Patch Panel or Direct Cabling to Switch

[mat200]

I've come across more failure in patch panels than in direct cabling to switches. Could have just been a coincidence from my view because a lot of folks running patch panels don't take much care of them. Always a loose connection or collection of dust which interferes with a stable connection.

Direct cabling can be tidied but needs to be given tender-loving care, or else you'll have a mess going through various cables.

IMO, I feel that one can achieve a clean look with both types of setups. Depends on preference, simplicity, and environment.

Hmm... interesting because I have experienced the opposite, as once a patch panel has been done well and tested it normally doesn't move so the connections are more likely to last.
( maybe just bad patch panels? )

 

[Q™]

 

[Arjun]

Some of these folk's patch panels were installed by contractors and not by themselves. Must have done a half-baked job. Also, worth noting is that some business owners and folks that rent in general will think that anything coming out a of a wall (whether its a Coax panel, telephone, or Cat5e patch panel), is set and forget.
Had come across one Ethernet port coming out of a wall which was having intermittent connection loss. Culprit was that the alignment became loose overtime (probably because of repeated aggressive insertion and removal of the cable), the contractors never punched the copper down good enough or just didn't stand the best of time because of poor quality patch panels,

Strongly recommend Monoprice,

If you have a label maker laying around, works wonders haha

Hmm... interesting because I have experienced the opposite, as once a patch panel has been done well and tested it normally doesn't move so the connections are more likely to last.
( maybe just bad patch panels? )