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Please recommend 12-port patch panel & Cat5e/6 question

12K views 57 replies 8 participants last post by  Sam S 
#1 ·
Hi,


I need to move my ethernet home run to another room in the house. My current home run is a two gang plate with 12 ethernet ports that I installed myself. This is a pretty half-ass way to do it. I need to to it "right", and want a real patch panel. This is of course an existing room, so I'll be cutting drywall, etc.


I think 12 ports will be plenty, as I typically only need on drop to each room. My house is not that big. I see some panels like this , should I be considering something better?


Also, I'm having a tough time deciding on going with a 5e vs. 6 setup. I understand connections, cable, and patch panel has to all be Cat6 for it to get the full benefit of Cat6. The longest runs will be
 
#27 ·
If the wall mount rack you choose doesn't come with a pass through, you could consider a 'nose' or scoop pass through.
 
#29 ·
That 12 port patch panel you linked is designed to be mounted in an enclosure. The picture shows what looks like the white D89 bracket behind it - but the description doesn't mention it. The patch panel is sometimes sold without the D89 bracket.


I am using that same patch panel design, but I bought the one with keystone inserts. If a connector goes bad, I can replace it. And, I have a mix of cat5e and cat6 - not a huge issue, I now realize.


That patch panel will stand off the wall a couple inches, supported by the D89 bracket.




I suggest you use a more attractive, flush mount enclosure, instead, if you really want to use that 12 port patch panel. Enclosures come in a variety of sizes, and are usually designed to fit between 2 studs. The cable bundle could exit the enclosure through a bottom knock-out (hole in the enclosure), and then pass through a scoop or grommet mounted in the drywall below it.


Make sure the stud bay doesn't have any light switches on the other side of the wall. Start with a small-ish hole, and look inside.




I'd choose an enclosure that doesn't say 'Open House,' or anything else on it. Some have a hinged and/or locked cover. You cut the drywall, drop it in, and screw it to the adjacent studs. Easy to hardwire the outlet, within the enclosure, if there is an existing outlet below. Enclosures may be steel or plastic, and can be surface-mounted on the drywall, or flush-mounted/recessed (much more attractive).








If you choose your enclosure wisely, you'll have enough room for a replacement switch, when your current switch craps out. The enclosure should have one or more rectangular knock-outs at the bottom, for an outlet or 2, to supply items in the enclosure (switch, modem, router). You could also mount an AC strip in the enclosure, if you need more outlets. You shouldn't see any cables, using a flush mount (recessed) enclosure.


Make sure there aren't any obstructions in the stud bay - light switch on other side of wall. Start with a small-ish hole that's easy to patch, to look for pipes.
 
#30 ·
Here is a typical installed enclosure:




And more:









Cocoontech.com forums are a great resource for LV enclosures.
 
#31 ·
Thanks Neurorad! An in-wall enclosure definitely seems more appropriate than a standard rack bolted to the wall.


Let me see if I have this straight:


1) Service loop/pull enters from the bottom of the enclosure.

2) Enclosure houses the patch panel, and what else _______?? My switch won't go in there right?

3) I run A/C to inside the enclosure?

4) I have rack-mountable switch/powerstrips, if I put them in the enclosure, I'm going to need to feed quite a few category cables and A/C cords out the bottom to the rest of the gear.
 
#32 ·
Nothing rack-mountable goes in the flush-mount enclosure.


Your other items needing AC power would be plugged in elsewhere.


Switch could go into the enclosure. My Netgear Prosafe GS116 16 port switch fits into the Channel Vision 1312 Large Univesal Product Holder nearly perfectly.


Not my enclosure, but pic of that:

 
#33 ·




Outlets are mounted in the bottom of the enclosure.
 
#34 ·
Channel Vision, Leviton, and OnQ are popular enclosure manufacturers.


Another pic showing outlet at bottom.




This surge protected outlet from Leviton is a popular choice for enclosure knockouts:

 
#35 ·
Because enclosures are shallow, an angled 12-port patch panel may be better:

 
#36 ·
OK great! I think I have a real good idea about how it all should work.


Last question (for now!)... If I decide to mount the switch inside the enclosure, or even if I don't, I'll still need to get at least a dozen category cables from the enclosure to the room. Not the service loop, of course, but to things that also need to be wired to the switch, or the patch panel inside the enclosure.


How to you make these route these connections from gear sitting beside the enclosure?
 
#38 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mapostol /forum/post/21834784


Sorry to interrupt with maybe a dumb question. What is the purpose of a patch panel? Why not just have home runs of the ethernet cables right to the switch?


Thanks

MIKE

Just because it is cleaner and neater than having a bunch of loose wires coming out of the service pull. That's my take on it, anyways. Plus, you could label the drops on the patch panel, where you can't on a switch.
 
#39 ·
You'd use a scoop, brush pass through, or grommet, mounted in the drywall below the enclosure, for cables that need to run nearby.








Good question about the patch panel. It provides a termination point for permanent, long, in-wall cable runs. If the switch was in the enclosure, or on the wall, it could probably be skipped and the cables terminated directly into the switch.


Another common reason to use a patch panel is for cables that have multiple uses - category cable could be used for LAN, audio keypads, IR, RS232, alarm keypads. Patching provides an easy way to change the use.


I have about 20 category cables currently in use. 11 run directly to my distributed audio system, for keypads, and about 12 are patched, used for LAN. The other 15 or so category cables that I've retrofitted haven't been used yet, and are unterminated. The plan is to patch them, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
#40 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neurorad /forum/post/21835125


You'd use a scoop, brush pass through, or grommet, mounted in the drywall below the enclosure, for cables that need to run nearby.

Use a scoop on drywall nearby to get patch cables out of the enclosure? I may not be asking the question properly.


For instance, I might have 10 Cat5e cables that need to go from the switch (on a desk nearby), to a patch panel that sits inside the in-wall enclosure. It just seems weird I'd have to cut another hole in the wall for a scoop, when my connecting items are right near by. Maybe I need to consider an off-wall enclosure, then I could run my service loop from right behind the enclosure, and then category cables out the bottom of a stand off panel for connection to external devices.
 
#41 ·
Yes, it is silly to put the switch on a desk nearby, and run a bundle of cables into the wall, and terminated at a patch panel.


Just use a scoop, and run your long in-wall category cables to the switch. Try to hide the bundle if you can.


http://cableorganizer.com/surface-ra...re-channel.htm



http://cableorganizer.com/cableties-...able-wraps.htm



When your switch dies, and your wife has complained for a few years about that cable bundle, then buy a recessed enclosure, or wall-mount or small floor standing rack enclosure, to house the switch and modem, and do it right.
 
#43 ·
I use a three foot a/v rack for my equipment. The Patch panel is made by Nordx. Got everything on eBay back around 2001/2002. I actually got lucky and able to have it under our landing for the stairs going into our basement, with it sitting on a three foot tall Gorilla shelf unit.


The only problem that I have, is that the bottom shelf has become a catch all for extra cat-5e and a dead router and old 10/100 Belkin switch. I only get away with it, due to it is out of sight and the wife never says anything about the box of extra power cords, coax, four keyboards that sit under it on a shelf.
 
#44 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gregzoll /forum/post/21836758


I use a three foot a/v rack for my equipment. The Patch panel is made by Nordx. Got everything on eBay back around 2001/2002. I actually got lucky and able to have it under our landing for the stairs going into our basement, with it sitting on a three foot tall Gorilla shelf unit.


The only problem that I have, is that the bottom shelf has become a catch all for extra cat-5e and a dead router and old 10/100 Belkin switch. I only get away with it, due to it is out of sight and the wife never says anything about the box of extra power cords, coax, four keyboards that sit under it on a shelf.


Your post got me thinking...


I talked to a friend who deals with this in his profession, and he recommended this Sanus rack . This rack would offer the perfect amount of space for what I have, and for any upgrades. Yeah, it looks industrial, but it's not as bad as a bare rack bolted to the drywall.


My friend recommended just terminating the drops with RJ45 and running straight into the switch. I'm thinking about terminating the drops into a rack mount patch panel , and using short jumpers to connect to the switch. Why? Well, I'm capable enough to terminate to a keystone or patch, but I don't trust myself to actually terminate to RJ45 ends. Am I crazy for adding another piece of gear to the system? Is a more direct connection always going to be better?
 
#45 ·
Many manufacturers make small racks, including Middle Atlantic. Also look at Raxxess.


Google LackRack for instructions to add rack rails to an Ikea end table for a small, budget rack.
 
#46 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neurorad /forum/post/21859874


Many manufacturers make small racks, including Middle Atlantic. Also look at Raxxess.

Yes, I checked out the standalone MA racks, i.e. http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclos...k/laminate.htm They are nice, but can add up $$ pretty quick.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neurorad /forum/post/21859874


Google LackRack for instructions to add rack rails to an Ikea end table for a small, budget rack.

Love that idea for LackRack!!


Good suggestions, but I think the Sanus is winning out the fight right now.
 
#48 ·
MA RK laminate rack might be a less industrial and more affordable option, but not cheap. I think Raxxess has a similar laminate rack that's cheaper.


I think Omnimount has one similar to that Sanus.
 
#50 ·
I've never had any furniture from Ikea, so not sure how well-built their stuff is. Can't vouch for the quality.
 
#51 ·
Just in case anyone is still following along, I finally completed my rack project. As a refresher, I had to move all of my computer/networking gear from a spare bedroom, into a study area in a different part of the house. I went ahead and pulled all new Cat6 to this new home run location, and ended up with a 1-gang scoop in the wall, with the runs terminating to a 16-port patch panel.


I ended up with the Sanus rack, it worked out perfect! I also took my old desktop PC (in a big Corsair 800D case, and moved all the contents to a 4U rack-mountable case. So basically, I crammed all my stuff into the Sanus rack, and couldn't be happier with the results. It took quite a bit of work over the course of 4 days, but I'm about 98% done. Just need to tidy up a few more wires, and add a vent fan that will blow out the top of the Sanus case.


Apologies for the crummy iPhone pic, but you get the idea.
Rack.JPG 423k .JPG file
 

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#52 ·
Looking good! Looks almost exactly like my setup. I'm glad I'm not the only one whose patch panel didn't line up with the switch and resorted to two lengths of cable. I actually had to inset everything by a few inches so the door could clear the 8" (or maybe they are 12"?) cables.
 
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