Install Wired Home Network Advice Needed

[colbyjh]

I am currently remodelling a house and I have ran 4 CAT6 cables, 2 coax, and 1 CAT 3 for phones from every room in the house two a central location. I was originally planning on purchasing a switch to connect all of the CAT6 into, but have started trying to find a panel box that accomplishes the same thing except I wouldn't have 20 wires coming out of the wall into the switch. It would be incredibly awesome for me to be able to install a panel box in the wall that does everything that a switch would do.

I have found panel boxes that would take care of all of the coax and phone lines, but not the CAT6. If you know of anything else that might help me, please let me know.

Thank you,

Colby

 

[abailey]

You will need a switch for your ethernet cables. You cannot simply connect them like you can with phone or COAX. What most people do that don't want just wires hanging out of a wall, is put in a patch panel to terminate the CAT6 cable to. Then run short ethernet patch cables from the panel to your switch. They make wall mount and rack mount patch panels. They also make patch panels for COAX if you want everything to be the same. If you are looking for like a small self contained type unit you could use a wall mount enclosure that could hold all your patch panels and your switch.
Patch Panel Example: http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unshielded-Wallmount-Rackmount-TC-P24C6/dp/B0000AZK72/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405013277&sr=1-2&keywords=patch+panel+cat6

Enclosure Example: http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-SRW6U-Enclosure-Cabinet/dp/B003K1NFY4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405012970&sr=1-1&keywords=rack+enclosure

 

[boosted1g]

as abailey said, you will need an ethernet switch. Phone/coax lines you can just split and repeat, data lines you can not.

Have you looked at structured media panels?
I have one in my office that has all of my coax and ethernt going to it. I have a coax splitter, a flat pannel that I mounted my modem to, patch panels, and flat panels i mounted my network switches to (I dont have a landline so i did not put phone in there).
Here is a pic of my setup:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6c5topaoie7dahg/20130331_194322.jpg

I use steren fasthome enclosure and patch panels, then the black blanks i mount the equipment to is suttle brand.

Amazon has the steren equipment, I got the suttle part from here:
http://www.discount-low-voltage.com/Connectivity/Residential-Low-Voltage-Wiring-Products

Trendnet makes a pretty decent 8 port gigabit switch and is often on sale for $20-25 on amazon or newegg.
So you will need the encosure, the coax splitter, the phone distribution panel, your network switch(s), patch panel(s), blank back for switch(s), and will need some outlets and metal boxes for them if you get a box with ac outlet cutouts.

 

[abailey]

That is really neat, boosted1g. I have not seen those. Which model enclosure did you get (what size)? I am trying to get a feel for how much stuff a certain size can hold.

 

[boosted1g]

That is the 19 inch model, it supports roughly 6 pannels.

How many TV, Phone, and ethernet cables do you have?

I like the steren brand because they did not have proprietary modules like levitron and some others, and the back is recesed in so you can run cables behind the modules.

 

[boosted1g]

In-wall they have a 19, 32 and 44" model

external they only have 11 and 19" models

Mine is the Steren Fasthome 550-200

 

[boosted1g]

If you go with steren for the patch panels, the plastic clips they use are crap and will probably break 1-2 of them in shipping.

I ordered a set of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q4DMU6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[colbyjh]

Is there a special type of gigabit switch I should get to make sure that it can be mounted inside the panel box? I have at least 17 Cat6, 9 Coax, 4 Cat3 (phone). The fact that all the decent switches I am finding force you to plug all the cords into the front, makes me really want to put it all into a panel box so I don't have cords everywhere

 

[boosted1g]

You can either get a 24port switch or daisy chain 3 8port switches. You should not notice any performance difference doing the daisy chain, but you loose 4 ports by doing so. The Trendnet switches with the metal enclosures are a good bang for the buck product, dlink is good just a little more expensive, and netgears prosafe business line is nice (lifetime warranty) but pricey.

You will need a 32 or 44" enclosure since you have so many drops, your ethernet alone would fill the 19" enclosure. If daisy-chaining the 8 port switches then you could get away with the 32", if doing the 24 port then I would suggest going for the 44"

As far as plugs in the front, that is not a factor. You run your drops down and punch them into the patch panel (look at the pic earlier of my box) and then you just install the switch on its back and run the patch cord from the patch panel to the switch. For the 24 port switch you will most likely need to install it in a portrait orientation instead of the landscape orientation I have mine in.

For any ethernet parts you dont already have, http://www.monoprice.com has good stuff for a decent price (if you are in USA).

 

[abailey]

Another consideration with 8 port switches is that you will need three places to plug in power (most likely power bricks) as opposed to only one plug in for a 24 port switch (that may have an internal power supply so you don't have to have a power brick). Not a deal breaker just something to think about as you plan out your cabinet and how you are going to do power.

 

[boosted1g]

^ Good point