No ends at the end of the Cat5e cables?

[lsquare]

So I just moved into my brand new house. It was wired by someone with Cat 5e cables. All of the cables are routed into the closet in the master bedroom. I was getting ready to attach the cables and then I notice that the cables doesn't have any ends at the end. I'm talking about the part that goes into the switch. What's going on here and what am I suppose to do?

 

[Gillbot]

Keystone jack.

 

[Binky]

Surface mount boxes work for this and they are simple to use and install.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10517 (look near the bottom, cat5e or cat6)

You'll need a 110 punchdown tool and a wiring diagram.

 

[notposting]

Depending how many drops you have, something like this could be handy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12-Port-Cat5e-Wall-Mount-Surface-Mount-Patch-Panel-/270493091744

 

[lsquare]

Depending how many drops you have, something like this could be handy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12-Port-Cat5e-Wall-Mount-Surface-Mount-Patch-Panel-/270493091744

I think you're the only person that gets it. Just to rephrase it for the others, all the network cables going to the master bedroom doesn't have RJ45 jacks at the end. I don't know why. I don't need any keystones because they are already in place. I'm talking about where all the cables terminate.

How do I attach the RJ45-less cables into the patch panel? I have like 16 drops without any RJ45 jacks. Is this normal for a technician to leave out? Do they automatically assume that I'll be using a patch panel and hence why there are no RJ45s at the end?

 

[Gryz]

It can happen.
When you are doing work in your house, that might be the only opportunity to lay new cables for years. Even if you're not planning to use them right away. I had put in cat-5e in my house. But I only started using them a few years later. I had to attach plugs myself too. That was a bit messy. But after I bought a cheap cable tester (13 euros in a dutch webshop), it was a piece of cake.

BTW, I don't think a patch-panel is enough. With a patch-panel, all you do is connect wires 1-on-1. You probably want to connect them all into one single LAN. So you'll need a hub or a switch for that. If I were in your situation, I'd just attach RJ-45 plugs to all cables, and buy one cheap gigabit-ethernet switch. And just plug the cables into the switch. No patch-panel needed.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Keystone jacks can both be in the wall or in a patch panel. If I am understanding correctly, the installer just placed bare wires in the closet? If this is the case, do as stated above and install a patch panel and connect each one to a keystone jack in the patch panel. You will need obviously a patch panel and a punch down tool. Follow the color codes to punch the wires in the right spot and you are ready for network electronics

 

[imagoon]

No No No.

If you need to be cheap use keystones. Doing this is the same as grabbing the bare 14 gauge wire out of the wall and twisting it to the cut off end of a lamp and using electrical tape to hold it together. Then later you wonder why walking in the room makes the light pulse.

In wall solid cable is not designed to be terminated this way. It only adds a few dollars to terminate it correctly. Just like it only costs a couple of dollars to terminated power wire in the wall to a NEMA 15 outlet. See Gillbots post for the correct solution.

 

[bobdole369]

No No No.

If you need to be cheap use keystones. Doing this is the same as grabbing the bare 14 gauge wire out of the wall and twisting it to the cut off end of a lamp and using electrical tape to hold it together. Then later you wonder why walking in the room makes the light pulse.

In wall solid cable is not designed to be terminated this way. It only adds a few dollars to terminate it correctly. Just like it only costs a couple of dollars to terminated power wire in the wall to a NEMA 15 outlet. See Gillbots post for the correct solution.

seconded (or 29849384982thed). FWIW - noobs put RJ-45 ends on solid core in-wall cables.

 

[Binky]

I think you're the only person that gets it. Just to rephrase it for the others, all the network cables going to the master bedroom doesn't have RJ45 jacks at the end. I don't know why. I don't need any keystones because they are already in place. I'm talking about where all the cables terminate.

How do I attach the RJ45-less cables into the patch panel? I have like 16 drops without any RJ45 jacks. Is this normal for a technician to leave out? Do they automatically assume that I'll be using a patch panel and hence why there are no RJ45s at the end?

The keystone jack linked by Gilbot, the surface mount boxes linked by me, and the patch panel linked by notposting are essentially the same thing of various sizes. Gilbot's is a single plug with no wall plate or surface box, the few that I linked are 1-4 jacks, and the patch panel is 12 ports. It sounds like you will need a 12 or 24 port patch panel.

 

[imagoon]

I don't need any keystones because they are already in place. I'm talking about where all the cables terminate.

Patch panels are nothing more that a lot of keystones attached to one panel. It is not atypical to use keystones in the central pull if there is only a couple of wires. The even sell "patch panels" that are nothing more than 24-48 square holes to plug keystones into. This is really useful if you are terminating coax also and want to bring it all in to one neat panel.

Random example: *not a recommendation

http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=7VMDT66_BZCctweTxejQBg&ved=0CHEQ8wIwAA

It is all dependent on what you want to do. Once you terminate those cables you patch your switch in with patch cables.

 

[notposting]

And before we turn it into a holy network cabling war again...

In general, most of us who do this sort of work day in and day out will always recommend using the patch panel, then connecting to the switch/hub/router/whatever with patch cables. Yes, you could put connectors on and plug them straight in but it's harder to verify those connections (especially without a tester) and the durability of that kind of cable comes into question over time. Which is why we hate it. /end sermon

Only reason I like the panel I had put up is that for that number of cables it works nicely not needing to rig up a panel meant to be mounted in communications rack.