atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring 110 blocks to RJ45 POE switches for IP phone system

Hello,
I would appreciate any info, opinions, and advice; I have read a lot of the posts here and look forward to your insights. As the Systems Admin I have been tasked with the installation of a phone system at our new location.
We are moving 50 people into a brand new location that has all been cabled already. I work for a District Attorney's office and we are moving into the new courthouse. I have a closet for my space it is 8ft x 24ft There are racks on one side with the data cabling terminated in patch panels and black plywood on the other side with the station cables terminated to 110 blocks. I am going to use an IP phone system that will use 10/100 POE switches. These will be mounted in the racks on the data side of the room. I want to know what the best way of connecting between the 110 block and the switch.
My vendor is not addressing this in a manner that gives me a confident feeling.
I have thought of three solutions
1) Cable from the 110 blocks to a RJ45 patch panel and use patch cords.
2) Un do the 110 blocks and replace with RJ45 patch panels and use patch cords.
3) Punch the cable into the 110 and terminate the other end with an RJ45 plug. ( I have seen this done in my current building, but does not really seem to be the way to go, but I do not know)
What would you recommend?
Thank you in advance for taking the time to enlighten me and help me make an intelligent (I hope!) and informed decision!
Bill

Bill:

How about something like this? This particular manufacturer makes them in lengths up to ten feet, however there are plenty of other manufacturers who might make them longer if you need it:

https://www.icc.com/productsearchresults.aspx?searchterms=icpcsb10bl&limit=&sortBy=default

Probably in order, I like option 1 then 2 and never 3. The availability of Cat5e 25 pair cable would be the only issue for option 1.
It has the same effect as #2, but you don't have to undo the house cable and reterminate.

If you're really into punishment, you could try running the cable from the patch panel to another set of 110 blocks and use 4-pair Cat-6 cross connect wire.

BTW I've tried the Siemon 110 to RJ-45 patch cables. Besides being expensive, I've not had very good luck with them staying in place. However, the ICC brand is less than the cost of a patch panel and pretty competitive. They're only listed in 3/7/10' lengths.


Carl

Wow! That was quick!
Ed: Really neat widgets, if the switches were mounted next to the blocks I would probably use them. I need to go up over and down to get to the switches.
Carl: Thanks, I have mostly old Merlin type stuff in my building and it is all terminated as I described in option three, I just don't like it.
I did not think the station cabling would be terminated on 110, oh well you know what they say about assuming!
Thanks again.

Sounds like the cabling vendor wasn't sure that there was a Voice over IP switch going in, otherwise he would have (should have) punched the station cables to a patch panel and installed them on the same racks as your data cabling. The VOIP switch is probably rack-mounted also, isn't it? If you are not segregating the voice from the data (recommended), you could even use the same cable for the PC as the VOIP phone.

The cabling contractor did nothing wrong. It sounds to me like they were just following industry standards for voice cabling. Just because VOIP systems have a 4.1% share of the market doesn't necessarily justify completely re-vamping the entire industry. Voice cabling in the other 95.9% of the market terminates upon 110 or 66 type blocks in the United States.

It stinks that customers are having to add yet another expense in adapting to VOIP equipment. If this had been my installation, I would have done the same thing by using 110 blocks. Often, cabling contractors aren't even the parties who will be installing the phone system. It's not their responsibility to deviate from standard practices to wire for something different.

Perhaps the VOIP hardware providers might want to consider in their quest to take over the industry that they make their hardware interface directly with existing wiring infrastructures.

I agree with Ed completely. It was my assumption. The contractors did a beautiful job and if I had been thinking at all I would have realised that the telco would be terminatedas it has been.
Sooo... now I have to come up with a plan.
Thanks again.

Perhaps the VOIP hardware providers might want to consider in their quest to take over the industry that they make their hardware interface directly with existing wiring infrastructures.

That would be a good idea except they have no clue how anything is done except data.

I believe your solution #1 is the best. Never a good idea to disturb the existing wiring and terminations. That way you can rip everything out and go back to a TDM system without too much trouble when the you know what hits the fan. :thumb:

-Hal

Well, Bill... All that I can say is that you did the right thing by coming here to ask the question and we truly appreciate it.

So many people don't ask and end up being "bamboozled" with techno-jargon. As Hal mentioned, by leaving the wiring undisturbed and paying the extra for a transition hardware, you'll leave the next tenant with a wiring system that can be used.

Bill, please keep us posted as to how things go. By the way, welcome to our forum!

We have done it the way Ed says, with the 110/rj45 patch cables. We make our own cables. We purchase the 110 ends and terminate