From the street
to your network.

01 / Plan the connection

The site survey.

The survey brings the provider, building representatives, and your IT or facilities team together around one question: how will the connection get from the provider’s network to the equipment that will use it?

A riser is a pathway used to carry building services between floors. A provider may also need access to a telecommunications room, basement, or shared space outside your suite.

02 / Coordinate the building

Permissions can shape the schedule.

Building management may require a work authorization, insurance documentation, an approved contractor, an escort, or a particular work window. Access to the building is not always the same as access to the rooms and pathways needed for the installation.

If outside construction is necessary, the provider may need to coordinate utility locating, permits, traffic control, or other approvals. In New York City, the requirements depend on the work and location. A site survey should identify the expected steps; it cannot guarantee an approval date.

03 / Reach your space

From the network to the handoff.

At a connected building, a provider may be able to use existing facilities and extend service to your space. At another address, work may be needed between the network and the building, inside the building, or both. A nearby network does not by itself establish that a usable path into a particular suite is available.

Inside the property, the route may pass through shared communications rooms and risers before reaching your equipment area. The installer may pull a new cable, connect existing fiber, or arrange a cross-connect: a connection between facilities in a shared space. The survey determines the approach. For a closer look at fiber construction and building access, see our companion guide.

Ask the provider and building team who will restore any penetrations, label the cable, and supply or arrange any work outside the provider’s scope. The work must follow applicable building and safety requirements. If you are planning a backup connection, discuss entrances and pathways before work begins; our Internet redundancy guide explains shared physical risks.

04 / Define the boundary

Where does the provider’s service meet yours?

The handoff, sometimes called the demarcation point, is the agreed point where the provider presents the service to your network. It might be a port on provider equipment, a fiber termination, or another interface specified in the order. It is not necessarily in the same room as the building entry.

Before installation, confirm the physical location, port speed, connector or interface, any required optics, and who supplies them. Also agree on service settings such as IP addressing, gateway, VLAN tagging, and routing when applicable. Do not assume that matching port speeds alone means two optical interfaces are compatible.

05 / The visit

What happens on installation day?

1. 01

   Confirm access

   The installation team checks in and reaches the spaces and pathways agreed during planning.

2. 02

   Install or connect the fiber

   Depending on the design, technicians may route cable, splice or terminate fiber, and connect existing facilities. Not every installation requires all of these steps.

3. 03

   Prepare the handoff

   The provider completes the agreed connection and labels or documents the service as applicable. If active equipment is part of the design, it needs the agreed space and power.

4. 04

   Coordinate with your team

   Your network team connects the router or firewall, applies the agreed settings, and checks connectivity with the provider.

Some work may happen before the scheduled visit or across several visits. Confirm the scope and any expected interruption in advance.

06 / Put it to work

Test the service and the business applications.

Ask what the provider tests at the handoff, what results will be shared, and how acceptance is recorded. Fiber work can include checking continuity and optical loss; the appropriate test depends on the design. The service test and its measured rate should be interpreted at the agreed boundary.

Your team should also verify its router or firewall, DNS, VPNs, voice, cloud applications, and any public services that depend on the new connection. A device or firewall can limit a throughput test, so check the entire test setup before attributing a result to the circuit. Our speed testing guide explains how to prepare.

If replacing an existing connection, plan the cutover and a way back with your provider and IT team. Do not cancel the previous service until the new one has been tested and your business is ready to move.

07 / Prepare in advance

A little coordination goes a long way.

• Name a primary contact and a backup for the provider, building, and your IT team.
• Confirm the suite address, desired handoff location, building access, work hours, and any required approvals.
• Identify space, power, grounding, and environmental requirements for any equipment in the design.
• Agree on interface specifications, optics, addressing, and routing with the team configuring your equipment.
• Schedule any cutover, notify affected users, and record a rollback plan.
• Ask for the service identifier, handoff details, support contact, and any agreed test results.

08 / Questions to ask

Before the team arrives.

• What did the survey confirm, and what remains subject to building approval or construction?
• Where will the service be handed off, and what work is included between that point and our equipment?
• Who arranges access to each room, the riser, and the suite?
• Are outside work or permits expected, and who coordinates them?
• What equipment, power, and interface must we provide?
• Which tests will be performed, and who accepts the service?
• What is the expected schedule, what could change it, and who will keep us informed?

For questions about a Stealth installation, contact sales@stealth.net. Existing customers can reach support at support@stealth.net or +1 212 232 2020.