Basic Cable Routing Question

[Greg]

I will have a wiring cabinet where my incoming phone line, network cabling and coax cabling will originate from.

I'm not sure at this point where the 24 port switch will be located. Obviously, it's best to use option 1, but given the 2 options how would you handle each one?

Option 1: Switch is located either in or right next to the wiring cabinet.

Question: should I run all of the cabling from the various rooms in the house to a punch-down block and then patch cables to the switch or just run directly to the switch?

Option 2: the switch is located in another area of the house away from the wiring cabinet.

Question: should I run all of the cabling from the various rooms in the house directly to the switch or should I first run them to a punch-down block in the wiring cabinet and then from there to the switch? A lot of additional cabling in the latter scenario.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[thiggins]

The switch doesn't have to be located where your router / cable modem / internet connection is. I'd run at least two CAT 5e/6 cables between the cabinet and where you are putting the switch. This will allow you to loop
back to the cabinet, should you ever need to.

I wouldn't use a punch-down block. Either terminate the runs to an appropriately-rated (CAT5e/CAT6) patch panel (with jacks). Or put plugs
on the ends of the runs and plug 'em right into the switch.

 

[Greg]

Thanks Tim,

I did some more research and the patch panel makes sense. Hanging a bunch of cables directly off the switch can add a lot of weight to the switch or if a cable gets pulled or yanked in some way, can stress the switch. The patch panel and short patch cables alleviates this issue and it looks more neat.

Thanks again,
Greg

 

[thiggins]

Hanging a bunch of cables directly off the switch can add a lot of weight to the switch or if a cable gets pulled or yanked in some way, can stress the switch.

That is easily taken care of with a simple strain relief. But in the end, it's a matter of choice and cost.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

For a home, IMO going patch panel is overkill....but if you have the budget for it...hey, get it looking fancy. I wire up networks for businesses with patch panels....but those are large numbers of drops, and the patch panel helps keep things neat and organized.

Don't worry about weight of the patch cords on the switch...there's no "strain" there in reality, just what you're imagining. Unless you have 100 foot high ceilings and the switch is mounted up high in the rafters and you have 100+ feet of cabling hanging down from it that little kids might grab and swing on....nah...there's no strain.

 

[Greg]

Thanks guys for the advice. Maybe I'll just keep it simple. Less connections to screw up, too.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[MrFixit]

Greg,

All of my CAT6 cables from outlets around the house come in to a patch panel in a rack. Also in the rack are my router and main switch. The switch in the rack is then connected to the patch panel with patch leads. Servers are directly patched into the switch as they are co-located. The router is also patched into the switch.

I had someone do it all for me .

 

[Greg]

Sounds like a nice clean set-up. You got me thinking again. It'll come down to cost. I'll do my own wiring, etc...........I like it.

Thanks,
Greg