What does YOUR wiring cabinet look like? - Page 2

After about the 50th time doing the ever so clean wire-wrapped rack scenario, I gave up on it and decided that it was fated to be a mess. In my case, the rack is often somewhat experimental as I move devices in and out of it for testing in my system or to yank them out and take them back to the computer to work on or update their device drivers. So it just wasn't worth it to try to keep it neat anymore.

You can see my system and back of the rack on our web site (http://www.charmedquark.com/). Select the Gallery tab in the main web site menu, and my system is the Small Packages gallery.

velcro wraps baby! Being a network manager, I am used to dealing with wires and moving them and the equipment all the time. If you have the right equipment (rack with cable management) its easy to keep it clean.

Here's the current state of mine. The two shelves on the left-hand side obscure the view of the Cat5e connects. Plan is to move the shelves but at the time, I had the choice of using an existing cable vs. making a longer one so ended up putting the shelf where the cable would reach.

Check out the new hinged covers from OpenHouse. They look great. They can replace the old metal covers.

pardon the speed...the image is hosted on the server you see in the bottom of the rack, and TWC outbound speed leaves something to be desired.

hornswoggler...i use a standard cat5 patch panel, patched into a leviton phone distribution block (blue wires are phone). killer.

i need to finish up the RG6 termination and would also appreciate a source for 2+ghz F-connector patch panels.

$0.02,

I used standard 48 port cat5e panels for data and phone. Very versatile. In this pic, port 48 has the 2 incoming phone lines. For ports 43-47 I ran a loop through all of them. On the front, I have a jumper from 48 to 47. This lights up ports 43-46 with phone service. I can then just plug in a patch cable from these ports and patch them into any of my 54 drops I choose. Everything is punched down and terminated for RJ45 connections. That way you can use it for either phone or data.



In reality, I am only using 1 port and that goes to my Seimens base unit located in my office. From that I have 6 cordless handsets throughout the house. Its just nice to know that I could do any type of wiring I need and send it anywhere in the house by simply using patch cables.


For Coax patch panels, I picked up some blank 24 port "F" panels and connectors on ebay. Thats my recomendation for coax instead of the keystone style connectors for regular patch panels.



Take a look at my thread here. It pretty much answers a lot of your questions. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=572579

Hopefully all this is clear enough. Let me know if you need any help, I can walk you through it.

Ronnie

Come on QQQ, Alan, Etc. let's see how the big boys do it!

That's Lame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eddie,

It's not very nice to make fun of other peoples work like that .

That is a great looking install. I have over 50 Coax runs that I need to terminate in my wiring closet as well. Your pics have inspired me to pursue this option instead of the keystone connectors.

Has anyone found a source for this F type panel product? If so please PM me or post.

Thanks!

I got mine from onevisitmedia. I can't post links since I don't have 5 posts, but you should be able to figure out the website address. They weren't cheap, but the construction is solid.

COBeav

Here is the link for Onevista

http://www.onevisitmedia.com/patchpanelf.html


Ronnie

Thanks for the info! You guys rock!

:-)

Edit:

Mine is still a work in progress. I should have it done soon:

I got some good ideas from this thread and thought I would revive it. If anyone else has pics of their setup, I, and I'm sure others would like to see them. How 'bout you pros showing off some!?

I'm very space limited at my place and it was necessary to maximize the use of every every square inch I could. I didn't want any cables exposed and serviceability was very important to me. I finally settled on this Middle Atlantic SR-40-28 rack. I rejected this one several times, but I kept coming back to it. It's taken some careful planning, but I think I'll be able to stuff a bunch of equipment in there. I did make a couple of mods, I removed a lacing rail that was welded to the back pan and replaced it with some low profile rack rails. I also left off a trim piece on the left side that would have blocked access to the back pan when the cabinet was open. That will leave a gap on that side when it's closed but I have some neoprene rubber that will close that up and look good. It takes up 5 square feet of floor space and not quite double that when it's open. I had to leave that space available for breaker access anyway. I was trying to leave enough space in the back for my security system, but I'm now leaning towards putting a can in the wall to the right for that. Serviceability has proved to be excellent and there is very little cable movement when opening and closing the cabinet.

The servers are on rails and I could easily totally rebuild them where they are. They are networked together with Firewire which is the easiest network connection that I've ever made. No wizards or assigning addresses, just plug it in - and it's fast. The top server houses the CQC master server and feeds my living room entertainment center. The bottom one feeds my office and is my DVR. The Cat 5 Patch panels punch from the front and are a breeze to work with. Now I just have to buy some more things for CQC to control!

Thanks for looking.

For all of you trying to figure out how to mount your router Linksys makes some nice wall mount brackets for mounting routers, etc. Look at the accessories page on their site.

Most structured wiring companies have blank pieces that you can mount it to also.

Well these dont belong to me, but I consider them part mine because I built them.

Nice looking work Audiophiliac. This thread is a really good reference.

I will have to do an install at my nephews house soon using cans, so several of these posts are giving me some good ideas.

The "adhoc" installations are interesting to see too. If it works, it's worth seeing.

Audiophiliac, very very very nice and clean installs. Nothing more gorgeous than a well laid out and clean wire managed rack.

Ronnie

Mine is in my link below. Not the prettiest here, but not bad for my first time I think.

Well, I took a picture of the media closet, but you just couldn't tell what was what as there's so much stuff crammed in there. And just imagine - there's stuff that I use that's not in there...

Here's a schematic that I traced out over the picture in photoshop.

Avophiliac,

We're hiring in Hawaii

What is the equipment used in the 1st pic and what are they being used for if you can remember?

Looks like punchdown blocks, a switch and a wireless router to me. On the right is probably some CATV splitters and an amp.

CJ

In the panel on the left is, as stated, phone punchdown blocks and DSL filter, as well as 2 data punch down blocks, 16 port switch, and a router. There is also a DSL modem in there now.

The panel on the right is the satellite multiswitch and RF distribution amps for modulated cameras in this case. No local antenna or CATV available at the location.

Which part is the DSL filter?

The most upper left piece. It simply filters the DSL before the distribution. So you dont have to have those annoying dongles on all your phones. I think its made by Leviton.

Yep it is. Thanks! I have been looking for something like that so I could get rid of those fugly dongles.

Nice work by the way!

OnQ makes a DSL filter too.

Audiophiliac,
What kind/brand of data punch down blocks did you use in the in wall enclosures?

Everyone,
My setup that came with the house has one in wall enclosure for the cat5e and rg6. Im deciding if I should put a 110 punch down block to run the cat5e cable out of the enclosure and into a rack mount patch panel. I was thinking of doing the same with the rg6 (the rg6 will need to be extended as well). What do you guys think?

Open House. H616 master phone block. H618 Phone extension block. H628 (x2) data punch down blocks. H838 TV/CATV distribution amps (x2). Leviton DSL filter.