As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.


An excellent new page John, which I wish I'd seen before starting my own
(currently incomplete) structured wiring.

One small possible addition/clarification to the telecoms section - LAUs are
mentioned, as the standard method of adapting phones with BT plugs to the
RJ45 sockets. However, the majority of currently available phones are in
fact two wire phones, which with a suitable cable (RJ11 to RJ11 or RJ45) can
be plugged straight in, and will work fine with simple (non PBX) phone
systems. Older three wire phones will indeed need a LAU in order for ringing
to occur correctly. This might be worth mentioning?

Charles F

As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.


I have only had a quick look but it seems excellent work.
Something needs to be said about solid vs. stranded UTP.
A section about making patch-leads.

What would your opinion be about advising someone who
is DIYing their own installation, and also making a number of
patch leads to buy stranded UTP, and use it for both permanent wiring
and patches, as stranded does krone OK?
--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

In article ,
"Graham." writes:

I have only had a quick look but it seems excellent work.
Something needs to be said about solid vs. stranded UTP.
A section about making patch-leads.

What would your opinion be about advising someone who
is DIYing their own installation, and also making a number of
patch leads to buy stranded UTP, and use it for both permanent wiring
and patches, as stranded does krone OK?

Patch leads are so cheap (if bought from the right places)
that I struggle to think anyone would normally make them.
(Having said that, I do occasionally make them, but only
for very strange reasons, not for bog-standard patches.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Thanks for an excellent article John - and for me,timely!

Regarding video distribution - what are the pluses/minuses of using
HDMI rather than cat5e ?

Would it be worth saying something about terrestrial tv/satellite tv/
coax/distribution amps?

Is it practical to incorporate a coax patch panel in the same rack
along with a distribution amp?

What about cabling in home cinema?

Are any domestic fire alarm/intruder alarm systems readily compatible
with structured wiring?

It might be worth linking to useful wikipedia articles, e.g.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat5e

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_cabling

and to mention the relevance of cat6:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_6_cable

I appreciate that's a considerable expansion from the original scope -
but even one sentence on each topic to raise awareness makes a
difference (and hopefully later returns a fully-crafted article from
another reader!).

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
"Graham." writes:

What would your opinion be about advising someone who
is DIYing their own installation, and also making a number of
patch leads to buy stranded UTP, and use it for both permanent wiring
and patches, as stranded does krone OK?

Patch leads are so cheap (if bought from the right places)
that I struggle to think anyone would normally make them.
(Having said that, I do occasionally make them, but only
for very strange reasons, not for bog-standard patches.)


FWIW I trail a lot of network cables around here. Not much into making
things permanent with wall / rack mounted sockets, so every cable is
male-male threaded through holes peppered through walls.

For the loose supply of RJ45 connectors there seems to be different
types for stranded and unstranded (solid) cable.

I mostly use the unstranded type with solid cable which up to now[1] is
just a single wires sort, shove and crimp thing that takes me a couple
of minutes each.

[1] However at Maplin, they have "Solid Core Cable RJ45 Connectors"
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=48922 - Order code N20CH
which consist of extra fiddly little plastic bits that when fiddled
further with (and not lost down the back of the sofa [2]) nicely align
the conductors for the final shove into the gold jaws of the IDC contacts.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Media/PDFs/C...5_Assembly.pdf

Fun to do, but takes longer to do once ye have the T-568B colour order
ingrained in ya mind...

[2] Or whatever gap exists to lose life's wotsits and guarantee return
trips back to the shop for more ...

--
Adrian C

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:10:16 +0100, Graham. wrote:

What would your opinion be about advising someone who is DIYing their
own installation, and also making a number of patch leads to buy
stranded UTP, and use it for both permanent wiring and patches, as
stranded does krone OK?

Patch leads are cheap. Even at minimum wage you can buy one for the
time it takes.

Stranded will krone but how reliable it will be in the long term when
the wiring gets fiddled with is another matter. Or even if it will
tolerate the movement whilst the other cables are bing punched down
and the panel moved into place.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, John Rumm wrote:

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.

Quick read.

I'm not convinced about taping the cable bundles at intervals. It
will stop you pulling one back to reroute to another destination in
the future.

Tape the end that will be pulled in, all over the ends making a bit
of a "point" to help it feed, without snagging, enroute but remove
any along the body of the bundle.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:30:00 -0700 (PDT), RubberBiker wrote:

Regarding video distribution - what are the pluses/minuses of using
HDMI rather than cat5e ?

How far will HDMI go? I suspect it's only a short distance spec
measured in metres...

Would it be worth saying something about terrestrial tv/satellite tv/
coax/distribution amps?

That is whole new ball game with many variations depending on what
the requirements are.

It might be worth adding that putting in at least one quality coax
cable to every room is a good idea due to the disruption that putting
cables in makes.

What about cabling in home cinema?

Surely that would be dedicated to the "cinema room" and comes in with
the (short?) distance capabilities of HDMI?

--
Cheers
Dave.

How far will HDMI go? I suspect it's only a short distance spec
measured in metres...

15 metres

To answer my own question, the recommended approach for long runs is a
converter to use a pair of cat5e's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi#Extender


It might be worth adding that putting in at least one quality coax
cable to every room is a good idea due to the disruption that putting
cables in makes.

I'm told a pair of coax's to wherever a dish might be installed is
also a good idea.


What about cabling in home cinema?

After posting, I thought of integrated/multiroom entertainment systems
as well.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:30:00 -0700 (PDT), RubberBiker wrote:

Regarding video distribution - what are the pluses/minuses of using
HDMI rather than cat5e ?

How far will HDMI go? I suspect it's only a short distance spec
measured in metres...

Five meters is the normal standard.. you will have to pay £5-£7 for a lead
good enough to do that.
It will probably work over twice that but it might not if there is a lot of
interference from motors, etc.

There is no gain in audio or video quality if you buy £100 hdmi leads but
some might work over a longer distance if they have used better cable rather
than just dressing up cheap cable as most do.

You can buy hdmi extenders that use cat5 between the extenders, they weren't
cheap when I looked but claimed to do 100m.


Would it be worth saying something about terrestrial tv/satellite tv/
coax/distribution amps?

That is whole new ball game with many variations depending on what
the requirements are.

It might be worth adding that putting in at least one quality coax
cable to every room is a good idea due to the disruption that putting
cables in makes.

What about cabling in home cinema?

Surely that would be dedicated to the "cinema room" and comes in with
the (short?) distance capabilities of HDMI?

--
Cheers
Dave.

Charles Fearnley wrote:
"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.


An excellent new page John, which I wish I'd seen before starting my own
(currently incomplete) structured wiring.

One small possible addition/clarification to the telecoms section - LAUs are
mentioned, as the standard method of adapting phones with BT plugs to the
RJ45 sockets. However, the majority of currently available phones are in
fact two wire phones, which with a suitable cable (RJ11 to RJ11 or RJ45) can
be plugged straight in, and will work fine with simple (non PBX) phone
systems. Older three wire phones will indeed need a LAU in order for ringing
to occur correctly. This might be worth mentioning?

I was in two minds on that... my main reason for not including it was
that the price of a LAU is not too different from that of a replacement
lead for the phone anyway (since most sold for domestic use will have
RJ11 to BT connections[1]), and at least the LAU is fairly fool proof -
it will work with anything without needing knowledge of the phone.


[1] Although to be fair I did buy one the other day that came with both
leads.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Graham. wrote:
As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.


I have only had a quick look but it seems excellent work.
Something needs to be said about solid vs. stranded UTP.
A section about making patch-leads.

Yup, cable selection is worth adding.

Making patch leads is only worth doing IME when you need something
unusual - i.e. long length, or the need to route a cable without the
plug on the end. Generally speaking I buy them ready made - in 10's its
unlikely you would need to spend more than 40p a lead. Obviously if you
are looking at PC World shop prices then making them looks more attractive!

What would your opinion be about advising someone who
is DIYing their own installation, and also making a number of
patch leads to buy stranded UTP, and use it for both permanent wiring
and patches, as stranded does krone OK?

I would say buy solid core for everything. Even if you do use it for
making up fly leads it still works well enough, and unless you are
constantly moving the wire about, it will last.



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

RubberBiker wrote:
Thanks for an excellent article John - and for me,timely!

Regarding video distribution - what are the pluses/minuses of using
HDMI rather than cat5e ?

HDMI is more a connection standard than a distribution one. You may find
its the only method that will fully support the HDCP system end to end
and hence not result in some lump of DRM getting the hump and deciding
to bollox the video quality.

Would it be worth saying something about terrestrial tv/satellite tv/
coax/distribution amps?

Yes, but not here!

In fact a sat distribution article might be worth having...

Is it practical to incorporate a coax patch panel in the same rack
along with a distribution amp?

No reason why you can't. You might want a bigger rack if you are going
to add this and a multiswitch, and distribution amps etc.

What about cabling in home cinema?

A separate article again I think...

Are any domestic fire alarm/intruder alarm systems readily compatible
with structured wiring?

With smoke alarms, most I have seen simply use three & E mains cable or
radio for the interlinking.

Fire/heat/smoke detectors that integrate with alarms systems, would run
on structured cabling, however I am not sure there is much benefit since
these things tend to be hardwired and small discrete telephone grade
cables are usually the order fo the day.

It might be worth linking to useful wikipedia articles, e.g.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat5e

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_cabling

Yup, will add those.

and to mention the relevance of cat6:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_6_cable

yup.

I appreciate that's a considerable expansion from the original scope -
but even one sentence on each topic to raise awareness makes a
difference (and hopefully later returns a fully-crafted article from
another reader!).

;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

RubberBiker wrote:
How far will HDMI go? I suspect it's only a short distance spec
measured in metres...

15 metres

To answer my own question, the recommended approach for long runs is a
converter to use a pair of cat5e's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi#Extender


It might be worth adding that putting in at least one quality coax
cable to every room is a good idea due to the disruption that putting
cables in makes.

I'm told a pair of coax's to wherever a dish might be installed is
also a good idea.

4 to a dish, and at least 2 to anywhere you want a receiver if you are
using a multiswitch and want twin tuner decoders in each room.

What about cabling in home cinema?

After posting, I thought of integrated/multiroom entertainment systems
as well.

Structured wiring can help with some of that certainly. Depends on how
"high end" you want each room; bog standard PAL style TV is easy, 1080p
HD with 5.1 surround in each room takes more work!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, John Rumm wrote:

Feel free to comment here or make mods to the article itself.

Quick read.

I'm not convinced about taping the cable bundles at intervals. It
will stop you pulling one back to reroute to another destination in
the future.

Tape the end that will be pulled in, all over the ends making a bit
of a "point" to help it feed, without snagging, enroute but remove
any along the body of the bundle.

IME if you don't tape them together it is very easy to end up in a rats
nest of a tangle when trying to pull half a dozen bunches under a floor
etc. Even when they are taped up you still need to be very careful
coiling and uncoiling so as not to end up with a knitting problem!

Generally I would add another pair of cables later rather than try to
move an existing one.

Much depends on when you are installing though. If you have large
sections of floor up or plaster off etc, you may find laying individual
pairs as you go simpler than pre cutting a loom.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:10:16 +0100, Graham. wrote:

What would your opinion be about advising someone who is DIYing their
own installation, and also making a number of patch leads to buy
stranded UTP, and use it for both permanent wiring and patches, as
stranded does krone OK?

Patch leads are cheap. Even at minimum wage you can buy one for the
time it takes.

Stranded will krone but how reliable it will be in the long term when
the wiring gets fiddled with is another matter. Or even if it will
tolerate the movement whilst the other cables are bing punched down
and the panel moved into place.

100% agreement from here. solid for fixed wiring, flexi for patch cords.

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:11:06 +0100, John Rumm wrote:

It might be worth adding that putting in at least one quality
coax
cable to every room is a good idea due to the disruption that
putting
cables in makes.

I'm told a pair of coax's to wherever a dish might be installed is
also a good idea.

4 to a dish,

Yes four to the dish, hi-band vertical, hi-band horizontal, lo-band
vertical and lo-band horizontal.

and at least 2 to anywhere you want a receiver if you are using a
multiswitch and want twin tuner decoders in each room.

Good point. To maintain the watch one channel, record another
capabilty you need two feeds from the mutiswitch or LNB.

This is why a seperate wiki on TV ditsribution is a good idea, there
are many variations depending on what is to be distributed, to how
many points and what abilities are required at those points.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article ,
RubberBiker writes:

Thanks for an excellent article John - and for me,timely!

Regarding video distribution - what are the pluses/minuses of using
HDMI rather than cat5e ?

I presume you can only pass the high resolution encrypted video
over HDMI?

Are any domestic fire alarm/intruder alarm systems readily compatible
with structured wiring?

They generally warn you not to use solid core cable.
The terminations are designed for stranded alarm cable,
and are significantly less reliable when used with solid
core.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .
In article
,
RubberBiker writes:

Thanks for an excellent article John - and for me,timely!

Regarding video distribution - what are the pluses/minuses of using
HDMI rather than cat5e ?

I presume you can only pass the high resolution encrypted video
over HDMI?

Do you mean that you

1: need hdmi to pass hdcp enabled digital content

or

2: hdmi can only pass encrypted high res video.

1 is true, 2 is not.



Are any domestic fire alarm/intruder alarm systems readily compatible
with structured wiring?

They generally warn you not to use solid core cable.
The terminations are designed for stranded alarm cable,
and are significantly less reliable when used with solid
core.

You wouldn't want to do it anyway.. its a problem if someone comes along and
moves a patch cable to the wrong place on a network, its dangerous if its an
alarm system.


--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

dennis@home wrote:

Do you mean that you

1: need hdmi to pass hdcp enabled digital content

or

2: hdmi can only pass encrypted high res video.

1 is true, 2 is not.

1 isn't entirely true, some DVI displays you can accept HDCP content.

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
Do you mean that you

1: need hdmi to pass hdcp enabled digital content

or

2: hdmi can only pass encrypted high res video.

1 is true, 2 is not.

1 isn't entirely true, some DVI displays you can accept HDCP content.

My TV has a DVI input and handles the HDMI output from my HD satellite
tuner just fine - via an HDMI to DVI lead. No audio, of course. That has
to be fed separately.

--
*Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
news
dennis@home wrote:

Do you mean that you

1: need hdmi to pass hdcp enabled digital content

or

2: hdmi can only pass encrypted high res video.

1 is true, 2 is not.

1 isn't entirely true, some DVI displays you can accept HDCP content.

True, hdmi is dvi + sound on the same connector.
I just lump them together.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
Do you mean that you

1: need hdmi to pass hdcp enabled digital content

or

2: hdmi can only pass encrypted high res video.

1 is true, 2 is not.

1 isn't entirely true, some DVI displays you can accept HDCP content.

My TV has a DVI input and handles the HDMI output from my HD satellite
tuner just fine - via an HDMI to DVI lead. No audio, of course. That has
to be fed separately.

I forget that some people don't know that hdmi is just dvi on a different
connector, sorry.

My TV is the opposite, it has hdmi with one hdmi having an additional pair
of audio jacks so you can have dvi with sound connected rather than the
digital sound. I just bought a new graphics card with hdmi on it for £30.

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:28:22 +0100, John Rumm wrote:

IME if you don't tape them together it is very easy to end up in a rats
nest of a tangle when trying to pull half a dozen bunches under a floor
etc. Even when they are taped up you still need to be very careful
coiling and uncoiling so as not to end up with a knitting problem!

That is were I may have an advantage my day job involves coiling and
uncoiling cables anything from a 3mm dia 1m long jobbie to something
3/4" dia and 50m long. Different cable sizes/types need different
techniques. The little one would probably just get the put the "twist
in coil" method, the bigger wouldn't be coiled but "figure of
eighted". Something in between say 1/4" dia and 30m long would be
hand coiled but in such away that the twists cancel out.(*)

The large long bundles show laid out down the lawn in the FAQ I'd
figure of eight and tape/tie the loops to keep them as loops and the
8 shape maintained.

(*)I'll try to explain, most people when coiling a cable put a twist
into the cable to form the loop hanging down from the holding hand.
The trick is to put those twists in in alternate directions. The
gotcha is if you take one end through the center of the coil when
uncoiling it you may end up with a string of knots. Take a peek at
the these vids, I use the first method (all the others seem cack
handed to me) but the result is the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbYyaUY5Sk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLBUzmA4kTU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLwwB29uQRg

This is completely different method:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaEv9wm6gy0

--
Cheers
Dave.

True, hdmi is dvi + sound on the same connector.
I just lump them together.

AIUI it isn't quite as simple as that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi#Co...ility_with_DVI

Although dvi and hdmi are plug compatible, all the capabilities of
hdmi, particularly hdcp are not - and may result in blocking or down-
conversion of resolution.

Dave Liquorice wrote:

The large long bundles show laid out down the lawn in the FAQ I'd
figure of eight and tape/tie the loops to keep them as loops and the
8 shape maintained.

Similar to how I handle them - I normally make a few coils, and then
introduce a reverse twist and then a few coils the other way etc. So you
are not twisting it as you go.

With big cable forms its often easier to have someone or something to
lay them onto since you can't get that many coils in your hand at a time.

(*)I'll try to explain, most people when coiling a cable put a twist
into the cable to form the loop hanging down from the holding hand.
The trick is to put those twists in in alternate directions. The
gotcha is if you take one end through the center of the coil when
uncoiling it you may end up with a string of knots. Take a peek at
the these vids, I use the first method (all the others seem cack
handed to me) but the result is the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbYyaUY5Sk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLBUzmA4kTU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLwwB29uQRg

Nice technique - I shall try one of those next time I need to wind up a
long flex!

This is completely different method:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaEv9wm6gy0

I have a mate who does climbing ropes using something like that...

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:

With big cable forms its often easier to have someone or something to
lay them onto since you can't get that many coils in your hand at a time.

Same with the large lines on sailing ships. Last time I went on Stavros
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavros_s_niarchos ) they had stopped
teaching trainees to coil in the hand at all, presumably to keep things
simple. It's also easier to get consistent sized coils on the deck as
well - always 4 planks wide :-)

Pete

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system


Article much appreciated John, especially sections 1-3 that answer the
question long in my mind "what thef' is structured cabling all about?".
But any idea why its called structured? It doesn't seem to have any
structure at all, just a clever method of re-configuring, the price
being that you put in loads of wiring much of which may never be used
(at least concurrently). I always assumed 'structured' implied some kind
of hierarchy. Well, now I know, thank you!

A couple of minor points reading through the rest of it...

How many wires/pairs are there inside a catx cable? Perhaps mention that
catx cable is what you are familiar with connecting your computer to
router/cable modem (so long as its not a USB cable modem).

In "Material (10).." definition of LAU has not yet been given. It's
found much later near the end of the article.

Phil

In message , Phil Addison
writes


How many wires/pairs are there inside a catx cable? Perhaps mention that
catx cable is what you are familiar with connecting your computer to
router/cable modem (so long as its not a USB cable modem).

There are four pairs in the cable. For 10 and 100Mbit connections only
two are used. In theory it's possible to run a second connection over
the other two pairs but that's not to be recommended if you can avoid
it.

1000Mbit connections use all four pairs.



--
Bernard Peek

Phil Addison wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system


Article much appreciated John, especially sections 1-3 that answer the
question long in my mind "what thef' is structured cabling all about?".
But any idea why its called structured? It doesn't seem to have any
structure at all, just a clever method of re-configuring, the price
being that you put in loads of wiring much of which may never be used
(at least concurrently). I always assumed 'structured' implied some kind
of hierarchy. Well, now I know, thank you!

Well there is a hierarchy - however I have only concentrated on the bit
of it that is likely to be of interest in a domestic or small commercial
setting (the so called "horizontal cabling" where a central hub fans out
to individual work locations).

More structure comes in when you start to consider backbone cabling
(i.e. cables between central hubs, and hubs / server rooms), "Entrance"
cabling - i.e. getting external services like phone and data links into
the central hubs etc. You can even consider the patch lead cabling from
fixed wall ports to equipment separately if you want (which, thinking
about it I ought to mention in the article).

(have a look at he wikipedia article link at the end - that gives a
slightly bigger picture)

A couple of minor points reading through the rest of it...

How many wires/pairs are there inside a catx cable? Perhaps mention that
catx cable is what you are familiar with connecting your computer to
router/cable modem (so long as its not a USB cable modem).

In Cat5e there are 4 pairs. Of which an analogue voice channel will use
1, a 10 or 100 Mb ethernet connection will use 2, and a gigabit or
higher ethernet connection will use all 4.

In "Material (10).." definition of LAU has not yet been given. It's
found much later near the end of the article.

Ta, I will go fix...

ok, try that; a modified "how does it work" section...

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:07:45 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

Phil Addison wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system


Article much appreciated John, especially sections 1-3 that answer the
question long in my mind "what thef' is structured cabling all about?".
But any idea why its called structured? It doesn't seem to have any
structure at all, just a clever method of re-configuring, the price
being that you put in loads of wiring much of which may never be used
(at least concurrently). I always assumed 'structured' implied some kind
of hierarchy. Well, now I know, thank you!

Well there is a hierarchy - however I have only concentrated on the bit
of it that is likely to be of interest in a domestic or small commercial
setting (the so called "horizontal cabling" where a central hub fans out
to individual work locations).

More structure comes in when you start to consider backbone cabling
(i.e. cables between central hubs, and hubs / server rooms), "Entrance"
cabling - i.e. getting external services like phone and data links into
the central hubs etc. You can even consider the patch lead cabling from
fixed wall ports to equipment separately if you want (which, thinking
about it I ought to mention in the article).

Perhaps worth mentioning that this one is totally passive, whereas more
complex ones would (presumeably?) have some computing power at
intermediate hubs.

(have a look at he wikipedia article link at the end - that gives a
slightly bigger picture)

Haha... so big it needed a fish-eye lens to take it. I did spot that at
the end they say "Cabling standards demand that all eight connectors in
Cat5/5e/6 cable are connected, resisting the temptation to 'double-up'
or use one cable for both voice and data."

A couple of minor points reading through the rest of it...

How many wires/pairs are there inside a catx cable? Perhaps mention that
catx cable is what you are familiar with connecting your computer to
router/cable modem (so long as its not a USB cable modem).

In Cat5e there are 4 pairs. Of which an analogue voice channel will use
1, a 10 or 100 Mb ethernet connection will use 2, and a gigabit or
higher ethernet connection will use all 4.

In "Material (10).." definition of LAU has not yet been given. It's
found much later near the end of the article.

Ta, I will go fix...

ok, try that; a modified "how does it work" section...

At end of 1st "How does it work" para, should be "Each of them IS then
terminated..."

At the central location all of the wires are terminated at a bank of sockets
on a "patch panel". This is simply a row of sockets all joined together in a
single module.

"joined together"?... Looking at your close up photo, or better still
the close-up of close-up , the RJ45's can be seen grouped in blocks of
6, but surely each socket is connected to a unique cable not paralleled
up, or am I missing the point?

Seems to me that each individual 'long' cable in your loom is
tetrminated at the push-down connectors on the back of one of the RJ45
sockets visible on the front of your patch panel. These RJ45s are signal
'destinations' typically connected to a wall plate in a distant room.

Other RJ45 sockets could be 'sources' with short lengths of cable
connected at the back, typically plugged in to say a nearby router or
broadband modem. There are exceptions such as an 'source' phone line
which will be a long cable running back to an incoming BT (or other)
master socket.

If I'm on the right track then, in your photo the grey cables are phone
line 'patch cords' linking your phones to the PABX at the bottom, and
the blue ones are short catx 'patch cables' linking the central network
switch to various remote computers or other network devices.

All this, or the real answer, must be obvious to those that have done
it, but I just spent 1/2 hour googling and nowhere, even
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_panel, could I find what wiring lies
behind the front of a patch panel!

Phil

Phil Addison wrote:
On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:07:45 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

Phil Addison wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system

Article much appreciated John, especially sections 1-3 that answer the
question long in my mind "what thef' is structured cabling all about?".
But any idea why its called structured? It doesn't seem to have any
structure at all, just a clever method of re-configuring, the price
being that you put in loads of wiring much of which may never be used
(at least concurrently). I always assumed 'structured' implied some kind
of hierarchy. Well, now I know, thank you!
Well there is a hierarchy - however I have only concentrated on the bit
of it that is likely to be of interest in a domestic or small commercial
setting (the so called "horizontal cabling" where a central hub fans out
to individual work locations).

More structure comes in when you start to consider backbone cabling
(i.e. cables between central hubs, and hubs / server rooms), "Entrance"
cabling - i.e. getting external services like phone and data links into
the central hubs etc. You can even consider the patch lead cabling from
fixed wall ports to equipment separately if you want (which, thinking
about it I ought to mention in the article).

Perhaps worth mentioning that this one is totally passive, whereas more
complex ones would (presumeably?) have some computing power at
intermediate hubs.

Well the cabling system is passive in most cases. You could perhaps lump
the switches / routers / gateways etc in with it. Other than
sophistication of the switching gear (larger setups may use "managed"
switches rather than dumb ones typical of home use) its much the same.

(some of) the computing power in a corporate environment may be in
dedicated server rooms. In a home its more likely to be distributed
around in a peer to peer fashion. Having said that its equally likely
that you would place some computing resources at the hub location - like
network attached storage to act as backup or media streaming storage.

(have a look at he wikipedia article link at the end - that gives a
slightly bigger picture)

Haha... so big it needed a fish-eye lens to take it. I did spot that at

;-)

(not sure that helps!)

the end they say "Cabling standards demand that all eight connectors in
Cat5/5e/6 cable are connected, resisting the temptation to 'double-up'
or use one cable for both voice and data."

A couple of minor points reading through the rest of it...

How many wires/pairs are there inside a catx cable? Perhaps mention that
catx cable is what you are familiar with connecting your computer to
router/cable modem (so long as its not a USB cable modem).
In Cat5e there are 4 pairs. Of which an analogue voice channel will use
1, a 10 or 100 Mb ethernet connection will use 2, and a gigabit or
higher ethernet connection will use all 4.

In "Material (10).." definition of LAU has not yet been given. It's
found much later near the end of the article.
Ta, I will go fix...

ok, try that; a modified "how does it work" section...

At end of 1st "How does it work" para, should be "Each of them IS then
terminated..."

At the central location all of the wires are terminated at a bank of sockets
on a "patch panel". This is simply a row of sockets all joined together in a
single module.

"joined together"?... Looking at your close up photo, or better still
the close-up of close-up , the RJ45's can be seen grouped in blocks of
6, but surely each socket is connected to a unique cable not paralleled
up, or am I missing the point?

Sorry not a good choice of wording there. Each socket is independent
from the next. They group them slightly to to make keeping track of
which socket you are wiring a bit easier.

Seems to me that each individual 'long' cable in your loom is
tetrminated at the push-down connectors on the back of one of the RJ45
sockets visible on the front of your patch panel. These RJ45s are signal
'destinations' typically connected to a wall plate in a distant room.

Yup, spot on.

Other RJ45 sockets could be 'sources' with short lengths of cable
connected at the back, typically plugged in to say a nearby router or
broadband modem. There are exceptions such as an 'source' phone line
which will be a long cable running back to an incoming BT (or other)
master socket.

One does not usually make a patch panel a source (unless using it to say
split a phone line into two). Typically the source will be the PABX or
Ethernet Switch, or broadband router etc. The proper rack mounting
versions of these usually present RJ45/RJ11 sockets to the front to make
patching to the panel simpler.

If I'm on the right track then, in your photo the grey cables are phone
line 'patch cords' linking your phones to the PABX at the bottom, and
the blue ones are short catx 'patch cables' linking the central network
switch to various remote computers or other network devices.

Yup. Some PABX systems may use RJ45 sockets - which means ordinary
ethernet patch cables can be used for everything. The one pictured uses
RJ11. So I simply bought a number of long RJ11 to RJ11 cables and cut
them in three - adding extra connectors to make up some shorter phone
patch leads.

All this, or the real answer, must be obvious to those that have done
it, but I just spent 1/2 hour googling and nowhere, even
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_panel, could I find what wiring lies
behind the front of a patch panel!

Well its a bit dull, but have a look near the end in the wiring up section:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...anelWiring.jpg

That is the group of krone type punch down connections for sub section
of six sockets. The terminal positions are colour coded for 568A and B
wiring schemes (somewhere on the back it tells you which is which in
small print!) (I have used 568B wiring there)

So the wires come into the back of the cabinet, and get terminated one
to a socket as shown here.

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:28:14 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

Phil Addison wrote:
On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:07:45 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

Phil Addison wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:41:35 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Rumm
wrote:

As usual, for your delectation / derision etc:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._wiring_system


Perhaps worth mentioning that this one is totally passive, whereas more
complex ones would (presumeably?) have some computing power at
intermediate hubs.

Well the cabling system is passive in most cases. You could perhaps lump
the switches / routers / gateways etc in with it. Other than
sophistication of the switching gear (larger setups may use "managed"
switches rather than dumb ones typical of home use) its much the same.

(some of) the computing power in a corporate environment may be in
dedicated server rooms. In a home its more likely to be distributed
around in a peer to peer fashion. Having said that its equally likely
that you would place some computing resources at the hub location - like
network attached storage to act as backup or media streaming storage.

OK.

the end they say "Cabling standards demand that all eight connectors in
Cat5/5e/6 cable are connected, resisting the temptation to 'double-up'
or use one cable for both voice and data."

Is it worth adding this rider as counter to the bits where people might
be tempted to economise and share individual twisted pairs? Especially
with gigibit becoming common.

At end of 1st "How does it work" para, should be "Each of them IS then
terminated..."

"joined together"?... Looking at your close up photo, or better still
the close-up of close-up , the RJ45's can be seen grouped in blocks of
6, but surely each socket is connected to a unique cable not paralleled
up, or am I missing the point?

Sorry not a good choice of wording there. Each socket is independent
from the next. They group them slightly to to make keeping track of
which socket you are wiring a bit easier.

Seems to me that each individual 'long' cable in your loom is
tetrminated at the push-down connectors on the back of one of the RJ45
sockets visible on the front of your patch panel. These RJ45s are signal
'destinations' typically connected to a wall plate in a distant room.

Yup, spot on.

Other RJ45 sockets could be 'sources' with short lengths of cable
connected at the back, typically plugged in to say a nearby router or
broadband modem. There are exceptions such as an 'source' phone line
which will be a long cable running back to an incoming BT (or other)
master socket.

One does not usually make a patch panel a source (unless using it to say
split a phone line into two). Typically the source will be the PABX or
Ethernet Switch, or broadband router etc. The proper rack mounting
versions of these usually present RJ45/RJ11 sockets to the front to make
patching to the panel simpler.

I'm probably reading too much into the term 'patch'. To me it indicates
connecting sources to destinations via patch leads, as in the original
telephone exchange where someone making a call is connected to the
receiver (although in this case the sender and receiver will sometimes
be reversed). In your photo all the patch-panel sockets appear to be
destinations, the actual patching being done between the 'patch-panel'
itself and the other equipment. In effect the 'patch-panel' is only
being used as a termination panel. Nothing wrong with that, but could do
with clarifying for newbies to the subject, like me ).

If I'm on the right track then, in your photo the grey cables are phone
line 'patch cords' linking your phones to the PABX at the bottom, and
the blue ones are short catx 'patch cables' linking the central network
switch to various remote computers or other network devices.

Yup. Some PABX systems may use RJ45 sockets - which means ordinary
ethernet patch cables can be used for everything. The one pictured uses
RJ11. So I simply bought a number of long RJ11 to RJ11 cables and cut
them in three - adding extra connectors to make up some shorter phone
patch leads.

Then they are RJ11 to RJ45 patch leads now?

All this, or the real answer, must be obvious to those that have done
it, but I just spent 1/2 hour googling and nowhere, even
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_panel, could I find what wiring lies
behind the front of a patch panel!

Well its a bit dull, but have a look near the end in the wiring up section:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...anelWiring.jpg

That is the group of krone type punch down connections for sub section
of six sockets. The terminal positions are colour coded for 568A and B
wiring schemes (somewhere on the back it tells you which is which in
small print!) (I have used 568B wiring there)

So the wires come into the back of the cabinet, and get terminated one
to a socket as shown here.

I can't reconcile that
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...anelWiring.jpg
photo with this
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...PatchPanel.jpg one
because the spacing between the RJ45s in the 1st is much less than the
punch-down blocks in the 2nd. Why 2 rows in the second pic, or are we
seeing the rears of two patch panels? I suppose there must be a catx
wire connecting each terminator block on the rear of a patch-panel to
its corresponding RJ45 on the front?

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?

Ideally a photo of a patch panel from above showing the complete route
through from a patch (or other input) lead at the front to a loom lead
at the back, plus the bit above explainning that patching does not have
to, or doesn't usually, happen on the patch-panel itself .

Thanks for the additional clarification, of an already excellent article
- its taken me from "what thef' is structured cabling all about?" to "I
think I've got it"!!

Phil

In article , "John
Rumm" wrote:


What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?

John

Very good addition, IMO, after having had to sort out some rat's nests.

One omission as far as I can see is the subject of cable labelling.
Even on a simple system, it is good practice to label the cables at
least at each end. There should also be some labelling of the sockets,
behind the removable window. This will make it easier to trace problems
or do the initial wiring up to the terminations. Remember it may not be
the installer who is doing the maintenance.

Perhaps also include a section showing the various types of cable marker
available and some alternative DIY ones, with a warning not to use
ordinary tape that will unwrap itself, or Sellotape that goes brown :-)
The cheapest I've used for casual installations is a permanent marker
pen that can be used to write on the actual cable, but this can be
missed, if you forget to put a mark all round the cable...

I wouldn't like to sort out your bundle of cables in a restricted space
after you've taped them up, as in the garden picture :-) Not everyone
has a cable tracer... (Link required to a suitable model?)

How about a note to include a pull-through if the cables go through an
inaccessible void? If this is included, make a note that it should be
double length with the pull loop in the middle, so it isn't single use
should someone forget to pull through a replacement along with the
cable...

How about noting the use of cable trays or similar support for large
cable looms? Can be DIY types.

Also add a note about not running structured cabling alongside Mains or
similar interference-source cables.

--
John W
I you really want to mail me, replace the obvious with co.uk twice

Phil Addison wrote:

One does not usually make a patch panel a source (unless using it to say
split a phone line into two). Typically the source will be the PABX or
Ethernet Switch, or broadband router etc. The proper rack mounting
versions of these usually present RJ45/RJ11 sockets to the front to make
patching to the panel simpler.

I'm probably reading too much into the term 'patch'. To me it indicates
connecting sources to destinations via patch leads, as in the original
telephone exchange where someone making a call is connected to the
receiver (although in this case the sender and receiver will sometimes
be reversed). In your photo all the patch-panel sockets appear to be

In most cases there is no sender or receiver - both PABX and ethernet
are fully bidirectional with connection equally likely to be initiated
at each end.

destinations, the actual patching being done between the 'patch-panel'
itself and the other equipment. In effect the 'patch-panel' is only
being used as a termination panel. Nothing wrong with that, but could do
with clarifying for newbies to the subject, like me ).

Yup I see what you mean, and you are correct in the sense that each
socket is like a connection to a "subscriber".


If I'm on the right track then, in your photo the grey cables are phone
line 'patch cords' linking your phones to the PABX at the bottom, and
the blue ones are short catx 'patch cables' linking the central network
switch to various remote computers or other network devices.
Yup. Some PABX systems may use RJ45 sockets - which means ordinary
ethernet patch cables can be used for everything. The one pictured uses
RJ11. So I simply bought a number of long RJ11 to RJ11 cables and cut
them in three - adding extra connectors to make up some shorter phone
patch leads.

Then they are RJ11 to RJ45 patch leads now?

No, RJ11 to RJ11. You can take advantage of the fact that the smaller
versions of the RJ45 (more correctly 8P8C (eight pole, eight contact)[1]
such as the RJ11, will plug into sockets with more ways and still
perform correctly.

You can even plug a RJ10 (4P4C) as found on a telephone handset, into
the 6 and 8 way sockets.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8P8C

All this, or the real answer, must be obvious to those that have done
it, but I just spent 1/2 hour googling and nowhere, even
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_panel, could I find what wiring lies
behind the front of a patch panel!
Well its a bit dull, but have a look near the end in the wiring up section:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...anelWiring.jpg

That is the group of krone type punch down connections for sub section
of six sockets. The terminal positions are colour coded for 568A and B
wiring schemes (somewhere on the back it tells you which is which in
small print!) (I have used 568B wiring there)

So the wires come into the back of the cabinet, and get terminated one
to a socket as shown here.

I can't reconcile that
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...anelWiring.jpg
photo with this
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...PatchPanel.jpg one
because the spacing between the RJ45s in the 1st is much less than the
punch-down blocks in the 2nd. Why 2 rows in the second pic, or are we
seeing the rears of two patch panels? I suppose there must be a catx
wire connecting each terminator block on the rear of a patch-panel to
its corresponding RJ45 on the front?

I could do with another photo I think that shows you the patch panel
from the top. Yes the second photo is the back of the patch panel.

If you could "look through" from front to back you would see each socket
is tracked to a krone strip, and they alternate side to side to make
space for the strip of 8 punch down terminals which is wide than the
physical 8 way connector:

1 3 5
###### ###### ###### - krone strips on the back - odd numbers
_______________________
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | - sockets on front

###### ###### ###### - krone strips on the back - even numbers
2 4 6

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?

Ideally a photo of a patch panel from above showing the complete route
through from a patch (or other input) lead at the front to a loom lead
at the back, plus the bit above explainning that patching does not have
to, or doesn't usually, happen on the patch-panel itself .

ok, will see what I can do.

Thanks for the additional clarification, of an already excellent article
- its taken me from "what thef' is structured cabling all about?" to "I
think I've got it"!!

Now all we need do is get to the "where can a buy one" and the job is done!

;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Weston wrote:
In article , "John
Rumm" wrote:

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?

John

Very good addition, IMO, after having had to sort out some rat's nests.

One omission as far as I can see is the subject of cable labelling.
Even on a simple system, it is good practice to label the cables at

Good point - you can see it in the photos, but I have not really covered
it in the text.

least at each end. There should also be some labelling of the sockets,

You can probably skip this on a domestic setup since the groups of
sockets will be identifiable generally by location. i.e. the sockets on
the patch marked "kitchen" end up at the sockets there. The convention
that the left socket will always be the lowest number then takes over.

Obviously in an office with 30 sockets, numbering both ends takes on
more significance! ;-)

behind the removable window. This will make it easier to trace problems
or do the initial wiring up to the terminations. Remember it may not be
the installer who is doing the maintenance.

Perhaps also include a section showing the various types of cable marker
available and some alternative DIY ones, with a warning not to use
ordinary tape that will unwrap itself, or Sellotape that goes brown :-)
The cheapest I've used for casual installations is a permanent marker
pen that can be used to write on the actual cable, but this can be
missed, if you forget to put a mark all round the cable...

The little dispensers that give a white sticky tab with clear section
are quite good. You write on it in the dispenser, adn then pull the
label out. As you wrap it round the cable the later clear section acts
to protect the written on white section.

I wouldn't like to sort out your bundle of cables in a restricted space
after you've taped them up, as in the garden picture :-) Not everyone
has a cable tracer... (Link required to a suitable model?)

Yup will add a link.

On my bundles I wrote the pair number on every other taping (plus each
end), before I grouped the pairs into larger bundles. I figured just in
case I ever needed to identify which was which mid span.

I might add an example numbering table etc, to re-enforce the message!

How about a note to include a pull-through if the cables go through an
inaccessible void? If this is included, make a note that it should be
double length with the pull loop in the middle, so it isn't single use
should someone forget to pull through a replacement along with the
cable...

Yup, although that might be covered in the electrical installation
article that deals more specifically with cable installation techniques.

How about noting the use of cable trays or similar support for large
cable looms? Can be DIY types.

Could do...

Also add a note about not running structured cabling alongside Mains or
similar interference-source cables.

I thought I had mentioned that somewhere... yup - last para of "Design"
section.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:
John Weston wrote:
In article , "John
Rumm" wrote:

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit
clearer?

John

Very good addition, IMO, after having had to sort out some rat's nests.

One omission as far as I can see is the subject of cable labelling.
Even on a simple system, it is good practice to label the cables at

Good point - you can see it in the photos, but I have not really covered
it in the text.

least at each end. There should also be some labelling of the sockets,

You can probably skip this on a domestic setup since the groups of
sockets will be identifiable generally by location. i.e. the sockets on
the patch marked "kitchen" end up at the sockets there. The convention
that the left socket will always be the lowest number then takes over.

Obviously in an office with 30 sockets, numbering both ends takes on
more significance! ;-)

behind the removable window. This will make it easier to trace
problems or do the initial wiring up to the terminations. Remember it
may not be the installer who is doing the maintenance.

Perhaps also include a section showing the various types of cable
marker available and some alternative DIY ones, with a warning not to
use ordinary tape that will unwrap itself, or Sellotape that goes
brown :-) The cheapest I've used for casual installations is a
permanent marker pen that can be used to write on the actual cable,
but this can be missed, if you forget to put a mark all round the
cable...

The little dispensers that give a white sticky tab with clear section
are quite good. You write on it in the dispenser, adn then pull the
label out. As you wrap it round the cable the later clear section acts
to protect the written on white section.

I wouldn't like to sort out your bundle of cables in a restricted
space after you've taped them up, as in the garden picture :-) Not
everyone has a cable tracer... (Link required to a suitable model?)

Yup will add a link.

On my bundles I wrote the pair number on every other taping (plus each
end), before I grouped the pairs into larger bundles. I figured just in
case I ever needed to identify which was which mid span.

I might add an example numbering table etc, to re-enforce the message!

How about a note to include a pull-through if the cables go through an
inaccessible void? If this is included, make a note that it should be
double length with the pull loop in the middle, so it isn't single use
should someone forget to pull through a replacement along with the
cable...

Yup, although that might be covered in the electrical installation
article that deals more specifically with cable installation techniques.

How about noting the use of cable trays or similar support for large
cable looms? Can be DIY types.

Could do...

Also add a note about not running structured cabling alongside Mains
or similar interference-source cables.

I thought I had mentioned that somewhere... yup - last para of "Design"
section.


Good article.

There are a couple of things I'd be inclined to add:

1) 568B is the most common standard in use for fixed wiring, and I'd
suggest using that. The colour-coding on the back of your patch panel
there is marked up for both, that is pretty much standard.

2) The way analog telephony is carried over structured cabling could be
expanded a bit, it's not always the case that the ring signal is
re-generated at the LAU. There are 3 different types of LAU: PABX
master, PSTN master, and Secondary. This may be worth a bit of
explanation. It may be also be worth linking to this page:

http://www.evonet.com/evonet/index.asp?Page=102



Oh, and I can't let this pass...

Lady Bracknell
An *Analog* pabx?
/Lady Bracknell

Get yerself an asterisk box, man!

--
Ron

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:08:39 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

Phil Addison wrote:

I'm probably reading too much into the term 'patch'. To me it indicates
connecting sources to destinations via patch leads, as in the original
telephone exchange where someone making a call is connected to the
receiver (although in this case the sender and receiver will sometimes
be reversed). In your photo all the patch-panel sockets appear to be

In most cases there is no sender or receiver - both PABX and ethernet
are fully bidirectional with connection equally likely to be initiated
at each end.

Indeed; I should have kept to source and destination.

If I'm on the right track then, in your photo the grey cables are phone
line 'patch cords' linking your phones to the PABX at the bottom, and
the blue ones are short catx 'patch cables' linking the central network
switch to various remote computers or other network devices.
Yup. Some PABX systems may use RJ45 sockets - which means ordinary
ethernet patch cables can be used for everything. The one pictured uses
RJ11. So I simply bought a number of long RJ11 to RJ11 cables and cut
them in three - adding extra connectors to make up some shorter phone
patch leads.

Then they are RJ11 to RJ45 patch leads now?

No, RJ11 to RJ11. You can take advantage of the fact that the smaller
versions of the RJ45 (more correctly 8P8C (eight pole, eight contact)[1]
such as the RJ11, will plug into sockets with more ways and still
perform correctly.

Ahh I see. Does that mean you can't get short RJ11 to RJ11 patch leads?
Could you make them up from scratch from a length of phone cable, after
all, you must have had to crimp 4 RJ11s per 3 leads, so having 2 on
already seems a marginal benefit.

You can even plug a RJ10 (4P4C) as found on a telephone handset, into
the 6 and 8 way sockets.

Eeek!

I can't reconcile that
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...anelWiring.jpg
photo with this
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...PatchPanel.jpg one
because the spacing between the RJ45s in the 1st is much less than the
punch-down blocks in the 2nd. Why 2 rows in the second pic, or are we
seeing the rears of two patch panels? I suppose there must be a catx
wire connecting each terminator block on the rear of a patch-panel to
its corresponding RJ45 on the front?

I could do with another photo I think that shows you the patch panel
from the top. Yes the second photo is the back of the patch panel.

If you could "look through" from front to back you would see each socket
is tracked to a krone strip, and they alternate side to side to make
space for the strip of 8 punch down terminals which is wide than the
physical 8 way connector:

1 3 5
###### ###### ###### - krone strips on the back - odd numbers
_______________________
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | - sockets on front

###### ###### ###### - krone strips on the back - even numbers
2 4 6

Aha, now I HAVE got it. The missing bit of know-how is that a krone
block is the same width as two RJ45 sockets so 2 krones one above the
other just fit in the space of the 2 RJ45s they serve. Just out of
interest, what do you mean by 'tracked'? Is it on a pcb, a film wire or
actual catx cable? Whatever it is still has to meet the catx spec.

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?

Ideally a photo of a patch panel from above showing the complete route
through from a patch (or other input) lead at the front to a loom lead
at the back, plus the bit above explainning that patching does not have
to, or doesn't usually, happen on the patch-panel itself .

ok, will see what I can do.

The diagram above explains it quite nicely, and feel free to use any of
the text of my interpretation.

Thanks for the additional clarification, of an already excellent article
- its taken me from "what thef' is structured cabling all about?" to "I
think I've got it"!!

Now all we need do is get to the "where can a buy one" and the job is done!

;-)

Err... there's just the little matter of needing to move furniture, lift
carpets, floorboards everywhere!! I'll have to stick with wireless, and
maybe get some homeplugs, for the time being. But least I know what I'm
missing now!

Phil

Phil Addison wrote:

In most cases there is no sender or receiver - both PABX and ethernet
are fully bidirectional with connection equally likely to be initiated
at each end.

Indeed; I should have kept to source and destination.

Even that is a bit nebulous...

No, RJ11 to RJ11. You can take advantage of the fact that the smaller
versions of the RJ45 (more correctly 8P8C (eight pole, eight contact)[1]
such as the RJ11, will plug into sockets with more ways and still
perform correctly.

Ahh I see. Does that mean you can't get short RJ11 to RJ11 patch leads?

Oddly enough I have not seen any... I am sure you must be able to buy
them. I just used ordinary RJ11 patch leads to start with (i.e. the type
you get with a ADSL modem), but that meant you had a clump of extra
cable to coil up etc each time. To keep the rats nest under control a
bit I ended up shortening them.

Could you make them up from scratch from a length of phone cable, after
all, you must have had to crimp 4 RJ11s per 3 leads, so having 2 on
already seems a marginal benefit.

Indeed you can. I just went with what I had to hand - however I did not
cover it in detail in the article since it was not that important to the
concepts.

If you could "look through" from front to back you would see each socket
is tracked to a krone strip, and they alternate side to side to make
space for the strip of 8 punch down terminals which is wide than the
physical 8 way connector:

1 3 5
###### ###### ###### - krone strips on the back - odd numbers
_______________________
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | - sockets on front

###### ###### ###### - krone strips on the back - even numbers
2 4 6

Aha, now I HAVE got it. The missing bit of know-how is that a krone
block is the same width as two RJ45 sockets so 2 krones one above the
other just fit in the space of the 2 RJ45s they serve. Just out of

In fact, this one:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...RJ45Module.jpg

shows that quite well - you can see the outline of the RJ45 socket
clearly beside the punch down block.

interest, what do you mean by 'tracked'? Is it on a pcb, a film wire or
actual catx cable? Whatever it is still has to meet the catx spec.

A PCB. Again like in the module in the piccie above. The patch panel
just having a long narrow PCB.

What other explanations / photos do you think would make it a bit clearer?
Ideally a photo of a patch panel from above showing the complete route
through from a patch (or other input) lead at the front to a loom lead
at the back, plus the bit above explainning that patching does not have
to, or doesn't usually, happen on the patch-panel itself .
ok, will see what I can do.

The diagram above explains it quite nicely, and feel free to use any of
the text of my interpretation.

I will get another photo at some point. Alas I have not got any more
patch panels on my stock shelf, so will either have to wait, or go
unscrew one of mine from the cabinet.

Thanks for the additional clarification, of an already excellent article
- its taken me from "what thef' is structured cabling all about?" to "I
think I've got it"!!
Now all we need do is get to the "where can a buy one" and the job is done!

;-)

Err... there's just the little matter of needing to move furniture, lift
carpets, floorboards everywhere!! I'll have to stick with wireless, and
maybe get some homeplugs, for the time being. But least I know what I'm
missing now!

;-))

--
Cheers,

John.

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