and IP-based access control both run over Power over Ethernet, which means switch selection has to account for total PoE budget across every connected device, not just port count.
Structured cabling backbone
Any job with more than a handful of devices needs a proper patch panel and rack setup rather than switches daisy-chained on a shelf, both for reliability and for the next contractor who has to service the system.
Wireless coverage
Sites with mobile credential readers, wireless cameras, or general Wi-Fi needs may call for dedicated access points sized to the building’s square footage and construction.
Shop by Component
Switches, routers, and wireless. PoE switches and networking hardware from Alta Labs, TP-Link, TRENDnet, and Dynacom Network Products, plus mesh wireless from eero.
Structured cabling infrastructure. Patch panels, jacks, and racks from Leviton, Ortronics, ICC, Signamax, and DataComm Electronics, with cable management and organization from HellermannTyton and Aetek.
Connectivity and integration. Networking and AV-network crossover hardware from Vanco and AES Corporation.
See the full data networking brand list on our Suppliers page →
Networking Guides for Contractors
Practical guides from Security Data Supply on the network infrastructure behind security systems.
Common Questions
Add up the PoE draw of every connected device (cameras, access points, phones) and leave headroom above the switch’s total PoE budget, not just its port count, since running a switch near its power ceiling causes intermittent device drops.
For anything beyond a handful of devices, yes. A patch panel and small rack make troubleshooting and future changes dramatically faster than a pile of switches and loose cable behind a desk.
A managed switch lets you set up VLANs to separate camera and access control traffic from the rest of the building’s network, which most commercial jobs should be doing. An unmanaged switch is plug-and-play but offers no traffic segmentation or diagnostics.
Get Data Networking Products at Your Local Franchise
Find your nearest SDS franchise for same-day will-call pickup, or contact your local franchise to get a network sized correctly before you're on-site.