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  • 10-10-2007 1:21pm
    #1
    novi001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭


    True virgin, my first time on any board, not sure if I'm in the right place but here goes
    I have 20 devices/ data points that I want to connect together, an IT friend was going to advise me what to buy & put it together for me, but he’s gone missing, so I’m left with a problem. All data points are wired to a central point, I’m told that I should connect RJ45’s to each cable, plug these into a 24 way patch panel and connect this to a 24 way switch (using pre-wired RJ’s) and then they should all be accessible to each other, sound simple, is it, why do I need both patch and switch? Does they need/ have software, do I get a set of instructions on what to wire between the patch/switch? not a fool, just a beginner, Help:confused:


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    #2
    zenith
    Registered Users Posts: 785 ✭✭✭zenith


    The patch panel just connects the wires at the remote point to a frame in the middle of your network.

    This is to allow flexibility in how you can move things around on the floor and in the cabinet. If it was all hard-wired in, it'd be a real pain to move anything.

    Traditionally, from the patch you go TO your phone system, if it's a phone connected to the remote end, or TO your switch, if it's a computer. You sound like you have just computers.

    With 20 devices, and if you're not going to expand a lot, you need a 24 port switch (they generally come in 8, 24 and 48 port sizes) which then - when they're patched together, allows device A to talk to device B. A switche's job is to make the electrical and data connection between the computers: they run at various speeds, a 'good' switch at present is 'gigabit', but if your equipment is older a 10/100 switch is more than adequate.

    3Com, Cisco are two 'switch' manufacturers.

    HTH


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    #3
    novi001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭novi001


    Thanks for that but I am hard wired to fixed points and (cliché moment) never expect to increase them, the phone will go through a PC then to the network. I searched the web to find out the answer (and hence the name NOVIce) before I asked this next question, if RJ45’s go into the switch, and I do not expect to increase the number of points why do I need a patch panel, surely in basic terms its wire all points in and the switch does the rest?:confused:


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