Good place to buy Layer 1 networking equipment for home network?

[Glacion1313]

I'm going to need to install a patch panel in my central home-run box. Any advice on good brands/vendors to get the gear from? Particularly the cable tester or induction probe. I don't know much about them, and looking in Fry's and Home Depot, they had different kinds that varied from $40 to $200.

Should I just be looking in retail electronics stores, or are the prices much better online?

Thanks.

 

[jlazzaro]

i get all my hardware from deepsurplus

for home installations, all you really need is simple continuity tester to confirm all 4 pairs are good. something like this would do the job.