[d00b]

Hi all, I'm an AVSForum newbie, just signed on to absorb some of the knowledge abound in these forums. Am needing a little help with my home wiring, and hope some here would give me a pointer or two.


I've recently moved into a new place which has been wired with Cat5 cabling. I haven't used the wiring up to now, as my modest data needs were met with a WiFi setup. Have gotten my 47" HDTV last Christmas, and am now figuring out how to set up a home theater.


The wiring closet has the punch block pictured below, which I'm unfamiliar with. Some research indicated that it's a 66 punch block mainly for telco use. My expectation was to have a Cat5e or Cat6 network, with a patch panel connected to a switch in the closet, but I don't know how to interface to this 66 block. I'm familiar with patch panels, and have the knowledge and equipment to terminate UTP cables as an enthusiast, although I'd prefer not to have to install a new patch panel if possible.


I've access to some up-to-date network wiring books, although none said much on how to make use of 66 blocks (other than specifying what they are). Will this work for Cat5 & higher grade use, and if so, how do I connect this to a switch? Do I need to install a new patch panel?


TIA for any advice.


Hoang

 

[mntmst]

I would not use a 66 block for ethernet but some do.
http://www.homephonewiring.com/blocks.html

A 110 block is recommended. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/110_block

 

[silvershark]

Most 66 blocks are used for phone because it takes 1 pair of wires and you can effectivly get 33 phone lines on one block. You can reuse the 66 block but you will only get 8 - 16 cat5 rated cables depending on how you wire them. I would suggest to just jumper over to a patchpanel so you dont have to redue the wiring on the 66. This is really common. I worked as an electrician and we used to always go to a 66/110 and then go to a patch panel. This made it really easy just incase we wanted to use the jacks in the field as data or phone. You just had to change the wiring layout out in the field and you were done. If you need any specifics just pm me and I will help you out.

 

[BucksWin]

I recently finished installation of a 110 block for my house. It's new construction and we've never had phone service, so all of the cat5e runs were just pulled to the basement and taped together. I picked this up from Monoprice: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2 .


I'm fairly handy, but this was my first time tackling something like this. The hardest part of the install was making my own cat5e patch cables to go from the punchdown block to the switch that I'm using for my home network.

 

[zmurphy]

Most of the 66 blocks are Cat5 spec now. if you are doing it yourself, you'll need a 66 punch tool and "solid" Cat5 patch cables. the solid refers to the type of copper inside the patch cable. solid is used when one side of the cable is to be terminated on a 66 or 110 type termination. stranded is the other type of patch cable, which intended to be used when both ends will keep their rj45 connector on each end.


if the 66 block meets Cat5 specs, it will be noted somewhere on the block, but since its already installed, you may not be able to find it. don't worry it will work fine for a home environment. this is way mine is setup at my home and it was worked great w/ no issues for 6 years now.


check Monoprice.com for the punch tool and the patch cables, if they don't have them, check Deepsurplus.com , they are more into structured cabling.

 

[Audixium]

And Cat5 is NOT Cat5e (ie: GigaBit). So I would indeed verify if the current block would work at those speeds.

 

[mumian]

Is the Monoprice punch panel listed above a punch panel with a 110 block? It looks like two 66 blocks on the back of the panel.


Do I still need to get an additional 110 block as BucksWin said to use with the Monoprice punch panel?


Thanks.