Reddit reviews Cable Matters UL Listed 12-Port Cat6, Cat 6 Vertical Mini Patch Panel with 89D Bracket

This Patch panel is wall mounted just like yours, and has 12 spots available. It's hard to tell how many cables you have exactly but that would be a good start.

You would mount it just like the one in your picture, but it would give you an ethernet port on the front. You would take those ethernet ports and attach them to a switch with a CAT5e or above cable.

The tools you'll need to do this are:

• Ethernet tester - This is to test the ethernet cables you create to make sure they're correct.
  
  
• Punchdown tool - This is to punch the wires down to the patch panel I linked above.
  
• Labeler - Realistically you can use a sharpie and just write the names on the wires. Don't buy a $200 labeler unless its something you'll use often, I just wanted to give an example of what I use.
  
• Analog wire toner - Use this if you need to find the wire in that rats nest.
  
  You would realistically cut all the wires off the block and use the above tools to make them into ethernet ports.

Noooo just get a patch panel.

When you're done wiring that up, seal all the holes to the exterior using some sort of fireblock. I use this.

Get a Patch Panel, a Punch Down tool, a ethernet crimper, some ethernet ends (i prefer the EZ, but they are pricy), and a network tester. All that for $70 and you can terminate and troubleshoot all the cables you desire!

My personal kit is a little more expensive, but really the only thing I wouldn't trade for a cheaper tool is the tester. Crimper, Punchdown, Tester.

You can get smaller patch panels that come with a bracket to mount them on the wall, like this 12 port patch panel.

Cable Matters 12-Port Vertical Mini Patch Panel with 89D Bracket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVQI8B6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oYxAzb6E9437Y this and replace the wall plate end with 8P8C jacks and your good to go!

As /u/Grandsinge said - put RJ45 jacks in instead - either keystone jacks and wall-plates (with mounting brackets) if you can actually run it in the wall and you want a nice, professional look (this is what I did - a pain to do, but it looks great; plus I ran coax at the same time). Otherwise just go with surface-mount boxes.

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In the basement, or wherever your switch is going to be - you can put more of the same (keystone jacks or surface-mount boxes), but if you are going to have more than 4 or so, maybe worth just doing a patch panel to keep things neat & tidy.

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Edit - products linked are for example - not necessarily products I specifically recommend or endorse.

Are you going to terminate the drops at the switch end with RJ-45 plugs or onto a patch panel? A patch panel is the best way to do it. But then the question arises where to put the patch panel? You can put the patch panel and the switch in a structured media enclosure flush in the wall. Or you can put them in a rack mounted on the wall.
 
When you are having the drops installed it's a good idea to pull an extra Cat6 cable at each location for future use. It won't add much to the cost but it will save a great deal of time and money later.

I've done a decent amount a cabling over the last 20 years or so. the first few links I found on google aren't bad.

I'd definitely recommend having a fish tape or pull rod. Usually when I've done it in a home, I like to pull up from the basement (where I end up putting the patch panel every time I've done it) up to the attic before then running it to the upper floor rooms. I've used traditional wall plates using punch down connectors, but I think that now that they're available I would use a F/F wall plate so all you have to do is make an RJ-45 on the wall cable and plug it into the wall jack. Leave yourself an extra 12'-36" at either end of a pull (in the biz we call it a service loop, it gives you some extra play and lets you have plenty of length if you need to re-terminate).

Generally you want to use Solid cable in walls and Stranded to make patch cables, but for a home install it won't kill you to re-use the same cable for both. Plenum cable is for fire code, and generally you use it for runs in open ventilated drop tile ceilings.

Depending on how many runs you'll have and what you plan on doing, you might want a patch panel at the source of the runs. That lets you terminate the run on the panel and then makes it easier to label and re-connect things in the future. It's the more pro thing to do, but it's no the end of the world to terminate with an RJ-45.

Chances are pretty good that any switch you can get will be fine for your home needs. Even running a Plex server to a game console or streaming device you'll be fine. Only is you regularly want to move multi GB or TB files around will you see a difference between a Netgear desktop switch and a major Cisco monster (assuming that you won't have many connections and you don't need any of the more advanced features). The only feature that you may get some mileage out of is Power Over Ethernet (POE), which allows you to use some IP Phones and Wireless access points without a power adapter.

Try these.

Cable Matters UL Listed 12-Port Cat6, Cat 6 Vertical Mini Patch Panel with 89D Bracket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVQI8B6/

Okay so heres my new plans for the design:

250FT Stranded UTP Cat6 - $45

Cat6 Connectors for UTP Stranded - $11

12 Port Vertical Mini Patch Panel for Cat6 - $20

8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch - $29

10 Pack Wall Plate 2-Port Keystone Jack - $10

10 Pack Keystone Jack Cat6 - $14

Total: $129, but previously $131 (100ft cat6 + connectors + wall jacks) and this does much more. Would that be good?

How does this one look? I have some Amazon credit I can use. Plus, I've got Prime for fast shipping. The vertical aspect isn't necessary, but it's cheaper than the horizontal equivalent. It comes with the bracket for wall mounting.

Just out of curiosity, how could you tell just from looking at it that it was a 66-block panel? 110-blocks are more compact?

EDIT: I just realized that the one in your Home Depot link is nearly identical to the Amazon one. INTELLINET vs Cable Matters.

>[UL Listed] Cable Matters 12-Port Cat6 / Cat 6 Vertical Mini Patch Panel with 89D Bracket
>
>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVQI8B6/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_apa\_i\_i0A9AbFA02Q2E

Right. If a device is under 19 inches, it would come with ears to adjust for the issue.

In the case of this item: [UL Listed] Cable Matters 12-Port Cat6 / Cat 6 Vertical Mini Patch Panel with 89D Bracket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVQI8B6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_i0A9AbFA02Q2E

It's meant for wall mount, not rack mount at all.

Not only will it make them reach, it eliminates issues when it's time to vacuum or you want to use the closet for something else, aha. Depending on how many ports you have you can get 1-2 of these or do a bracket wall mount.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-12-Port-Vertical-Bracket/dp/B00UVQI8B6 ?

Like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVQI8B6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_Y5QKDb9VV6NDQ

Like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-12-Port-Vertical-Bracket/dp/B00UVQI8B6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539645989&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=12+port+patch+panel&dpPl=1&dpID=31Q-r3jMqcL&ref=plSrch

Wrapping up my shopping list, is this cable appropriate for my needs?

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Copper-Ethernet-Cable-114768/dp/B019OM4VOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498835828&sr=8-1&keywords=250ft+cat6

And a simple patch panel to keep things tidy?

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-12-Port-Vertical-Bracket/dp/B00UVQI8B6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498835951&sr=8-1&keywords=mini%2Bpatch%2Bpanel&th=1

I'd get a patch panel with enough ports for every cat5 cable coming into your panel, re-terminate them. If they all terminate as cat5 jacks in the rooms then you should be set to go, I'd remove the faceplates and check that all 4 pairs are terminated.

Once you have that patch panel all terminated then you can put your modem and a switch in there and connect to the relevant port on the patch panel.

I guess you did your research, which is good. Any patch panel will do, just make sure it’s Cat6 rated. Depending on where you want to mount it, get the right type. There’s a rack mountable version and a wall mount version.

A punchdown tool will be needed and an Ethernet tester would help. I usually punch down cables corresponding or the B standard.

That seems like the punch panel thats installed is connected directly to a coax tap which I am assuming is using MoCa. What you could do is replace the punch panel with something like this. And then create or buy patch cables to connect directly to your modem or switch.




Or turn the patch panel around to see if it has a port on the other side if its not connected directly to the coax tap.

> Any satellites you wish to use on the exterior of the house, now would be a good time to run the cabling to the central point. Now you have ethernet and coaxial running from each room to the central point, from there you have the ability to choose what room has the ISP signal by just swapping the coaxial cable with the corresponding room.

Satellites? Would that be other rooms with a coaxial termination point? How does one hot swap the coaxial the ISP has data going to?

>Purchase a wall mount rack and run all the cabling in there instead of a wall enclosure that most contractors use. For the ethernet cables, you would punch them down on a patch panel. Though I recommended terminating them with RJ45 jacks and getting a keystone patch panel so it gives you the flexibility to move things around and troubleshoot.

Is a whole wall mount rack necessary I won't have more than 12 termination points I think. Would this patch panel work? Don't they come with the jacks? What is the cleanest way to go from the patch panel into the wall? Will I have a big hole in the wall where the cables go through regardless?

I really appreciate all the insight you're giving me on this. Should I just have the electrician place the cables where I want them and do the rest myself? I might get a friend more familiar with this to help me.