This is probably going to sound like a rather lame sort of a question, but:
How exactly is a Cat 5 patch panel connected up (as in wired and the patch leads connected to it)?.
I've looked all over the Internet trying to find an explanation of how it is done, but I've come up empty-handed.
I'm fully conversant with IDC connectors and I've used them with Telephone systems here before, but I've never tackled a system that uses Telecoms and Data networking cables in the same panel before.
I'm starting the final fit-off of a new house I pre-wired ages ago for all of the TV, data, telecoms and AV systems.
The guy that owns the house has changed his mind and wants a patch panel installed.
I have no problems at all with the other systems, it's just that I have never installed a patch panel before and I'd like to be able to do the whole job myself.
HELLLLLPPPP!!!!

Thanks guys.

Best thing I could tell you is when you get one and look at it you will see how to do it.

These are 110 punch downs same as most jacks. Dress your cables in from one end starting with jack #1. Strip the jacket off the cable, place the end of the jacket approximately at the center of the punch down for the jack you are connecting it to. Fan the four pairs into the slots and punch them down with your 110 tool. Keep the pairs as short and direct as possible. Oh yeah, use the 568B configuration which is normally the default marking. (You did wire the jacks 568B right?)

Patch panels come in basically two styles, rack mount and bracket mounted. The bracket mounted type will come with a 89 style wall bracket that would otherwise normally be used with a 66 block. Flip the panel over on the bracket to wire it. These panels are usually small, 12 ports or less.

The rack mount style, as the name implies, is made to mount in a 19" rack. There are wall mount brackets for these also that have a hinge on one side to make wiring and maintenance easy. Be sure to leave a loop inside the bracket so that the panel can be swung open and closed.

After the patch panel is finished you use pre-made patch cables to connect the data ports to the hub or router.

I think you said that you are going to have voice ports also. Don't know what the heck you are going to do with those. I could think of a few ways to deal with them but it would have been simpler just to not put the runs on the patch panel to begin with.

-Hal

I have done commercial installs that used a patch panel for voice.

When the number of jacks is greater than the outputs of the telecom equipment the patch panel makes it easy to rearrange the active jacks.

the patch panel makes it easy to rearrange the active jacks.

I know I've been all through this before and yeah, plugging a patch cord into the patch panel jack is easy. But where does the other end of the patch cord go?

About the only sensible thing to do is have another patch panel for voice which would be comparable to the hub or router jacks for data. That patch panel would be wired to a punch down block that in turn would cross connect to the PBX or key system.

You are better off installing adequate wiring for voice and terminating the runs on the cross connect block to begin with instead of going through the trouble and expense of another patch panel just for voice. Move, adds and changes would be done as always by changing the cross connect wiring.

There can be other problems with sharing voice and data wiring. If both the data network and the telecom is managed and maintained by one person or department there should be little problem with shared wiring however most often the telecom is handled by different people than the computers and network. The skillsets and mindsets of these people are VERY different.

The telecom guy (usually an outside vendor) isn't going to want the liability that comes with messing with data patch panels and common wiring and he isn't going to want an IT type messing with his system.

I know the corporate middle managers and bean counters won't agree with me but that is why it is always best to provide separate facilities for data and voice.

-Hal






[This message has been edited by hbiss (edited 04-04-2005).]

Termination of patch panels is just like punching down jacks, except they are attached, to well.... the panel. Easy!

Hal had some great no non-sense instruction for it, but if you haven't done it before.... I agree with him on the patch panel used for phone, there are some systems that use RJ-16 and RJ-45/48 jacks as connection to them, (Which I think GolfJunkie was reffering to.) but you had better be sure you're using one, or your in for a big hassle. A 110 cross connect board as an itermediant is best IMO, as is thing change from a simple pots line, to a KEY, or PBX type system or back, you can just jumper to and from it, and not mess with the cable plant. Especially if this is a residential application. Much easier to re-purpose the cable if need be too.

Take your phone cables in the wall to a 110 cross connect, then to a patch panel. (Take the data straight to the patch panel.) The extra $50 and termination time will be well worth it if this guy changes his mind again.

Heres some instruction on how to install one: http://www.nordx.com/public/htmen/pdf/110CC4-pair.pdf

As for patch panel installation, you're right, there isnt much information out there. But Hals first post has got to be the most consice instruction, in few words, with-out pictures that I could imagine. Add a picture to it and its golden.

I put together an intro phone class for my guys, and never got around to patch panels, and frame-up's in it. Maybe I should get on that....

Trumpy did nto say if the house has a phone system or just POTS service for the phones.
The station cables for the voice are nice to have on a 110 cross connect block then have either a row dedicated to a cable that is ran to the demarc in the customers house and you can cross connect all the voice within one block for POTS, if there is a KEY system I would put another block with cables cables punched down and the other ends are all plugged into the phone system that way all the cross connnects for the phone system are on a block right next to the station cables. As for the data a patch panel is the way to go for residential a S89B mounting frame with a 12 port panel or a block like this will blend in well with a 110 blcok for the voice and not look so mismatched as a 66 style frame and a 110 next to it: http://www.siemon.com/e-catalog/products/S110_Modular_Jack_Wall_Mount_Blocks.asp

[This message has been edited for spelling by mkoloj (edited 04-05-2005).]

[This message has been edited by mkoloj (edited 04-05-2005).]

mkoloj,
Nice product you linked to there, I haven't seen those before. And correct me if I'm wrong, you could also use this as a cross connect by adding clips to it as well, and not use the port?

I was wondering that myself since I have a job coming up where these were used and I would like to get rid of the existing jacks and convert it to a punchdown.

I don't believe this is possible, looks like these are two different products.

-Hal

Thanks for your comments guys,
In particular, Hal (hbiss).
I'm conversant with 110 punch-down connectors, although since I went on a training course for this sort of system, things have changed.
I'm talking some years ago.
Well, I'm not that stupid.
I have seen installations where the sockets and panel are all mucked up.
Here is an outlay of the Installation as I have it at the moment:

• Telecom Line Splitter (low pass filter) fitted at Entrance point.
• System is split into POTS and DSL, 2 Cat 5e cables sent to Comms Hub, along with 2 spares.
• DSL feeds a Router which then feeds the patch panel, for all of the sockets in the Installation.

It's my understanding of a patch panel, that you could patch any of the cables to whatever service, be it DSL or POTS, just by changing a patch lead.
All of the cables come back to the Patch panel in Star topography, and that is where you make the changes.
Sure 2 different systems don't make it any easier, but there has to be an easier way.



[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 04-07-2005).]

The product I linked comes with the clips installed and you punch your wire down on top of the clips, so no you can't put another clip over the clip. To do that just use a plain 110 block also they are about 10% of the price of the product I showed.

It's my understanding of a patch panel, that you could patch any of the cables to whatever service, be it DSL or POTS, just by changing a patch lead.

Yes, but how many times is that ever going to happen? You already have two runs to each location and especially in residential what more do you need? Make one voice the other data and be done with it.

In many smaller installations I won't even use a patch panel for data. I just press a plug on the ends of the home runs and plug them directly into the router or switch. Doesn't matter where they go, any port will do so there is no reason to ever change them. Why even bother with a patch panel?

-Hal

Hey Hal I hope you are using the correct plugs for those directly connected cables, as at my current place of employment I have punched down hundreds of cables like that on patch panels as the previous hacks used connectors that were meant for stranded wire not the ones that are for solid 24 awg which the cables are.
I agree with the patching of voice on a patch panel, it comes out much cleaner if all the cross connecting for the voice is done on a 110 block.

Oh yeah! A little while back I had a discussion going over at the computer geek forum about this. A few still refuse to believe me when I tell them that if you use plugs meant for stranded wire with a solid conductor (and vice versa) it will come back to bite you in the a**.

-Hal

I figured you knew better but I just thought I would throw it out there so everyone can avoid the problems down the road if they use the wrong ones. That method is good if you have a handful of cables but where I am now there are some closets where there are 100-200 cables b-lining right to the hub out of a hole cut in a ceiling tile.

One of the advantages of a patch panel is that it is easier, quicker and less error prone to terminate a cable on them than to put a plug directly on the cable.

Like I said, small jobs with maybe a dozen or less runs I'll put plugs on the cables especially if the customer is looking for a cheap job. 100-200 is plain crazy!

-Hal

Hal, I'm glad you came back with that, I was about to disagree with you for the first time......

It's not crazy, it's a disaster!!
They got the lowest bidder to do the job originally, now they are paying me to do the clean-up after those guys. It is a healthe-care facility with 6 floors and 22 IDF's.