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Posted By: shortcircuit RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/19/05 11:44 AM
I have to do my 1st finish termination of cat-5 for a telephone system in a house.I'm not sure how is the best method for terminating at the wall outlet in an office which will have 2 phone numbers and a fax. I roughed in 2 seperate runs of cat-5. I'm going to use cat-5 modules with a 4-hole face plate.

Should I terminate 1 of the cat-5 to a RJ45 8 conductor module for the 2 phone lines and which module due I use for the fax?

What if the owner wants to use 1 of the cat-5 for a computor network...how would I terminate the remaining cat-5 to serve 2 phone lines and a fax?

Also what is the best way to terminate in the basement for connection to the telephone co wiring? I don't want to spend a fortune on some media panel.

shortcircuit
Posted By: A-Line Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/19/05 12:12 PM
I would terminate one cat5 to one of the modules for the phone and fax lines.
I would terminate the other cat5 to the other module for the computer network.
I terminate one cable to one module so if I only have two cables I only install two modules.
In the basement I would use a sheet of plywood and mount either a 66 punchdown block or a 110 punchdown block to the ply wood.
66 block is good for the phones and fax.
110 block is what I would use for computer networks.

[This message has been edited by A-Line (edited 02-19-2005).]
Posted By: A-Line Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/19/05 12:21 PM
I would like to add to the previous post that I would discuss this with the homeowner.
I have put in plywood because it cost less and is more versitile than media panels.
I've had to go back and install media panels when the homeowner saw one at a freinds house or at the homecenter. They didn't care that it was more money. They liked the look of everything enlcosed with a cover. They would have liked to have known about them to begin with.
Now I explain both options with them and let them make the final decision.
After all it's their money.
Posted By: mkoloj Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/19/05 03:55 PM
I would use one of the cat 5's for the network and you said that the customer has a phone system, depending on haw many pairs the system uses to connect to the phone you could be short a pair or 2. If it is just normal POTS lines you could terminate one pair onto one module to give you capability to have 4 phone lines and 1 ethernet line. For a home or small office like that I like to run 4 cat 5's, 2 for voice and 2 for data, which gives you more flexibility.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/19/05 04:38 PM
You should be terminating your phones on RJ11 keystones. Data goes on the RJ45. I would set one phone jack up for RJ14 (two lines) with line 1 on the center and the other up for line 2 on the center taps.
Posted By: hbiss Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/19/05 09:49 PM
I agree- why are you using an RJ-45 jack for voice?

Terminate one of the cables with an RJ-45 jack (we always use orange to indicate a data jack) in the 568B configuration for the network. VERY important to do this with the minimum untwisting of the cable pairs so start punching down your W/B pair as close as possible to where you removed the jacket. Put the end of the jacket right against the back of the jack.

Take the other cable and terminate the first two pairs (W/B & W/O) on a 6 pin jack. This will actually be in this case an RJ-14 since the W/B pair will be line #1 and the W/O pair will be line #2. No need to worry about pair twists with voice so strip the jacket to expose like 3 inches and separate the cable into the four twisted pairs.

Take the third pair (W/G) and terminate it on another 6 pin jack for the fax line. This will be an RJ-11.

Coil the last and unused W/Brown neatly for future use.

Put a blank in the fourth wall plate hole and mark (sharpie is fine) the RJ-14 and RJ-11 jacks- "Line 1&2" and "Fax" respectively.

In the basement you install a nice sized plywood backboard on a wall. We usually paint them light gray.

For all the data runs you use a patch panel. This is just a panel with a number of RJ-45 jacks on it. They are available in different sizes- get one with at least as many ports as you have data jacks. You will need a 110 punch down tool (if you didn't need one for the jacks) and again terminate the runs in the 568B configuration to match the jacks. Again it is very important to terminate with a minimum of disturbance to the cable configuration.

All the voice runs get terminated on a split 66 punchdown block. Start at the top left and punch down each cable in order. You can get 12 home runs on one block.

Be sure and label all jack plates and put the corresponding number on the 66 block opposite the first pair #1 clip of each home run. The patch panel comes numbered. This means that you should number the jacks then terminate. Identify the cables as you do by either toning them or tagging them as you pull them. I prefer toning.

-Hal




[This message has been edited by hbiss (edited 02-19-2005).]
Posted By: shortcircuit Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/20/05 02:21 AM
thanx for the replies guys...

question...what is the difference between the 568A and 568B configuration.Is the 568B better for computor networking for some particular reason?

I have punched down telephone wiring a little in the past, but always used a manual punch down. Is the 110 punch down tool used for all telephone wire terminating...including the modules?

What are the basic type of tools I need to do this work...such as the punchdown tool,tone generator,etc? Is there a all in one tool kit available?

shortcircuit
Posted By: A-Line Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/20/05 02:48 AM
I use a punch down tool that has interchangable blades. It has a 66 blade and a 110 blade. I also use a tone generator and wire mapper to check for shorts, opens and miswires.
You can get kits with the tools.
I buy a lot of this kind of stuff from Milestek. www.milestek.com

You may want to visit this website. http://www.jimhayes.com/uncleted/index.html It has an online course on terminating cat5 cable.

[This message has been edited by A-Line (edited 02-19-2005).]

[This message has been edited by A-Line (edited 02-19-2005).]
Posted By: caselec Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/20/05 05:01 AM
The only difference between the 568A and 568B is which pins the orange and green pairs are connected too. You can use either the A or B as long as both ends are connected the same. Many jacks have wiring diagrams for both but patch panels often only show either A or B. I always connect the jacks using B. If you connect the jacks B and the patch panel you get only has marking for A just connect the orange pair tot the green terminals and the green to the orange thermals. I would highly recommend you get a basic tester for network wiring to verify yo have connected everything correctly. It is very easy to accidentally reverse a wire connection.

I also recommend you follow Hal’s advice and use (2) 6 wire jacks for the voice lines. I usually connect the brown pair to the second jack so each jack has 2 pairs.

I stopped using 66 blocks several years ago and only use 110 blocks for the voice lines. I find the 110 blocks much easier to wire especially if you are using CAT-5.
Posted By: e57 Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/20/05 06:50 PM
Your cat-5 for you network just has to match the patch panel, either 568A or 568B pattern. You might want to try to steer clear of 568A boards, as they are slowly disappearing. As both Cat-5e and Cat-6 standards are in the 568B pattern. Many have a card you can reverse to change the color labels, but some dont. There is nothing more irritating than mixing them in the same building.

I have done this on residential (non-system) phones for some time now, I terminate pairs 1 + 2 to each phone jack and leave the ends on. I leave them on about 6" and roll them up. Use these as line 1 + 2, even if they only have one voice line, as they may in the future get a line 2. This way any 2-line phone can be used, without having to go through every jack to change your terminations. If line 2 is used, and needed in a seperate jack just use the length left over on the first jack.

Any fax, or modem lines then go on pairs 3 or 4. This helps out when you get called back to add or change anything. For instance, "We want to add a second voice line (+/or) we got 2-line phones" You walk in, punch down your CO side of the new line to the orange pair on your board and walk out. If you need line 2 in only one jack, just add it to the length you left on the jack only in that plate, without having to un-do the original jack.

"Add a fax/modem" same thing, add the jack at the plate on green or brown, punch down the otherside, and walk away.
Posted By: DataDude Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/21/05 11:00 PM
I know you said your rough-in is done, but if it’s possible run at least two more cables for a total of four, two data and two voice, believe me the owner will thank you later. As a matter of fact, for an office location, I recommend four data and two voice to all my customers, it saves me from having to come back later and install a switch. Then terminate all your cables to 8p8c Cat-5e (RJ45) jacks in the 568B color code. A 6p6c (RJ11/14) plug is designed to fit in a Cat-5e jack (try it if you don't believe me), and will give you three lines with the third being a split pair, but that will not effect voice signals. You can also get four lines from the same jack if you use a breakout module. As the above posters said, I also recommend using different color jacks, I use orange or red for data and white for voice.
In the backroom, terminate everything to a Cat-5e patch block, most patch blocks are twelve port so you may need two. Patch blocks work better than patch panels in residential applications where space is limited, due to smaller size and ease of mounting. Then mount a small 110 block and bridge it. At this point you can buy pre-made cables or make your own to cross-connect between the 110 block and the patch block/panel. There are some 110 blocks with RJ45 jacks built-in which make patching easier and cheaper. In a large installation I would use separate panels for voice and data, but you can mix them here if you label them properly. I think you will find this system is a little more future-proof against changes and upgrades down the road. As a last note, if you use the pre-made 110 to RJ45 patch cables or the 110 block with built-in jacks, you will have to use breakout modules on the user end, as both are designed to the 568B code. If not, you will have to make up your own cross-connect cables to get line 3 on RJ45 jack pins 2/7.

-Al
Posted By: hbiss Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/22/05 01:07 AM
A 6p6c (RJ11/14) plug is designed to fit in a Cat-5e jack (try it if you don't believe me)

Nobody doesn't believe it- done frequently but that doesn't mean that it is a good idea to install a system with that in mind. There are people who say that a 6 pin plug will damage the outside (#1&8) pins on the 8 pin jack. I don't know because I always treat data separately from voice. I would never use a patch panel for voice, especially combining both on the same panel. Makes no sense to terminate a voice cable on an RJ-45 unless you have an old Merlin system. Each pair needs to be individually accessed and connected depending on the configuration and you would have a tough time doing that with 568B's at both ends. I can tell you from experience that it wouldn't stay that way for very long.

I think some people (depending on where their interest is) put too much emphasis on trying to make an installation "computer compliant". Run CAT5e or CAT6 for everything, use RJ-45's everywhere just in case someone wants to add another computer someday. The poor telephone guy has to jump through hoops because that's not the way it's done where he comes from.

-Hal
Posted By: DataDude Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/22/05 03:14 AM
Hal
I agree, no question my experience leans me towards an IP approach. No offence towards you Telco guys, but why shouldn’t everything be terminated the same. You can run voice on data but you can't run data on voice, so why have two separate systems? I try and design a system where all upgrades and changes are accomplished in the telephone room with a few patch cables and not at the faceplate. Worst case would be, making a cable with a 568B plug on one end, plugging it into the patch panel and then punching it down to standard Telco pinouts on a 110 block. I don't see what is so difficult about that. Also, in the last two years or so I have yet to receive a spec sheet for a bid job that specified anything other than Cat-5 cable, jacks and patch panels for voice and data, and that’s not from me that's from the engineer. I guess it's just a different point of view.

-Al
Posted By: Sandro Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/22/05 10:58 PM
haha.. "datadude"...love that handle.
Posted By: hbiss Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/23/05 02:08 AM
...but why shouldn’t everything be terminated the same?

Simply because they are two different technologies with differing requirements. They are (most often) also handled by two different groups of people with different training, experience and backgrounds.

To illustrate, many larger companies have an IT department and managers are wanting it to handle their telecom equipment also rather than the company spending money on outside vendors.

Problem is many IT people just have no idea how a PBX or switch works let alone the wiring configuration. They can set up and maintain a network and computers just fine but this is a different world.

In the world of IT every computer would come with a handset integrated into its keyboard and all they had to do is plug it into a network jack. No confusing cross connects, no different jacks just for voice, no new programming to learn. Sound like VoIP?

-Hal
Posted By: gfretwell Re: RJ45 cat-5 wall jack - 02/23/05 07:10 PM
If you do a little looking you will find it is not recomended to use RJ11 plugs in RJ45 ports. They are not supported laterally and the connection is shaky. That may be OK if it is just a little static on your phone call but if this is a DSL line or a POTS modem your computer connection is compromized
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