hardware needed for patch cables

[GKyle840]

I am going to eventually run 4 or 5 dahua cameras and right now I have 2 mounted and set up. I used cat6 outdoor cable and it is very stiff and doesnt run well from the basement up to my switch in the living room. is there a way I can make a box or something pre made that I can connect my stiff cat6 cables to cat6 patch cables so they are manageable in my living space?

 

[Whoaru99]

I am going to eventually run 4 or 5 dahua cameras and right now I have 2 mounted and set up. I used cat6 outdoor cable and it is very stiff and doesnt run well from the basement up to my switch in the living room. is there a way I can make a box or something pre made that I can connect my stiff cat6 cables to cat6 patch cables so they are manageable in my living space?

Typically you'd use a patch panel wherein the "horizontal" cables terminate by punch downs on RJ45 jacks, then the jacks facilitate plugging in your patch cables.

"Patch panel" is the term you want to search up.

Alternately I suppose you could use a number of low voltage boxes with RJ45 keystone jacks mounted in the appropriate box covers.

 

[GKyle840]

Is something like this what you are speaking of?

 

[Whoaru99]

That's a 24 port but, yeah, that's a patch panel. Usually they're for rack mount so be sure if it will accommodate the way you want to mount it if you don't have a rack.

 

[GKyle840]

As far as mounting goes, I was just going to attach it to a stud on the ceiling in the basement below the living room.

 

[Maximo101]

A patch panel would be the simplest way, then regular cat 6 patch cables to your nvr / switch.

 

[mat200]

FYI - this is the one I used and liked - good reviews, reasonable pricing imho

https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unshielded-Wallmount-Compatible-TC-P24C6/dp/B0000AZK72

( I was originally looking at the monoprice ones, but the reviews were disappointing )

 

[pal251]

If you have just a few runs just use a keystone Jack.

 

[GKyle840]

Since I only have a couple runs and will only have 5 or so when everything is complete in the future, I just got some couplers. I plan to mount them in a row, on a board that is attached to the basement ceiling below my living room floor. This way I can support the cables where they plug into the coupler and it shouldn't take up much room.

 

[mat200]

How did you mount it? I'm trying to decide if I want a small cabinet, or just a wallmount for a patch panel + switch, with everything else on a wire shelf.

Hi Dark

I went super cheap this time due to the location which would not easily fit racks / cabinets and make a custom "shelf" and 19" rack with wood from the hardware store.

A lot depends on how secure you want to make your setup.

If I had more space I would have gone with a rack, event more I would a have gone with a nice cabinet.

Ideally, I would probably have a cabinet in a place hard for intruders to find - like a nice conditioned basement or attic space.

 

[Mike A.]

I'm pretty sure mine will be located in a small, unfinished basement room. I'll shop around for a cabinet, but with the only rack mountable items being the switch and patch panel, I'll probably just use wire shelving for everything else.

In most cases even with a rack I like to run my premise wiring to a panel and then patch over from the panel to the rack. Much easier to manage cable outside of the rack. It's a pain pulling a rack mounted panel out and trying to work in there to do adds/changes/repairs especially as it gets more full. Takes up less space in the rack and keeps the house wiring separate from what ever you have going on there. You can pull the whole rack easily when/if you need to. When it's time to move you leave a nice panel for the next guy vs a mess of wires.

 

[GKyle840]

I ended up using cat6 couplers that I attached to a board and mounted on my basement ceiling. I took the stress off of the cable with zip ties. Here is a picture of the finished product. It's not pretty but functions well and will be completely hidden from view.

 

[Mike A.]

That's what I was wondering about. I've used telco punch down blocks before, but Cat6A is a much stiffer cable, and I can see it becoming a fight to work with in a tight spot. Thanks for the tip.

Realized that I should have been more clear in my response above... I was talking in terms of general practice and more where you expect to have a rack full of stuff not necessarily to your specific case. If all that you'd have racked is the panel and maybe a switch, then I'd just wire direct to that in a small wall-mounted rack. No need for a separate panel in that case. It's serving the same purpose and you can get to that easy enough and just leave it when you're gone. Or just get a small 8 or 12-port wall-mounted panel and put your switch on the wire rack with the rest. ~$15, problem solved and you're done.

 

[Mike A.]

You could do that. Better than trying to hold it while you're punching it down. The panel will be separate from the rack. If you can work it then easiest is to put it down on a table or something similar and then move the whole thing up when you're done. You want to leave yourself extra cable at that end anyway and more will be easier to work with than less. I like to run that end with a wide loop down and then back up or over and back across, however it works best for that spot to give me enough to work with and some slack in case it needs to be moved or something changes later. Sucks having to work with just a couple of inches left to get there or worse yet coming up an inch short. Leave yourself more and get a little more than you need. If you think that you'll need 16 then get a 24. When punching it down, measure it out to the far end of the panel before you start trimming it so you know that you have plenty to get there. Depends on how the panel is laid out but usually starting at the near end first is easier so you don't have as much in the way as you work to the other end. Starts to get tight with a lot of cable. Wait to tie things down to the panel until you're done. As long as you have some slack you can move things out of the way as you go. Then bundle everything up to make it look nice.

Also when tying up the bundle of cables if you grab the bundle in both hands and kind of twist back and forth as you go that will help it lay down together better and get a nice tight straight bunch.