If wanting to connect 5 cat5e's and 5 rg6's, what are the ins and outs in selecting a distribution center. The cat5e's will be used for telecom and computer. If the home owner wants expandability to network some computers in the future, what would be the best way to connect a switch/router? The rg6's will connect via standard splitter that comes with the distribution center. Again, what I am looking for is a recommendation for an upgradable/modular system?
Preference on LV distribution centers?
- Thread starter ctroyp
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hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Re: Preference on LV distribution centers?
Best way is to forget about those hokey "distribution centers" and do it right if you want expandibility. Anybody who has read my previous posts on the subject knows I'm not a big fan of "prepackaged home networking" products and systems. I've been doing communications wiring, both commercial and residential for a long time and it's always been done the old fashioned way. IMHO that kind of stuff just makes it easy for people who don't know what they are doing.
This is what you do: terminate all the CAT5's on a patch panel with a hinged bracket screwed to a plywood backboard in some readily accessable location like a utility room. Patch cords are then used to connect each port to a hub or router as necessary. I like to do two separate runs, one dedicated for data and the other dedicated for voice. Both can be CAT5 for redundancy although voice can be CAT3. The data runs terminate on a patch panel, the voice runs terminate individually on a 66 punch down block. This makes it easy to cross connect the voice runs to multiple lines at once or even a key system if necessary.
All the RG-6's should be bundled neatly, cut to ample length and terminated with fittings. They can then be connected as the need arises. I wouldn't try to "engineer" this end of the system unless you know what you are doing. Problem with TV distribution is that a little bit of thinking is needed with regard to signal level, highest frequency carried and if there is a return band used (CATV) or if this is DBS, before you can say exactly how to handle what these cables connect to. Sometimes it's best to only connect the jacks that are actually being used. I like to leave plenty of room on the backboard for TV to allow for all eventualities and that's one thing those stupid distribution centers sorely lack.
Best way is to forget about those hokey "distribution centers" and do it right if you want expandibility. Anybody who has read my previous posts on the subject knows I'm not a big fan of "prepackaged home networking" products and systems. I've been doing communications wiring, both commercial and residential for a long time and it's always been done the old fashioned way. IMHO that kind of stuff just makes it easy for people who don't know what they are doing.
This is what you do: terminate all the CAT5's on a patch panel with a hinged bracket screwed to a plywood backboard in some readily accessable location like a utility room. Patch cords are then used to connect each port to a hub or router as necessary. I like to do two separate runs, one dedicated for data and the other dedicated for voice. Both can be CAT5 for redundancy although voice can be CAT3. The data runs terminate on a patch panel, the voice runs terminate individually on a 66 punch down block. This makes it easy to cross connect the voice runs to multiple lines at once or even a key system if necessary.
All the RG-6's should be bundled neatly, cut to ample length and terminated with fittings. They can then be connected as the need arises. I wouldn't try to "engineer" this end of the system unless you know what you are doing. Problem with TV distribution is that a little bit of thinking is needed with regard to signal level, highest frequency carried and if there is a return band used (CATV) or if this is DBS, before you can say exactly how to handle what these cables connect to. Sometimes it's best to only connect the jacks that are actually being used. I like to leave plenty of room on the backboard for TV to allow for all eventualities and that's one thing those stupid distribution centers sorely lack.
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Re: Preference on LV distribution centers?
I like Allentel brand products for a good balance of quality and price= value:
http://www.allentel.com
They have all the punchdown patch panels, wall plates, 66-blocks, keystone jacks, co-ax jacks, patch cables, etc.
You can get them at Graybar or other suppliers:
http://www.graybar.com
I like Allentel brand products for a good balance of quality and price= value:
http://www.allentel.com
They have all the punchdown patch panels, wall plates, 66-blocks, keystone jacks, co-ax jacks, patch cables, etc.
You can get them at Graybar or other suppliers:
http://www.graybar.com
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Re: Preference on LV distribution centers?
There ya go! While we are looking at colors, I (and alot of other people it seems) always like to make the data jack orange so it won't get mixed up with voice. The voice jacks can be the same color as the wall plate. Make sure you number each one and put the number on the other end in the utility room.
There ya go! While we are looking at colors, I (and alot of other people it seems) always like to make the data jack orange so it won't get mixed up with voice. The voice jacks can be the same color as the wall plate. Make sure you number each one and put the number on the other end in the utility room.
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