[SOLVED] Do I really need a patch panel to setup a Mesh wifi network with little bit of wired network usage ?

[coolmanfever]

Hello all,

I am building my new home consisting basement floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor. Each floor is about 2000 square feet. I plan to install 3 pack Eero pro router on each floor once I move in (one in basement, one in main floor living room, one in 2nd floor master bedroom).
https://eero.com/shop/eero-pro-6

The contractors completed the following:
1 ethernet keystone jack is installed in the basement living room TV wall
3 ethernet keystone jacks are installed on 1st floor (2 in office, 1 living room TV wall)
4 ethernet keystone jacks are installed on 2nd floor (1 for each bedroom TV wall)

There is also another ethernet wire started from electrical panel room in the basement. This wire is nearby the location where internet modem can be setup. The main purpose of this wire is to send main internet signal from modem in basement to 1st floor living room where all other ethernet wires are gathered inside a custom build cabinet.

all ethernet wires for the whole house are gathered together in living room on the 1st floor and hidden away from a custom cabinet (see photo below). I am not 100% sure if he has setup another point to allow internet modem installation near the cabinet other than the basement . I will have to double check that with him.

The contractor is telling me that he plans to install a switch inside the cabinet once cabinet is fully finished and terminate all the ethernet wires into male jacks so they can be plug into a switch. If I want these wires to finish into patch panel, I will have to find my own internet network company to hard wire them into patch panel.

I do not plan to expand my home network with wired connection for future. At most I probably will have two or three computers connected together by local wired network and highly used TV's for each room can be connect by wired network. So I do not anticipate adding more devices in the future to wired network once all setup.

Do I really need a patch panel for my case? Is patch panel worth it and why ? Or is installing switch in the cabinet good enough for my usage?

Hopefully to hear some experts to chime in! Thank you for all your ideas!

 

[Ralston18]

Photo missing I think --- ?

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2173703/post-images-tomshardware-guide.html

As I understand it, the crux of the matter is:

"The contractor is telling me that he plans to install a switch inside the cabinet once cabinet is fully finished and terminate all the Ethernet wires into male jacks so they can be plug into a switch. If I want these wires to finish into patch panel, I will have to find my own internet network company to hard wire them into patch panel. "

That can be done; however a patch panel will provide overall better connections via patch cables between patch panel and switch.

Much easier to swap out a patch cable than to try re-terminating a RJ-45 plug on an ethernet cable (if even long enough) basically dangling from the wall.

Ensure that the patch panel ports are labeled with respect to the room(s) being served and that the room wall jacks are likewise labeled back to the patch panel. Permanent labels - not cheap little stickies of some sort that will fall off....

And the contractor should leave some extra cable in the wall as a service loop should a patch panel port need to be re-terminated.

Also, with acknowledgement of your future wireless plans, some additional expense for a few extra Ethernet cable runs would provide you with room for unexpected growth and circumstances.

If you have not already done so, do some online reading about DIY network installs. Not that you should do the installation yourself per se. Just get a sense of what to look for when you inspect or otherwise test the contractor's installation work.

Ethernet cables are not telephone wires. Yet many contractors do the installation in much the same matter. Might work for a while then.....

I really wonder why your contractor is telling you that you need another network company to install a patch panel but he is willing to terminate RJ-45 plugs on wires versus terminations in the patch panel. Some code requirements or restrictions?

Look into that.

There may be other comments and suggestions.

 

[coolmanfever]

hello. This is my first time here. Here are the photos:

all ethernet wire centralized to this custom made cabinet located in family room on 1st floor

https://imgur.com/zBgmWBg

View: https://imgur.com/zBgmWBg

https://imgur.com/yWhJDtu

View: https://imgur.com/yWhJDtu


another main ethernet wire started in basement panel room where the internet modem will be setup

https://imgur.com/7scLMFE

View: https://imgur.com/7scLMFE


This is type of Cat5e wire connecting to keystone to be coverted to outlet for each room all over the house.

https://imgur.com/jfCOjmg

View: https://imgur.com/jfCOjmg


Basically my question is... at my centralized location in the cabinet, do I really need a patch panel? Can I convert all wires with male jack and plug into switch instead?

 

[Alabalcho]

Basically my question is... at my centralized location in the cabinet, do I really need a patch panel? Can I convert all wires with male jack and plug into switch instead?

Of course you can do that. But having a proper patch panel will give you flexibility in the future.

And a side note: You'll definitely need power in that closet, and someday you may even need ventilation. That space is big enough to hold a small NAS / media server / UPS

 

[coolmanfever]

thank you for the information guys. I went to the house under constructions during the weekend and looked into the cabinet more detail. Turns out there are 21 ethernet cables to terminate because that include security camera ethernet cables.

So I am thinking maybe patch panel instead of face plate would be better? Do you guys think it is good idea to mount patch panel on the vertical divider that separate the rights and left segment of cabinet with keystone jack facing right? This is alllow placement of all eletronic device in the right bigger segement where there is access to power outlet. What do guys think?

https://imgur.com/7yJgTsB

View: https://imgur.com/7yJgTsB

 

[gggplaya]

This is strange, it's significantly easier to use a punch down patch panel than it is to crimp 21 male ends onto ethernet cables. On a punch panel, you fold the wires into the designated colors and punch each one with a tool. It's super easy and quick.

With male ends, you have to line up each cable in the exact order and push them in the appropriate slots perfectly. It takes a bunch of extra time to get everything lined up and in their slots.

That's why I say it's strange, because patch panels are so much easier. Perhaps this contractor has never done a punch down before. Show him a youtube video, it's much easier than he's thinking. Way quicker and easier than male ends, just requires a $10 punch down tool, little more expensive if you he buys it at lowes/HD. It's just like punch down keystone jacks if they've ever done any of those.

I personally wouldn't put a patch panel sideways like that. I prefer my wiring from the panel to my switch to be vertical and clean. I would just cut a large hole in the side wall and run all the wires through to the right side. Get a 6u or 8u (take measurements to see what fits) wall mount rack for inside the cabinet, or a desk mount rack to lay in the cabinet. Get a patch panel and a nice POE rack mount switch(compatible with cameras).

Also get an AC Infinity cabinet fan to keep the POE switch cool, doesn't need much: https://www.acinfinity.com/quiet-cabinet-fans/

 

[coolmanfever]

This is strange, it's significantly easier to use a punch down patch panel than it is to crimp 21 male ends onto ethernet cables. On a punch panel, you fold the wires into the designated colors and punch each one with a tool. It's super easy and quick.

With male ends, you have to line up each cable in the exact order and push them in the appropriate slots perfectly. It takes a bunch of extra time to get everything lined up and in their slots.

That's why I say it's strange, because patch panels are so much easier. Perhaps this contractor has never done a punch down before. Show him a youtube video, it's much easier than he's thinking. Way quicker and easier than male ends, just requires a $10 punch down tool, little more expensive if you he buys it at lowes/HD. It's just like punch down keystone jacks if they've ever done any of those.

I personally wouldn't put a patch panel sideways like that. I prefer my wiring from the panel to my switch to be vertical and clean. I would just cut a large hole in the side wall and run all the wires through to the right side. Get a 6u or 8u (take measurements to see what fits) wall mount rack for inside the cabinet, or a desk mount rack to lay in the cabinet. Get a patch panel and a nice POE rack mount switch(compatible with cameras).

Also get an AC Infinity cabinet fan to keep the POE switch cool, doesn't need much: https://www.acinfinity.com/quiet-cabinet-fans/

yeah. I find it strange too because he terminate the cable into keystone at device end for each room. Is it possible to terminate stranded cables into rj45 jack?

 

[Ralston18]

Yes - it is possible to "terminate the cables into keystone at device end....."

Unfortunately some installers do not know or recognize that the RJ45 connectors are different for stranded or solid wire.

Take a close look at both the installed Ethernet cable and any termination plugs.

What has the contractor done?

 

[coolmanfever]

at the device end for each room, you can see that the installer already terminate into RJ45 jack. Can you tell if it is stranded or solid cord?

https://imgur.com/jfCOjmg

View: https://imgur.com/jfCOjmg

 

[gggplaya]

If the installer is comfortable doing keystone jacks, you can just buy a keystone patch panel and have them do keystones again: https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-24-Port-Keystone-Rackmount-TC-KP24/dp/B07M5QBL8G

 

[Ralston18]

Look at the teeth.

https://www.sandman.com/knowledgebase/solid-vs-stranded-plugs

https://www.google.com/search?q=rj4...AgOEDw&biw=1844&bih=1012#imgrc=l43LBFN9Wk9UuM

What specs are printed on the Ethernet cabling?

Overall, I would not recommend toolless terminations. Not sure at all about the quality or longevity of those keystone products.

Real punch down terminations should be used on both ends: patch panel and wall jacks. With some extra wire length available at each end for repairs/replacements if necessary.

Take an overall look at what has been done and post what you find - likely that others will provide further comment and suggestions.

 

[neojack]

Since your contractor terminate all the cables into this wood cabinet, you can buy a standard dual gang-sized electric box, and a cover with RJ45 keystones, like this :
https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/RiteAV-Keystone-plaque-murale-double/dp/B00GK1ZSVO

Cable Matters Lot de 25 connecteurs Jack Cat6 RJ45 Blanc et support Keystone Punch-Down : Amazon.ca: Électronique

Cable Matters Lot de 25 connecteurs Jack Cat6 RJ45 Blanc et support Keystone Punch-Down : Amazon.ca: Électronique

www.amazon.ca

https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Leviton-42777-2WB-arrière-montage-Profondeur/dp/B003AUG3U8


he can terminate all the cables in the electric box and install the electrix box in the back of the cabinet. super clean.

I am IT for small business and i often run cables. i have done the terminaison several times this way. in my own home too !