Geek

Who do you use for home networking supplies? Not wireless, but hard wired. My cable modem currently sits on the floor of my office since that's where the previous owners thought it to be a good idea to drill through the floor.

Anyway, I want to relocate the whole thing into the closet and run some CAT5E drops all over the house(and garage ). I've browsed Home Depot and Lowes and their prices don't seem to bad, but I'm not sure of the quality of their stuff. The place I used last time I did anything like this is long gone.

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sheepofblue

I just got cable from wherever since everything wired is in control central (Mom's name for it) and the lengths are shorter than what you would need. But you might also check digikey

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Geek

Yeah, patch cables are no problem, and I have no issues with the bulk cable from Home Depot/Lowes but patch panels and keystone jacks I don't know much about as far as brands go. I suppose CAT5E should be CAT5E no matter the brand but you never know.

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ssg

I like interlink, leviton, hubbell.

For keystone wallplates the Leviton stuff that HD sells is what I have all over my place (for cable, phone, c5e, sat) and I'm pretty happy with it. I also have a nice ideal spring loaded 110 punch tool that I've had forever (and they sell em at home depot for 50$ or so).

As far as tools go, the IDEAL brand makes some of my favorite data-grade stuff. All the ideal stuff I have I've had for years and it's still in awesome shape. Actually while Im saying this...if you need anything let me know, I've got 110,66,krone punches and crimpers around here somewhere that work for it all as well as catv. Shipping is cheaper than buying

As for punch panels I used to love the interlink stuff (made by Wiremold) and Hubbell is always nice but expensive. Whats your port count? are you going to go all out and get a wall mount cage/rack?

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Geek

I've got an IDEAL punch down tool that is downright amazing. Probably the same one you and every other person that's done any sort of larger scale wiring along with some Klein scissors that will easily sever a finger if you're not careful.

I'm pretty familiar with Leviton, didn't realize that's what HD stocked. I did most of my looking at Lowes since that's what's closer. I might have to take a trip over to HD now.

I've used Hubbell panels and expensive is an understatement. Looked at the Grainger site earlier today and about choked. If HD carries the Leviton ones I will probably just go with one of those.

My port count will be slightly under 24. Office and living room will each get 4 drops, each bedroom will get 2, and the garage will get 2-4.

Don't think I'm going with a separate cage/rack because the closet it's destined for doesn't have room for it. However, there are two kitchen cabinets hanging up in there and the top half of one of them will probably get re-purposed for this somehow. If I can't make it work like I want to, then I might just set everything on top of one of them. Wouldn't be ideal for accessibility and cleanliness but it would definitely keep it out of the way.

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"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people"
Motorcycle fanatic?

ssg

The Pass & Seymour stuff that Lowes has seems decent, but I haven't actually used it. I just don't particularly care for their choices of selection and quantity. To me a bulk pack of jacks should be 10 and they should correspondingly take a drop in price....instead I can get 5 of theirs while @ HD for about 4$ more I can get 10. IT's just lame.

P&S makes some electrical stuff that I like a bit better than Leviton, but I think Leviton wins for data stuff.

Yeah, blue and orange? thats the punch


When thinking racks...just remember Google's first storage array was built using Lego's , so if it's not in a dust or moisture prone area, be creative

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Geek

Here's a few pictures.

1. Current situation - in obvious need of improvement
2. Potential location - probably least likely since it's right next to the electrical panel and interference is likely
3. The cabinet originally mentioned. Cleaning chemicals would obviously be relocated.

Attached Thumbnails

     

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"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people"
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sheepofblue

1) Get some outlet covers
2) Tinfoil line it... keeps the voices down :idunno:
3) To the floor

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Geek

The room is being painted, new outlets are waiting to be installed and outlet covers will be ordered sometime next week or the week after.

I may put the cables inside a metal chase that runs up into the attic, so that location is still an option.

There is an identical cabinet to the right of that one, so nothing would have to go to the floor.

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"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people"
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ssg

I realize it isn't permanent, but AC battery chargers emit some of the worst EMI (and push noise back onto the circuits) than anything else I've used besides maybe a cheap electric buffer.

you don't want them on your permanent power strip

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ssg

If you don't like the cabinet, I'd get some of that white wire shelving and router out most of the top and clip some of that stuff in, then do the same to the bottom, with 2 shelves inside...and voila convection cooled equipment.

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