Patch Panel

nwilcox · 07-12-2008, 06:35 PM

I use to work for a large corporation, they had a patch panel setup in the communication room for the LAN.

I am with a new company (business has only been open since october) I am thinking of putting up a patch panel. Would it be benefital?

I am drawing a blank as well.. The plug in the offices are terminated at a plug outlet, the wire comes in and punch down in the back of each port in the panel.. Now here is were I am drawing a blank though, in the front the patch panel, what does the patch cable plug into?

Sorry for the question, I have not had to worry about the patch panel end of things for 2-3 years. I hate when I forget stuff like this.

Am I leaving out anything in my question? lol

johnwill · 07-14-2008, 10:46 AM

It really depends on the actual network. There's no reason to spend the effort and money for a patch panel for a small network. All the panel really does for you is make it easy to reconfigure the network, as well as make the room neater. When you have hundreds of connections, a patch panel makes sense. If you have a handful of workstations and one or two switches, a patch panel is overkill.

07-12-2008, 06:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
nwilcox Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 124 OS: Windows XP w/SP2 My System	Patch Panel I use to work for a large corporation, they had a patch panel setup in the communication room for the LAN. I am with a new company (business has only been open since october) I am thinking of putting up a patch panel. Would it be benefital? I am drawing a blank as well.. The plug in the offices are terminated at a plug outlet, the wire comes in and punch down in the back of each port in the panel.. Now here is were I am drawing a blank though, in the front the patch panel, what does the patch cable plug into? Sorry for the question, I have not had to worry about the patch panel end of things for 2-3 years. I hate when I forget stuff like this. Am I leaving out anything in my question? lol

07-14-2008, 10:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 31,291 OS: XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Patch Panel It really depends on the actual network. There's no reason to spend the effort and money for a patch panel for a small network. All the panel really does for you is make it easy to reconfigure the network, as well as make the room neater. When you have hundreds of connections, a patch panel makes sense. If you have a handful of workstations and one or two switches, a patch panel is overkill. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience