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granton

New Around Here
Please help us identify the equipment in the photos. My best guess is it's 15-20 plus years old and obsolete. Work in a small office where we have issues with the multi-line phone system. Wiring, patch panel, or switching device my because of the problems. Want to understand what equipment is being used and if it's repairable or upgradable or if it would make more sense to change over to a cloud-based system with a per-seat cost that includes tech support and phones for our four-person team. I wasn't there when the system was set up, possibly in the 15th century.

DHS phone switcher, office phone network?

Local servers on the bottom left?

Unlabeled phone patch panel in middle.

 

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Welcome to the forums @granton.

Have you tried using better pictures and then using google image search?
 
Please help us identify the equipment in the photos. My best guess is it's 15-20 plus years old and obsolete. Work in a small office where we have issues with the multi-line phone system. Wiring, patch panel, or switching device my because of the problems. Want to understand what equipment is being used and if it's repairable or upgradable or if it would make more sense to change over to a cloud-based system with a per-seat cost that includes tech support and phones for our four-person team. I wasn't there when the system was set up, possibly in the 15th century.

DHS phone switcher, office phone network?

Local servers on the bottom left?

Unlabeled phone patch panel in middle.

What a messed up Stone Age.
Contact a local network technician.
 
1648562572080.png


My best guess is from the low res photo. I've seen some odd closets before and this isn't that bad.

Now, whether or not to upgrade to VOIP or IP phones is up to you as to what works best. The advantage of using a hosted phone service would be less physical equipment around the office. Using a soft phone app from the PC would be easy enough for most. Just need an interface for calls or you could even reroute them through a cell with multi ring. Porting the numbers over to the new service should be easy enough to do. IP pone service should be cheaper for monthly costs vs the POTS system.

If I'm seeing the networking components correctly here it looks like it's time to swap those out. One appears to be an old Linksys router. Maybe a I don't know what kind of switch. It's a bit hard to tell though from the single photo exactly what all is in there. Redoing it in todays standards though should be a nice improvement in performance at least when it comes to the network side.
 
This is very old stuff. What I don't see is an Ethernet punchdown block with CAT5e wire. Do you plan to feed PCs using wire? You need to read the labels on your phone wire to see if it will work otherwise you need to have someone install Ethernet wire and jacks. Those 110 punch blocks only work for phones.
 
Is that an ADT alarm pad? Definitely a recent keypad.
Seems a peculiar placement?
 
@granton
Suggestion:
Decide what you "want" your network to accomplish.
Contact several Licensed low voltage contractors, and get estimates on updating/upgrading your current situation.
Personally, I would never have an alarm keypad in with the network equipment! My goal is to keep everyone away from the network equipment.
 
Thanks for the help. Equipment was cutting edge when dinosaurs were still around.

Local Area Network contractor ran two new data lines to dual port wall jacks at each station. PBX and old switch removed. Old lines were cut during remodel and needed replacing anyway.

What's a good switch for AT&T fiber connection? Phones will be Poly VVX250 and VVX 450 for AT&T office at hand/ ring central.
 
Thanks for the help. Equipment was cutting edge when dinosaurs were still around.

Local Area Network contractor ran two new data lines to dual port wall jacks at each station. PBX and old switch removed. Old lines were cut during remodel and needed replacing anyway.

What's a good switch for AT&T fiber connection? Phones will be Poly VVX250 and VVX 450 for AT&T office at hand/ ring central.
Netgear GS724T v4. Go to EBAY. Remember v4.
 
We ended up going with AT&T office at hand/ ring central for phones and replacing wiring. Cat 5e and ATT were not my choice, but the phones are working well and Cat 5e easily supports our 300 GB symmetrical plan.

 

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