When it comes to rolling out new AV solutions—whether it’s conferencing systems, a live event space, or digital signage across a campus—coordinating network requirements can make or break the project. You’re juggling multiple stakeholders: from internal IT staff and external vendors to the leadership team expecting a seamless user experience on Day 1.
One of the most critical (yet often underestimated) steps in this process is having clear, proactive conversations with your AV partner early—well before the ink on the quote is dry. Here’s how to get it right.
Before the project goes to design, you and your AV partner should discuss how your organization prefers to handle AV devices on the network. Clarity here helps the AV integrator quote accurately and design a solution that aligns with your security and policy requirements.
Every organization has unique compliance rules, naming conventions, and credential-management practices. Make sure these are spelled out early so your AV partner can plan for QoS, security protocols, VLAN segmentation, and other specific needs. Surprises about your security requirements or IP schemas halfway through the project are a recipe for cost overruns and delays.
A dedicated, accessible IT resource can drastically reduce roadblocks. Find an ally on the IT team who is willing to be the contact for your AV partner. If your IT team is already stretched thin—common in new construction or expansion projects—consider whether supplemental IT support might be needed. Have clearly defined roles to cover all the bases, ensuring everyone understands the scope of your AV deployment and the critical dates and milestones.
Because commissioning often occurs in the final stretch of your project timeline, any earlier delays—like missing licenses, incomplete network readiness, or availability of IT resources—can compress an already tight schedule. The more details you can lock in upfront, the less scrambling everyone must do down the line.
By the time you reach the design phase, the major decisions about what devices go on the network should be settled. Now it’s about diving deeper in these ways:
Work with your AV partner and IT department to coordinate cable runs, patch panel locations, and switch setup. Careful planning can simplify the network architecture and troubleshooting by aligning patch panels with switches and having clearly defined labeling for ports and patch cables.
Define Clear Responsibilities: Uncertainty here often leads to finger-pointing when something goes wrong. Having a clearly documented SOP ensures accountability and smoother troubleshooting.
Maintain Accurate Documentation: An up-to-date patch schedule showing which device is connected to which port, plus associated VLAN/subnet assignments, is invaluable. If a device on the network starts acting up, you can quickly isolate the issue instead of tracing cables in a server room at midnight.
Your AV partner will likely provide documentation that includes VLAN requirements, bandwidth considerations for audio/video streaming, potential QoS settings, and IP addresses for each device. Collaboration with IT here is essential to minimize latency, ensure multicast is configured correctly for AV-over-IP, and keep everything secure behind the right firewall rules.
A smooth AV deployment starts long before installation day—where and when devices are configured can make all the difference in project success.
In many cases, the AV integrator will configure and test devices in-house—loading firmware, applying security patches, or updating software—long before they’re physically installed on site. This controlled environment significantly reduces the chance of issues popping up in the field, and it makes the overall project timeline more predictable.
Waiting to configure devices in the field means dealing with on-site conditions that can slow progress—restricted firewall settings, slower internet connections, or last-minute network changes. Each obstacle adds to the configuration time and can introduce new variables, making it harder to predict when everything will be up and running. By tackling most of the configuration before devices arrive on site, you minimize these risks and streamline the final rollout.
After pre-configuration is done, the AV equipment is ready to be installed in the field. The following steps should be followed to ensure a successful final install:
Even the most meticulously planned projects can hit snags. Having open communication channels and timely support from IT is crucial. Here are some important things to consider when setting that up:
Establish a comprehensive strategy to track device and network performance metrics—this includes error logs, event logs, device status, and bandwidth usage. Whether you’re leveraging specialized AV management platforms or existing enterprise monitoring tools, ensure you can access real-time and historical data. This visibility helps detect potential issues early (such as connectivity or performance bottlenecks), reduce troubleshooting time, and maintain optimal system functionality over the long term.
Make sure your AV partner has a clear process for escalating IT-related problems. If a switch configuration changes or a new security policy is rolled out, your AV systems might need re-tuning. A well-defined support plan keeps downtime to a minimum.
Coordinating network requirements isn’t just an IT exercise—it’s an essential part of delivering a high-quality AV experience to your organization. Start these conversations early—ideally in the presales and quoting phase—to clarify security policies, gather licensing credentials, and determine how your devices will be managed. This early collaboration with your AV partner will help avoid unexpected costs, delays, and on-site headaches.
By establishing a solid SOP for everything from patching to device credential management, you’ll not only streamline the installation process but also set yourself up for easier maintenance and troubleshooting long term. In the end, that means more time focusing on high-impact AV initiatives—and less time chasing down loose network cables.
If you’re looking for expert guidance on network coordination for your upcoming AV installations, reach out to our team. We specialize in proactive planning and in-house device configuration, ensuring your rollout is seamless from day one.