Best way to collect/connect cat6/coax for distribution.


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Old 11-01-17, 01:05 PM
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Best way to collect/connect cat6/coax for distribution.

We have wired the whole house with cat6 & coax in every room. All of the cables end up at one spot in the garage- I'm wondering what is the cleanest/best way to manage them at that point. I was thinking I'd just put connectors on all the cat6 and plug them all into a switch that will be in that location. But then I saw this (see pic) box that everything runs neatly inside of. What is the purpose of doing like those pictures? Is there a benefit to having the cat6 cables end up as ports (instead of plugs)? That seems weird to me since you ultimately would need to patch them into a switch anyway so why have ports with a patch cable when I could just have connectors so the cables could go firectly to a switch?
 
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Old 11-01-17, 01:11 PM
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Either way is effective. Many times I'll just crimp on RJ45 plugs for the customer. Be sure to get the proper crimp on plugs for cat. type solid wire.
 
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Old 11-01-17, 01:28 PM
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Plugs on solid conductors can be problematic, especially if they are removed and reconnected periodically.

That picture shows how NOT to install Cat.6 wiring. You need to keep the individual pairs tightly twisted all the way to the connectors. Having that much extra cable, and especially with the outer jacket removed, is poor workmanship in my opinion.
 
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Old 11-01-17, 01:43 PM
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Plugs installed and crimped correctly are reliable. The key being correctly installed. You can get generic punch down blocks and mount them to your own backboard. If you go this route.... you'll need a genuine punch down tool. Not that plastic tool they offer. If this type of product isn't installed correctly you will have nothing but poor service and headaches.

One type of block...
Leviton-49255-Q89-QuickPort-Mounting-Separately/dp/B003AU3ITM/
 
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Old 11-01-17, 05:28 PM
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Looks like someone was never trained how to properly punch down a twisted pair cable. Likely it would be easy to fix.
 
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Old 11-02-17, 08:15 AM
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Yeah awful job on that picture, but for virtually all residential applications simply crimping male plugs on the UTP cable and plugging straight in to your router/modem/switch device will be fine. The structured wiring stuff gets expensive quickly, introduces potential points of failure, and it doesn't really gain you anything. How often do you move and reconfigure the rooms in your house? It's not like an office building where people change cubes frequently and the wiring needs to be repatched. Further, no residential grade devices utilize the capacity of cat6/7 buying all those keystones and patch blocks and cords is a waste of money and time.

The upside is that it looks cool when done well.
 
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Old 11-04-17, 02:44 PM
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I'll agree with others. In an office with hundreds of ports, patch panels make more sense. In a residential environment, I'd just crimp ends on the cables. I use a 24x24" or larger piece of plywood on the wall to mount the network switch, coax splitter, modem, etc. and use metal U-brackets and zip ties to neatly route the wires. It's cheap, neat and easy. And reconfigurable if or when needed.
 
 

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