[SOLVED] Enabling Ethernet Ports in Home

[Mervens]

Just moved to a new home, have Ethernet ports in every room and would like to enable them. I have tested them, and one that works of course, is the living room where the router + modem currently reside.

I went around looking for the panel box and I found it in the laundry.

https://imgur.com/a/KSnk7ne

View: https://imgur.com/a/KSnk7ne


What exactly do I need additionally here (Ethernet switches/panel switches/etc.) because I think this setup is for telephones? There's numbers on the ports currently, and the back of the panel with the cables is hollowed.

 

[kanewolf]

Just moved to a new home, have Ethernet ports in every room and would like to enable them. I have tested them, and one that works of course, is the living room where the router + modem currently reside.

I went around looking for the panel box and I found it in the laundry.

https://imgur.com/a/KSnk7ne

View: https://imgur.com/a/KSnk7ne


What exactly do I need additionally here (Ethernet switches/panel switches/etc.) because I think this setup is for telephones? There's numbers on the ports currently, and the back of the panel with the cables is hollowed.

What the cat5 cables are connected to now is a phone patch -- https://www.grouponenw.com/product-p/cvt_c-0438.htm
You will have to disconnect from that device, put RJ45 connectors on the cables and then connect them to a switch.
Alternate to terminating with RJ45s, you can get a patch panel like this one -- https://www.homecontrols.com/Channel-Vision-Data-Termination-Hub-CVC0575 for in your structured wiring enclosure. Then you would connect patch cables to the RJ45 jacks on the patch panel to a switch.
Either way you have to redo that structured wiring enclosure.

 

[Mervens]

What the cat5 cables are connected to now is a phone patch -- https://www.grouponenw.com/product-p/cvt_c-0438.htm
You will have to disconnect from that device, put RJ45 connectors on the cables and then connect them to a switch.
Alternate to terminating with RJ45s, you can get a patch panel like this one -- https://www.homecontrols.com/Channel-Vision-Data-Termination-Hub-CVC0575 for in your structured wiring enclosure. Then you would connect patch cables to the RJ45 jacks on the patch panel to a switch.
Either way you have to redo that structured wiring enclosure.

I'm a bit confused. In both of these, I'm using a switch and adding RJ45 connectors, or did I get that wrong?
I think one is add connectors then plug into a switch, and the other is get the panel and use my current wiring on it but I don't see where the switch applies here.

 

[bill001g]

You need electronics to connect multiple ethernet ports. Using a patch panel just makes the install cleaner. You would need to run commercial patch cables between the patch panel and the switch. It is basically the same as plugging all the wires directly into a switch but is much easier to terminate to a patch panel and then use short commercial cables. Putting the ends on cables is quite a challenge for someone just starting out. Cost wise the patch panel is a little more but you don't have to buy a crimp tool. Many patch panels come with very cheap cheap plastic punch down tools.

It is purely which way do you like better, there really is no performance advantage.

 

[Mervens]

You need electronics to connect multiple ethernet ports. Using a patch panel just makes the install cleaner. You would need to run commercial patch cables between the patch panel and the switch. It is basically the same as plugging all the wires directly into a switch but is much easier to terminate to a patch panel and then use short commercial cables. Putting the ends on cables is quite a challenge for someone just starting out. Cost wise the patch panel is a little more but you don't have to buy a crimp tool. Many patch panels come with very cheap cheap plastic punch down tools.

It is purely which way do you like better, there really is no performance advantage.

My question only comes in if I punch down the cables (which seems easier I'll admit) the patch panel still has RJ45 slots as well. Do I need to get a different switch to run those commercial cables from the panel to the switch?

 

[SamirD]

What exactly do I need additionally here (Ethernet switches/panel switches/etc.) because I think this setup is for telephones? There's numbers on the ports currently, and the back of the panel with the cables is hollowed.

Typical electrician wiring for phone and thinking it's ethernet. You'll need to replace where those cables terminate with something like what was posted above or one of these that you should be able to buy locally from a hardware store as they typically carry them now:
https://files.cablewholesale.com/hires/80-0040_01.jpg

 

[kanewolf]

My question only comes in if I punch down the cables (which seems easier I'll admit) the patch panel still has RJ45 slots as well. Do I need to get a different switch to run those commercial cables from the panel to the switch?

If you punch down the in-wall cables, then you buy short patch cables to run from the patch panel RJ45 connections to an ethernet switch. You HAVE to have a powered ethernet switch no matter what you do with the in-wall cables.

 

[gggplaya]

1. Purchase a Data Patch panel and use it to replace the telephone patch panel currently installed: https://channelvision.com/product/cat5-data-patch-panel-c-0508/
2. Buy a network switch, perhaps use the Channel Vision switch that's supposed to fit in that box as well: https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Vision-8-Port-Gigabit-Switch/dp/B00E83CPG2
3. Use short off the shelf ethernet cables to connect from the patch panel to the network switch. It doesn't matter which ports you plug into, just that they're all connected to the switch.

 

[Ralston18]

And whatever you do, be sure to label everything: switches, cables, ports, wall jacks, etc. and sketch it all out.

Eventually, when something goes astray, it will be much easier to troubleshoot the network.

 

[Mervens]

Okay I've got everything and am setting it up.

My router in the living room, do I need to move that and force it to fit into this inclusion? I have a huge router, it won't be able to fit regularly.

 

[bill001g]

It sounds as though the router/modem is connected via a coax cable.

You can if you want just leave it in the living room and hook a lan port to the ethernet port in the wall. That will connect back to the switch in the closet which is connected to all the other wall jacks.

Your other option is to move the router to the closet but it must have the coax internet connection there. You would then directly connect it to the switch with a short cable.

It will be simpler to leave the router where it is. Some people like everything in the central closet but it depends which you want to do. You must consider you wifi coverage. If you put the router inside a metal box it tends to not work as well.