Rewiring House and installing IT equipment tips..

[topgun06]

not entirely true.
The cheap 6U cabinets on the bay are not well made at all.
however if you are shoving it in a cupboard/attic/garage in a home environment and not fiddling around in it often (beyond initial install) then they are perfectly acceptable as cabinets.

I have used a couple of the cheapo £45 cabs and when bolted directly to the wall they had enough flex that the door rubbed when opening it.
They don't have removable side panels either, but those are only things I think you really need when doing professional commercial installs.

Arrr yep. I see. It seemed as though there was little advice on which cabinet to get, not many "spec me a cabinet" discussions.

I think mine was around the £50 mark and it seems pretty solid with removable side panels and door.

I just need to fix it to the wall or a DIY shelf.

 

[bulletv1]

Mine was a 6U 390mm deep black data cabinet which i purchased from the company that does our networking at work. Got free delivery as they dropped it off at work while doing a another job.

 

[Vanilla]

Dumb question: On the switching side I assume I either have a switch or I need many 'starting points' where I have to cable up 1:1?

Confused because I see so any switches yet my dads house, which does not have a switch is all Cat 6'd up. Although it probably has a switch they've just hidden it

 

[Nikumba]

My comms rack is in the old airing cupboard

 

[bulletv1]

Dumb question: On the switching side I assume I either have a switch or I need many 'starting points' where I have to cable up 1:1?

Confused because I see so any switches yet my dads house, which does not have a switch is all Cat 6'd up. Although it probably has a switch they've just hidden it

As far as i know you'll need a switch or at least use all the network ports on the back of your router. and get a patch panel just t make it a bit neater.

 

[TheCrow]

Dumb question: On the switching side I assume I either have a switch or I need many 'starting points' where I have to cable up 1:1?

Confused because I see so any switches yet my dads house, which does not have a switch is all Cat 6'd up. Although it probably has a switch they've just hidden it

Yes you definitely need a switch so that all points can talk to each other and share the internet connection. Any gig switch should do the job providing it has enough ports for your wiring needs. You can get managed switches but its not needed. I went for the middle ground with a smart switch so I can have some control but I can also just plug and play.

Not sure what you mean by a 1:1 starting point.

 

[fezster]

The switch allows your individual ports (and the devices connected to them) to communicate with one another. Your router (connected to your ISPs modem OR built in modem) will also be connected to the switch, so that your devices can also access the internet.

 

[bledd]

Patch panel at the 'comms' end and modules at the room end.
http://www.netstoredirect.com/14-cat5e-patch-panels

Since each module face can hold two, might as well double up.

http://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-modules/27-excel-cat5e-utp-rj45-loaded-faceplates.html

It's advisable to use a patch panel because of the tight turns the cables will have going into your switch ports. If the cable is between a module and a patch panel, there's very little chance of it being damaged.

Then from the patch panel to the switch, use short patch leads..
http://www.netstoredirect.com/rj45-network-cables/41829-cat5e-rj45-patch-cables.html
0.3M should be fine.

 

[robj20]

While we are on the subject, does anywhere sell a cable that plugs into the mastersocket and then into a network socket. It would allow me to move my router from the living room to the comms room.

Edit: Nevermind found one.
https://www.bttorj45.com/BTtoRJ45kitRJ45V1BB.html

 

[the-evaluator]

You want to patch the filtered VDSL signal elsewhere? Just use the RJ11 cable you've already got, it'll fit in the RJ45 socket jsut fine. Then at the new router location use another RJ11 cable.

As long as you're not trying to go through a network switch then this should work. I did the same to present an ADSL line at my desk at an office we used to have.

 

[robj20]

Yes basically using a run of cat6 as an extension.
Okay i will give that ago.

 

[psd99]

so I am thinking of making my own made to measure cables
probably get a cable tester too.

which type of cables do I need between access point and switch? is it a cross over cable or straight through?

 

[the-evaluator]

Edit: Nevermind found one.
https://www.bttorj45.com/BTtoRJ45kitRJ45V1BB.html

How much? Crikey, that's an OUTRAGEOUS price.

That's not the right cable anyway assuming you've got a filtered faceplate. That cable would let you patch a phone socket over your cat6 but NOT the VDSL signal.

 

[MassiveJim]

so I am thinking of making my own made to measure cables
probably get a cable tester too.

which type of cables do I need between access point and switch? is it a cross over cable or straight through?

you need a patch cable, x-over cables are only when you are connecting 2 pcs directly to each other with nothing inbetween (ie a switch or router)

 

[MassiveJim]

While we are on the subject, does anywhere sell a cable that plugs into the mastersocket and then into a network socket. It would allow me to move my router from the living room to the comms room.

Edit: Nevermind found one.
https://www.bttorj45.com/BTtoRJ45kitRJ45V1BB.html

I paid around £3 off ebay for a pair.
note they have BT Phone sockets on them though not RJ11, but it will work just the same.

Poster above correctly states that you can plug an RJ11 into an RJ45 socket but I had no joy getting it to work this way, so I just used the adapters.

 

[robj20]

I guess i could also make my own cables, sure my crimp does rj11 as well as rj45 so just need a couple of ends. Is it best to send the pair down a twisted pair or any in particular.

 

[psd99]

Update

Well well here I am with a broken building

Sweat, blood, tears, pain, ecstasy and thrills just all part of parcel of what probably a lot of ocuk uk folk go through.

I should have done construction it is great money

Anyway I did it... I ran the network cables and cctv system
All to a budget and no I did not get cat6! I don't need a 10gig network

Here are the pics... It was frantic if anything needs to be changed please tell me within 48 hours otherwise hold your peace

Btw absolutely zero networking cable upstairs!

- cat 5 cable
- cctv system
- freeview booster

All of the above are connected to under the stairs, at some point in the far future I will buy a switch, patch panel and rack if needed, but not right now the option is there....

Critique my designs but be damn quick!

Thanks...

 

[psd99]

 

[psd99]

So I could probably also put my router under the stairs
I prefer this along with a nice rack/ cabinet that has a lock on it!

Otherwise router can go either front left when entering the property or in the main front room

Anyway happy bank holiday weekend all, last one before xmas! Critique my design within 48 hours or forever hold your peace!

 

[psd99]

that switch for that luscious wall mountable TV is not too high! Ceilings are almost 2.6m I am confident the tv will cover that switch