All of the cabling, including the network, telephone, video, audio, security, heating and cooling control, lighting control, and other control wiring in a home, is planned, designed, installed, and managed as a single system.

This system is housed in a centralized location inside the house.  It is known as the distribution panel or distribution device.  Its size is dependent on the level of control wiring throughout the house.

(An example of the distribution device is pictured at left.)

Wiring is distributed to each endpoint from the distribution panel.  This is known as "Home run" wiring.