During the first-stage electrical work for a new chicken restaurant in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, we encountered a common renovation problem: the POS counter had been relocated, but the existing CAT.5e network cable could no longer reach it.
The restaurant was approximately 20 pyeong, or about 66 m² (710 sq ft). The original cashier counter had been located against an interior wall, but that area became part of the kitchen during remodeling. The new POS position was moved close to the entrance.
- The existing CAT.5e POS cable became approximately 10 meters too short.
- The upstream termination point was unknown, making a full cable replacement much more difficult.
- We extended the existing cable with IDC-style splice connectors as a practical renovation solution.
- Final network termination and performance verification were left to the communications technician.
First-stage electrical work at a small restaurant renovation project in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
1. Why the POS Network Cable Had to Be Extended
The electrical outlet for the new POS location could be relocated as part of the restaurant's electrical work. The network cable presented a different problem.
The existing cable was CAT.5e UTP, and after the cashier counter was moved, it was approximately 10 meters too short to reach the new POS position.
The existing CAT.5e cable was too short after the POS counter was relocated.
2. Why We Extended the UTP Cable Instead of Replacing It
If we had known exactly where the original cable started and the route had been short and accessible, replacing the entire run would have been the cleaner solution.
On this site, however, the upstream termination point was unknown. Replacing the cable completely could have required locating the building's telecommunications or TPS room, identifying the correct cable, tracing its route, and determining whether a replacement cable could be pulled through the existing path.
Our main responsibility on this project was electrical work rather than the building's communications infrastructure. For this small renovation, extending the usable CAT.5e cable to the new POS location was the practical field solution.
3. How We Extended the CAT.5e Cable
We normally carry CAT.5e cable and small IDC splice connectors in the service vehicle because minor communication-cable work occasionally comes up during small commercial electrical projects.
Enough of the outer jacket was first removed to comfortably arrange the four twisted pairs. The conductors were then aligned and trimmed evenly, leaving only the length needed for proper insertion into the IDC connectors.
In other words, the additional exposed length was used only for handling and alignment. The excess conductor length was cut away before the final splice was completed.
Four color-coded twisted pairs and four IDC splice connectors prepared for the CAT.5e cable extension.
Matching the Four Twisted Pairs
The CAT.5e cable contained four color-coded pairs:
- White/orange and orange
- White/green and green
- White/blue and blue
- White/brown and brown
Each pair from the original cable was matched with the same pair in the extension cable. The connector used on this project joined one pair at each splice, so four connectors were required.
The IDC-style splice connectors used here are sometimes informally called "mettugi" (메뚜기) by Korean field electricians.
Connecting the IDC Splices
The matching conductors were inserted fully into the connector and compressed with pliers until the connector locked into place. The same process was repeated for all four pairs.
Matching CAT.5e conductors were inserted into the IDC connectors and compressed securely with pliers.
4. Why Twisted-Pair Handling Matters
Correct color matching is essential, but twisted-pair cable performance depends on more than simple electrical continuity.
The paired conductors are twisted to help control interference and crosstalk. For that reason, unnecessary untwisting and excessive separation near the splice should be avoided.
The method shown here documents an actual field solution used during a restaurant renovation. It should not be interpreted as a certified CAT.5e permanent-link installation or as a universal termination method for every connector.
5. Protecting the UTP Splice from Accidental Pulling
After all four IDC connections were completed, the two cables were secured together with a cable tie near the splice.
This was not mainly for appearance. The splice was located above a removable tile ceiling, and several other trades still had work to complete before the restaurant could open.
If another worker accidentally pulled or moved the network cable while working above the ceiling, the cable tie helped reduce the chance that the full mechanical load would be transferred directly to the IDC connections.
The completed cable extension was secured near the splice to reduce accidental pulling during the remaining construction work.
6. Network Testing and the Limits of Our Scope
The POS equipment had not yet been installed. On this type of project, the POS system normally arrives after the main electrical installation has been completed so that power and network operation can be checked afterward.
Our work on this day was limited to extending the physical cable route to the new POS location.
We did not perform CAT.5e certification testing, measure network throughput, or claim certified network performance. The cable end was left for the communications or POS technician to terminate and verify later.
The existing cable was retained as part of the renovation. Our work was limited to extending its physical route, not modifying or configuring the upstream network infrastructure.
In my field experience, I have not received a callback because one of these secured IDC connections came loose. There have been cases where the original upstream cable was not connected on the communications side, but those situations were handled separately by the communications technician.
7. IDC Extension vs. a New Continuous Cable
An IDC extension should not automatically be treated as better than replacing the cable. The correct decision depends on the existing installation, accessibility, project scope, and performance requirements.
For this restaurant: the cable origin was unknown, so this project fell into the third category. If the origin had been clearly identified and reasonably close, I would have preferred a new continuous cable run.
8. Electrical vs. Communications Work in Small Korean Renovations
On small commercial renovation projects I have worked on in South Korea, electricians sometimes perform limited communication-related work alongside the main electrical installation.
Depending on the contractor and the project, this can include pulling UTP cable, preparing POS cable routes, installing conduit for CCTV systems, and occasionally terminating an RJ45 connector.
That does not mean the electrician takes responsibility for the entire network.
A building server room, a large office with network drops at many desks, network equipment configuration, or a substantial structured-cabling installation is a different scope and normally requires communications specialists.
This restaurant was on the simpler side of that boundary. Our role was to bring the existing POS cable to its new location so that the specialist arriving later could complete and test the system.
9. Field Takeaway
Extending a single POS network cable may look like a minor task, but it illustrates an important reality of renovation work.
The technically cleanest solution and the most practical field solution are not always identical.
If the cable source had been clearly identified and reasonably close, I would have preferred to replace the entire run. On this site, however, the existing route was unknown, so extending the CAT.5e cable was the practical solution within the electrical scope.
The splice was protected from later construction work, while final network termination and verification were left to the communications technician.
Website: electrickorea.co.kr
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