Helping friend network home

[brentkhack]

My buddy uses only wifi in his home. I looked into his closet and found a Honeywell MDX 88300 video/voice splitter. Here is the website on this equipement http://www.security.honeywell.com/HS/jsp/main.jsp?PNAME=MDX88300&CATID=Data%20Sheets%20-%20Dealer&PAGE=PAGE_48106&NAV=NAVIGATION_46491&RESULT_TEMPLATE=AD_LiteratureResults.jsp&FUELAP_SITEDBID=SITE_-66&FUELAP_OP=FUELOP_NewScreen&SHOWALL=true&SITE=SITEINFO_37768&
In the picture I took, all the punch downs use all the slots except the last one. This only uses two. I told him that should be for his telephone line he uses. Since the wire is CAT 5e and seven lines use all of the punch downs. Shouldn't I be able to run the modem/router to the "phone" jack (as long as it is RJ45) and then from another room from the wall to a computer?

 

[brentkhack]

Guess I can't add a pic from my phone, sorry.

 

[jsmithepa]

Networking needs at least 4 wires, landline only 2. Whether RJ45 or RJ11 doesn't matter as long as they physically fit. You can plug in landline phones onto an ethernet jack wo modification, as long as it's properly terminated at the junction.

 

[brentkhack]

Do you think that Honeywell 88300 will act like a switch? Or would I have to put a RJ45 plug on the end of each line currently connected to it. Then add a switch in the closet.

 

[jsmithepa]

Do you think that Honeywell 88300 will act like a switch?.

No. But it facilitates it.

But I sense you are asking the question without having a clear picture how things are done. The Honeywell is what we would call a structure panel, a patch panel, a junction. All cables come from different rooms to this JUNCTION, sometimes the cables are terminated on a 66 type punch block (Google for picture), sometimes as in this case, it CONVENIENTLY terminate on RJ45(?) jacks. This allows you to connect to a switch easily, but you still have to add the switch, so:

ROOMS ====> patch panel (RJ45) =====> PATCH CORDS =====> Ethernet Switch.

This is the standard way to wire an ethernet LAN. Notice PATCH panel, PATCH cords. This allows you switch ethernet port/room quite easily just by moving the patch cords to a different position, ever seen those old pictures of the lady phone operator getting a call, then moving a plug from one hole to the next? I know, probably before your time.

 

[brentkhack]

Thank you for clearing things up a bit. One thing is the cables are connected to this Honeywell junction by 66 type punch block. There is no place on the junction to connect RJ45 to. Would your advise be to take out the seven cables from the junction and put RJ45 jacks on the ends. Then hook up the switch in the closet?

 

[jsmithepa]

Cables Guys Rule of Thumb: We don't like to touch old work unless we have to fix something broken.

Translation: Don't rip anything, just extend punches to a RJ45 panel via new cabling.