[Tfug] Patch panels

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Adrian,

--- On Tue, 8/28/12, Adrian <choprboy at dakotacom.net> wrote:

> > I have all of my network drops in a closet off the kitchen.
> > Currently, they just exit the wall via a crude hole cut in
> > the drywall and connect to the switch, there.  I think there
> > are 50 or 60 runs, total (data only).
> >
> > I plan on mounting a patch panel there to dress things up
> > and make some order out of this tangle of cable.
> >
> > The physical space (and location) places some limitations
> > on how I do this, though.  E.g., a panel for a standard
> > equipment rack is far too wide.  OTOH, *half* (width)
> > would be just about perfect!
> 
> I am currently going thru this...

My condolences!  ;-)

> 30-some pairs of CAT5 drops thru the house 
> and 20-some siamese coax as well, pulled into a central
> closet.

I've managed to cheat, a little.

I ran all the RG6U drops to a "distribution point" in the ceiling
(frontier style house so I guess "ceiling" is as close as I can
get to an "attic") that is accessible behind bird boards.  I
figure most everything there can tolerate the temperature
extremes.  And, most of the wiring will be a big star from
a distribution amp/splitter.

[I can actually support splitting four "feeds" from that point
in the insane case that they are ever needed.  E.g., CATV,
OTA antenna, etc.]

The (PSTN) phone wiring terminates in the "furnace closet" as
it is also passive/star.  Again, I can distribute four "feeds"
from that point... so, I can locate a DSL modem elsewhere and
run the filtered line from the modem to conventional phone
drops (think: sell house to some non-techy).

The alarm system hides in another closet.  As does the HVAC
controller, irrigation controller, etc.

But, that still leaves all the data drops needing a place to
congregate.

> The short answer is, there is no good answer.

Well, there doesn't appear to be a good OFF THE SHELF answer!
<frown>

> One option is to put in a full rack with 19" patch panel.
> This obviously takes a lot of space, not terribly conducive
> to a closet install.

<frown>  In my case, I only have the lower ~2 ft of the closet
in question available to me (self-imposed constraint).  So, a
~15U rack is all that would fit.  And, allocating 4 or 5U of that
to a patch panel would use a boatload of "volume", needlessly.

> The second option is to install an in-wall "media center" box, it
> mounts between the studs flush with the wall or can e surface
> mounted.

Yeah, I had looked at similar approaches for the telephone stuff.
Instead, opted to just mount some punchdown blocks on a piece of
1x12 mounted on the wall (with a metal box that covers the whole
shebang).  I figured that sort of thing would rarely need to be
"rewired" (in the event the house is sold sans automation)

It seems like these commercial solutions all assume you have
a LOT of space to spare.  And, are only doing a small installation.

> This seems like a great idea until you look at the media center
> modules and realize the designers of these panels have no freaking
> clue about anything to do with network punchdowns or cable layout...

Yup.  Same is true of the wall plates that you use throughout the
house.  Who, in their right mind, would expect to be able to
have an RG6U feed into the rear of such a wall plate knowing that
it would have to bend in a few inch radius?  (thickness of nominal
wall)

> An "advanced CAT5E" module that only has 8 punchdown ports, has
> jacks that stick out horizontally so cables hit the door,

As above...

> and they want $50 per module?!?!? It is a joke...

I think much of the pricing is due to the relatively low demand
and the assumption that if you're doing this sort of thing, you've
got a few pennies to rub together.

I tried looking for a box of CAT3 recently and was amused to see
how much *more* than CAT5 it cost (quantities!).

****************************************************************
Anyone have a box of CAT3 -- preferably white -- they would like
to part with??
****************************************************************

[I wanted to keep using CAT3 for the PSTN wiring just to make it
easier to keep track of which cables carry which sorts of signals
without having to add extra labeling to each:  "South Kitchen Phone",
"South Kitchen Data", "South Kitchen CATV", etc.]

> The media center boxes themselves are really nice (hinged doors,
> locking, knockouts for electrical outlets, etc.), but the module
> suck. So I installed just the box and, after a bit of debating, I
> purchased a couple 48 port patch panels.

Presumably, traditional (rack) panels?

> I haven't got there quite yet, but I am either going to mount the 
> patch panels on a custom bracket vertically (19" up/down),
> perpendicular or at a 45 to the back of the panel. Or, like you,
> I'm going to take the 2x6 punchdown boards

In my case, these are groups of 12, not 6.

> out of the patch panel and cutup a custom panel to mount in 
> the box.

Fabricating such a panel seems like it is going to be a real
hassle.  Ideally, a sheet of 1/8" steel.  But, way too hard
to machine!  In practice, probably 1/8" aluminum as you can
easily drill/cut/file it.  But, this would be a very manual
approach (I wonder how clean the results would look afterwards).

I thought lexan might be a good option with a hot knife to
cut out the openings.  There was a guy in town who used to
do this sort of thing but I think he has closed up shop...

> Mounting the patch panels vertically seems to work fairly well in a 
> mockup I did quick. The panels can be on either side of the
> media center leaving the center open for switches/etc.

The 96p panel that I have would fit, vertically (i.e., so the
ports are numbered top to bottom instead of left to right).
But, then I need ~19 inches of vertical space just for the panel.
(Remember, I'm hiding in the bottom of the closet)

I've located a duplex electrical outlet on each side of the closet
from which the various bits of kit can draw power.  I didn't want 
to have to drape power cords across the width of the closet.  The
outlets are towards the front (door side) of the closet so they
can be accessed without having to move equipment out of the way.

So, any other connections would have to be above or below this
nominal ~15" outlet height -- since there is no room in front of
them and *behind* would make access to patch cords a real bitch.

Below ends up putting patch cords on the floor.  With power cords
draping over them.  <frown>

I ended up with an arrangement like (ASCII art):

============
============
============
============

OO        XX
OO        XX

The = representing planned locations of the four groups of 12
data ports.  The O represent the duplex outlet.  The X represent
a wall plate that brings RG6 (or CAT3) feeds to the closet from
their respective "distribution points".

I.e., there are 6 RG6 cables that run from this wall plate to
the "distribution amplifier(s)" in the ceiling/attic.  So, I can
connect an external CATV feed to use one of those 6 to run CATV
into this closet.  At the wall plate, I can cable that to
a cable modem -- which then feeds the patch panel, etc.  At
the same time, I can run that CATV feed to various rooms in the
house.

Similarly, the "X" on the "other" closet wall has CAT3 drops.
(Did I mention my obsession with symmetry??  <grin> )  Using that
set of "drops", I can take a PSTN feed, run it into the closet
and a DSL modem located there.  Then, through a DSL filter and
back to the punchdown blocks in the furnace room for distribution
to the "phone jacks" throughout the house.  Repeat for multiple
lines...

The location of the patch panels is probably just about as low
as I can conceivably go (they are at the top of that 2' region
I mentioned, previously) without totally trashing my knees trying
to plug/unplug individual cables.  (it's the pits to get old!)

It's a clumsy solution.  But, hopefully balances some flexibility
(being able to change my mind how things are wired, later) with
the constraints imposed by the lack of an attic or basement!  (at
the expense of a boatload of extra wire!)  And, at the same time,
allows me to undo all of the "tech" if/when the house is sold.
(I suspect a potential buyer would be intimidated by the level
of automation I've implemented and would prefer, instead, to have
a more "traditional" approach to these issues (hence the need to
be able to make all the distribution systems look "dumb")

[I have been FORBIDDEN from *dying* -- out of fear that no one
will ever be able to sort out this *mess* after my demise!  :> ]

(sigh)

It will probably take me several man-weeks to document where all
this wire goes!  :<

[*Huge* bit of advice:  label each cable as you run it!  Yes, you
can sort this out later.  But, it is *so* much easier to do it
up front and not have to worry about it!]

Good luck to both of us!

--don