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Trade & Specifier — Private

Network design for
the homes you build.

Bowral WiFi works directly with architects and builders at the design stage — before slabs are poured and walls are closed. This is that conversation.

The honest problem

Most new homes are handed over with no network at all.

The pattern is familiar. An electrician runs a couple of data points to the TV nook, drops an NBN box in the comms cupboard, and the builder signs it off. The client moves in, plugs in the ISP-supplied router, and wonders why they can't get signal on the back verandah.

Then comes the call — to the builder, the architect, or the real estate agent — because "the WiFi doesn't work." Nobody specified anything. Nobody thought through TCP/IP. Nobody asked how many devices this household would run, where the cameras would go, or how the smart lighting would be segmented from the children's devices.

That call comes to you. Not to the electrician who ran the cable.

What we typically find in a new build

✕ Single ISP router covering a 400m² home
✕ Data points only to TV units — not bedrooms, study, or outdoor areas
✕ No VLAN segregation — security cameras on the same network as children's devices
✕ No PoE switches — access points run on powerboards with adapters
✕ Comms cupboard that fits the NBN box and nothing else
✕ Zero documentation — next tradesperson starts from scratch

Why not the electrician

Cabling is infrastructure.
Networking is a different discipline.

We work alongside electricians — not instead of them. They handle the physical layer: conduit, cable runs, wall plates. We handle everything above that. These are genuinely different skill sets, and the gap between them is where most new homes fall down.

What an electrician does

→Runs conduit and pulls cable through walls
→Terminates wall plates and patch panels
→Tests cable continuity (not performance)
→Installs the comms box and power

What we do

✓Design the network topology — VLANs, subnets, routing, firewall rules
✓Specify cable runs and access point positions based on floor plans
✓Size and specify the switch, UPS, and rack layout
✓Commission all active equipment and verify performance
✓Hand over with full network documentation
✓Specify and supply network and AV equipment — WiFi-compliant products only

What good looks like

What a properly designed residential network actually includes.

This isn't about premium finishes. It's about thinking through how the home will actually be used — and making sure the infrastructure supports it for the next 20 years, not just the first 6 months.

Comms room, not a comms cupboard

A proper rack with patch panel, managed PoE switch, UPS, and space for a NVR. Sized for the home, not just the NBN box. We provide comms room specifications at design stage.

CAT6A to every room

Not just TV points. Bedrooms, study, kitchen, outdoor entertaining, garage. We provide a structured cabling plan with exact port locations and run lengths for your electrician to follow.

Access point placement mapping

AP locations chosen from floor plans — not guessed after handover. We account for wall materials (double brick, rammed earth, concrete slabs) that are common in Southern Highlands builds.

VLAN segmentation from day one

Family devices, IoT (smart lights, appliances), cameras, and guest WiFi on separate networks. This isn't a luxury — it's basic security hygiene, and it prevents the cheap smart bulb from being the entry point to the family's network.

Future-proofed for audio & cameras

PoE drops for in-ceiling speakers. Camera ports at entry points, garages, and eaves. These are cheap to run during construction and expensive to retrofit. We mark them on the plan so your electrician runs them in one pass.

Full handover documentation

Network diagram, port schedule, login credentials, VLAN map, and device inventory — all handed to the client at completion. Not just a sticky note on the router. Useful for the next tradesperson, the next owner, and your reputation.

Equipment & supply

We specify it.
We supply it.
We make it work.

One of the most common problems in new builds is equipment mismatch. An AV company installs speakers that fight the WiFi network. A builder sources a doorbell that runs on a frequency that interferes with the access points. A client picks a media streamer that won't talk to the VLAN it's been assigned.

We carry and supply the equipment we install — which means we only specify products we know work together. You get one point of contact for network design, AV integration, and equipment procurement. No finger-pointing between trades.

We work with specifiers at the schedule-of-fittings stage to ensure every AV and network product on the list is genuinely WiFi-compliant — and compatible with the managed UniFi environment we're designing around it.

Example: in-ceiling audio

Specified by us

Lithe WiFi In-Ceiling Speakers

Designed specifically for managed WiFi environments. No amplifier or separate controller required. Integrates directly with the UniFi network and supports per-room zone control from a single app. We install, configure, and commission these as part of the same scope as the network.

What we often find

Generic passive in-ceiling + Bluetooth amp

Requires a separate amplifier, separate control app, separate trade to install. Bluetooth range limited to one room. No integration with the smart home or network. Becomes a support call 6 months after handover.

Categories we supply and specify

WiFi access points Managed PoE switches In-ceiling audio IP cameras & NVR Door access & intercoms Sensors & alarms UPS & rack hardware Starlink & NBN modems

The process

How to bring us in
at the right time.

The earlier we're involved, the more useful we can be. Ideally, we're working from your plans before the slab — but we can add value at any stage of the build.

1

Share your plans

Send us floor plans at design or DA stage. We review and come back with a network design recommendation and cable schedule.

2

We brief your electrician

We provide a cabling spec document for your sparky — port locations, conduit requirements, comms room dimensions. We're available to answer their questions directly.

3

Site visit at rough-in

We attend during the rough-in stage to verify cable runs and access point positions before the walls close. Issues found here cost nothing. Issues found after handover cost a lot.

4

Commission at handover

We install and configure all active equipment at practical completion — switches, APs, NVR, cameras. Handover includes full documentation and a walkthrough with the client.

Trade program

Work with us on your next project.

We maintain a small group of preferred builders and architects we work with regularly. If you're building in the Southern Highlands, we'd like to be your network partner — involved early, available throughout, and accountable at handover.

✓Trade pricing on UniFi hardware and installation
✓Network design drawings for inclusion in your documentation
✓Direct line to us — not a call centre or helpdesk
✓Referral arrangement for projects you introduce
✓Post-handover client support — we look after them, so you don't have to

"We started specifying network design into our contracts after seeing how many callbacks we were getting. Having Bowral WiFi involved from the plans stage has made that whole part of handover completely frictionless."

— Southern Highlands Builder

Contact for trade enquiries

adrian@bowralwifi.com.au

(02) 4879 9717

Bowral WiFi

Simple. Smart. Connected.
Southern Highlands' trusted technology partner since 2014.

Starlink installer serving Bowral, Mittagong,
Moss Vale, Robertson, Bundanoon, Berrima,
Exeter, Sutton Forest, Penrose & surrounds

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