Can't find patch panel in pre-wired home

[Glacion1313]

I'm about to move into a (rented) new house this weekend, which is pre-wired for LAN. The landlord, predictably, is clueless about the specifics of how the house is wired, and has no documentation of any kind. So, I am left to try to deduce the network topology based on observation. Here is what I know:

1) Most rooms have RJ-45 jacks in the wall.
2) There is a panel in one of the closets that has a bunch of Cat 3 and Cat 5e cable running into it. HOWEVER, there are no RJ-45 plugs or jacks in that panel.

In previous places I've lived, the central patch panel has some place where I can plug in my router and cable modem, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. I have generated a few theories:

1) The network is some sort of bus or tree topology that doesn't have a central hub. Every port in the house is physically connected to every other port.

2) The electrician just didn't bother to attach RJ-45 jacks to the ends of the cables that are in the patch panel. I don't remember whether I saw un-terminated cables in there.

3) There is another central patch panel somewhere in the house that I somehow have not found.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of situation? Or any advice on how I could gather more clues as to what is going on?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[bruceb]

Most likely what you have found is the proper place and the electrician (thankfully) did not
install the RJ45 plugs .. He most likely would not have done a good job as that is a bit
tedious and requires some level of expertise. I suggest you remove one of the RJ45 wall
plates and see if that end is punched down. If it is then you can use a toner to plug into the
RJ45 jack and an inductive probe (comes with the toner) to find which cable is which at the
other end. You can also buy a RJ45 Tester which will check for miswiring end to end and
will also do a basic test of the cable quality. You will need to get a Patch Panel to install at
the closet where all the cables are and also install the ends yourself.

Suggestion: If you do not already own an RJ45 Crimper, buy one that is a Full Cycle Ratchet Type.
That way, you are sure of making a complete crimp. Also know that there are plugs designed for
Solid and other for Stranded Wires ... your inwall cable should be Solid conductors.