Structured Wiring Setup

You could crimp on RJ45 jacks, or you could use that structured panel a bit better by installing a keystone bracket and terminating those wires wtih keystones.

http://www.amazon.com/Legrand-6-Port-Network-Interface-Unpopulated/dp/B00788CNRK/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1361855105&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=ac1001+legrand

That's a cheaper route by supplying your own keystones instead of buying the AC1000 bundled with On-Q keystones. On-Q also has a punch-down 8-port version (not a keystone plate), which is what I've used myself, but tends to be pricey...

http://www.smarthome.com/29227/OnQ-Legrand-363486-01-8-Port-Network-Interface-Module/p.aspx


Well, you don't really NEED those - you've got a duplex AC outlet, and that coax splitter is no better than the one in there. You can clean up the box a bit by attaching the parts to the enclosure with velcro and/or cable ties.

Not quite. The path is: cable modem -> router -> switch -> Ethernet ports.

If you've got your cable modem and router in your office, you can use a port on the router to feed back to the enclosure via cat5e, place an Ethernet switch in the enclosure, and connect any other room from there. If you want to move the cable modem to the enclosure, you need to move the router as well. The router must be before any additional Ethernet devices or switches.

Hope that helps,

Jeff

$40 for an 8-way splitter seems a bit outrageous. You can get an amplified one for that or a decent passive one for less than $10.

I would terminate the phone and cat wires in the enclosure and just leave the splitter alone, unless you come up with a way to make it look nicer. I would get rid of the door of the enclosure and mount a shelf for your router,switch and modem and locate everything there. It will get crowded in there quick.

I think you should mount all your stuff near the enclosure. It shouldn't be that hard to do and if you have issues later, everything is right there.

I would also consider just putting RJ-45 connectors on your network cables and plugging them straight into your switch. Fewer connectors = Fewer possible failure points.

olyteddy,

Although a good idea, a lot of people may find that difficult to do. I suggest 556 terminate his cats and phones in the enclosure using keystones. 556, keep all your stuff in 1 location. You will be glad you did on down the road. I see you even have power at your enclosure.

Why would it be any more difficult to crimp an RJ-45 connector on than do a punchdown and use jumpers?

For networking, you should never put RJ45 ends directly on the wire, always punch down to jacks or patch panel and then use a patch cable to the equipment. Of course, on AVS we should always learn that there is the "What you can do and it will still probably work" and the "What you SHOULD do".

It is very difficult to maintain the twists necessary for cross-talk issues (NEXT and FEXT) when you are testing out the cables - and even more true for Cat 6.

If you are using the Category cables for keypads, audio, HDMI baluns, etc. then it is acceptable to use RJ45 directly on the wire (and sometimes the only way to do it).

Hope that helps.

Carl

Actually (at least to me) it doesn't. How could it possibly be better to untwist about an inch or so of wire to do the punchdown and then follow it with the two untwisted sections needed for the RJ-45 connectors at either end of the patch cord(s)? It takes less than .5" of untwisted wire to install an RJ-45. Repeating that twice and adding a jack has got to be worse. Unless you cut the CAT 5e too short or have difficulty installing the connectors. Patch Panels do have their place, and for me that would be in a situation where it is necessary to frequently reconfigure connections. That wouldn't seem to be the case in a home network.
Edited by olyteddy - 2/27/13 at 7:52pm

What are you smoking and where are you getting your information? Using a punchdown is physically easier, but it is in no way better then crimping RJ45 ends onto cable.

I don't know why, but all networking guides and literature say to punch down, and don't terminate male RJ45s.

If you are untwisting the wire at all (or more than you need to fit it over the 110 block head) you are doing it wrong.

Carl

I seriously love people who have no idea giving advice on AVS. The information I provide comes from BICSI and from numerous classes I've taken for RCDD certification - not to mention I was the Product Manager for a US manufacturer of Category cable. Trust me, I do know what I am talking about. You can choose to take the wisdom I give and use it or not. I don't care what you do in your own home (other than I'd never buy it). What bothers me is when people push bad information on forums like AVS were newbies go to learn and then have a hard time differentiating between the experts and all the other noise...

Carl

@ Carl: I'm sure you have credentials out the wazoo, however you still have not provided any explanation as to how using three connectors could possibly be better than one. 'Because it's the industry standard' just doesn't cut it. Most industry standards are produced by the industries that sell the equipment.

As someone smarter has explained to me, the use of patch panels is for functional reasons. Easy to replace a damaged patch cable/connector, and easy to reconfigure, for you or the next guy. That's the reason for the industry standard configuration.

And in this case, using a patch panel or not would both be reasonable options. The Network Engineer who installed the infrastructure will be around to replace the crimped male RJ45 connectors when they fail. In the real world, the infrastructure is designed not to break.

I punched down a lot of CAT5E in my career (retired now) and trying to put a round cable into a RJ-45 jack and keeping the color code is difficult to do. I have tried. (They make RJ-45 's for both solid and stranded cable) It's something a machine can do much better than anyone. A Keystone Jack is designed for ease of punching down and having less chances of making mistakes.

Patch panels look nicer. Just sayin'. Functionally, they do the same thing basically.

If YouTube is any indication it takes 3 times longer to punch down a keystone than to install a crimp on...

I've done thousands of both and I don't really prefer one over the other but saying one is superior over the other, I think, is folly.

I try to use the KISS principle when possible. If you don't need the extra connectors, there is (IMHO) no reason to use them. Some of the first racks I populated used hand soldered 'Christmas Trees' between the cables in the conduits and the patch panels. More recent racks we just punched down at the patch panel. I liked the more recent ones better. Easier to build and much neater overall.

I prefer patch panels myself, for practical reasons.

There are certain ones made for use in a distribution panel like your OnQ.

This one is made to snap into the holes in the distribution panel. And all the connections are on the front.
http://www.amazon.com/Steren-550-030-FastHome-Data-Hub/dp/B000EHW88Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363851753&sr=8-1&keywords=data+hub

Nice work! You can use some industrial Velcro for that switch or router near the bottom. And while you're at Home Depot for the industrial Velcro, pick up some Velcro One Wrap (8" straps) for replacing the twist ties.

It depends. If you have a signal from Comcast that is on the hot side, you might be able to get away with a splitter. If not, you will need a distribution amplifier. My guess is that if the Comcast tech says you need one, you do.

Comcast will give you or install the amp when you sign up for cable TV service.

I'd go with the amp. My parents need it to go 4 ways, otherwise they start losing some of the newer (higher frequency) HD channels. What are you doing with 8 cable outlets?