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Hiya folks,
I noticed in a different thread that Hal stated that patch panels should never be used for voice. I found this really interesting and was wondering why? I was also hoping someone could post a picture of what a text book good install would look like. All the sites I work at our such a mess I realized I have nothing good to compare it to.
thanks, Vicky
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I'll add to that and say CAT 5 or 6 should never be used for voice nor should 8 position jacks (commonly referred to as RJ-45). This is really a debate between the geeks and the phone guys. Geeks only know patch panels, CAT5 and 8 position jacks, phone guys know better. This thread should give you a good idea of why I take this position. -Hal
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Some comments made by me are known to the State of California to cause irreversible brain damage and serious mental disorders leading to confinement.
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Hal sums it up pretty well. Patch cords always end up becoming real messy, usually because someone's in a hurry or they're too lazy or incompetent to go get the proper length patch cord for the job. This applies to both telephone & data panels.
In reality it's more a question of "lack of professionalism" on the installer's part.
Scientists say that the universe is made up of Protons, Neutron & Electrons. They forgot "Morons". Dave. (CTUB) Canadian Techs Use Bix!
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I agree that patch panel should not be used for voice but we have done it on occasion when our hands are tied. Below are some pic's of one that come's to mind. This particular location has about 1200 wires, 600 of which we installed after our customer moved to the building. The existing was all wired with at least 2 cat-6 to each location. The customer want to continue the trend to all the new cubes that they installed. This is the racks with all patch cords installed. ![[Linked Image from i179.photobucket.com]](https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w313/temery1967/P4060361.jpg) This is the back of the center rack. It has a 600 pair cable terminated with one pair per port patch panel port. ![[Linked Image from i179.photobucket.com]](https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w313/temery1967/P4060359.jpg) This is what you end up with if you need to add a modem line to where there is an existing digital line. It seems that every time I stop by this site I fix a few patch cords that are not in the wire management that was installed "temporary".
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Contrast having to have the proper length patch cord to a spool of cross connect wire and you can see why patch cords are not a good idea just from a practical standpoint.
-Hal
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Some comments made by me are known to the State of California to cause irreversible brain damage and serious mental disorders leading to confinement.
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Originally posted by hbiss: Contrast having to have the proper length patch cord to a spool of cross connect wire and you can see why patch cords are not a good idea just from a practical standpoint.
-Hal Indeed! Notice how the patch cords were "ty-wrapped"? I hate when I go into a site & the x-connects are ty-wrapped!
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Velcro ties are okay, but they usually end up on the floor...
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Here's my $249.99 on the subject of patch panels and it has absolutely nothing to do with the level of professionalism.
It is the fact that most customers who insist upon having patch panels for voice and data do so with the silly thought that they will be able to place their own connections.
We all know that the least technical person in the company ends up being responsible for the phone and data systems. The very person who answers her phone calls with "this is her" and can't even record a voice mail greeting without technical support.
Imagine this same person moving patch cords? The boss never wants to have any involvement in that stuff, the high school receptionist has no clue, so what happens? They pay for a technician to come out and move a patch cord.
I've never, I mean NEVER installed a system with patch panels for voice that didn't end up this way. With that being said, what exactly is the point except to buy what is yet again a CG buzz word?
I should just stop here, but I am sure that you get my point.
Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX
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I like to give a little more detail of the job I posted the pictures of above. All the data cables stay within the same rack(for the most part). All the voice patch cords were custom made by us for length. I must admit that is was my idea originally but I don't know that I would do it again as it was very time consuming.
Just to clarify, I would not recommend patch panels for voice. For instance at this location the other end of the 600 pair feed is terminated on 110, the time it takes to make one patch cable at the rack, I could have ran 10 x-cuts on 110.
As for the tyraps comment above, if it was referring to cable ties, the only cable ties are on the back of the patch panels that have the feed cable installed. Those pairs are to never be moved.
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All the voice patch cords were custom made by us for length.
Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole patch panel/patch cord reasoning? I mean, the purpose is to make connections easily reconfigurable. Something like that might as well be hard wired because as soon as you move a patch cord it most likely either won't reach or will be too long.
-Hal
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Some comments made by me are known to the State of California to cause irreversible brain damage and serious mental disorders leading to confinement.
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It appears that there is data in that setup as well, though everything is the same color. To me, this is a problem waiting to happen. I also see that the patches are labeled for length not labeled for what they connect which is the information I want when I look at a setup.
About me: 8 years of network support 7 years IT field service
Always looking for the next project to be done.
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The voice ones are tan and the data ones are gray, at least that's what it looks like to me...
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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It is the fact that most customers who insist upon having patch panels for voice and data do so with the silly thought that they will be able to place their own connections.
That's reason number one. Reason number two is the silly thought that any cable or jack can be used for either voice or data. Now you have problems breaking out pairs at either end as is normal for voice. You also have the problem of 6 position plugs damaging the pins of 8 position jacks as well as users not knowing which jack is voice and which is data.
Only in the minds of CGs does this make sense.
-Hal
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Some comments made by me are known to the State of California to cause irreversible brain damage and serious mental disorders leading to confinement.
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Ughh... looks like it'd be a nightmare to service!
I never suggest a PP for voice... but sometimes, the customer insists and we oblige. We fore-warn them that from our experience it's more of a pain than it's worth and time wasted in general, but they still insist, usually because they're weak and have been drawn into the Dark Side.
Customers are usually ignorant of the fact that when phones move, we move the same physical port... that most phones are not "smart" phones, but "dummy" pieces of equipment. Mostly because the CG has sold them on "I can move your computer to any outlet, phones should be set-up the same".
The "It will save you $ if I do it..." theory. Almost always costs them more in "fix-it" bills instead of "MAC's". The only time I haven't had a CG cost more, is when they've been willing to have us train them (CG) in how to use a punch tool and probe/toner correctly. In those (very few) cases a CG has saved the company LOTS of MAC $, but that's because he/she listened and understood the theory of the phone system moves.
[/rant]
- Tony Ohio Data LLC Phone systems, data networks, firewalls and servers in Central Ohio. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.
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I really appreciate all your replies, does anyone have a picture of work without a patch panel. I would love to see it.
Also is CG = computer geek? I keep thinking it might be general contractor backwards which could also be an apt description.
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CG=Computer Geek
GC=General Contractor
EC=Electrical Contractor
Scientists say that the universe is made up of Protons, Neutron & Electrons. They forgot "Morons". Dave. (CTUB) Canadian Techs Use Bix!
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You can start here and get a good feel for what needs to be done. Honestly I dont know too many "telecom" folks who like to brag. So there is not much to show. But there are some good looking installs in that thread.
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Thanks, page 1 &2 had what I was looking for. I am going to go google a picture of a BIX block now!
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You can make patch panels work but you have to invest a lot of money into it. It is by no means a cost savings installation but one more appropriate for a very dynamic office where people move around constantly and one day a connection is a network link the next day it is a phone link and you have a phone switch where you cannot reprogram the extension number but have to cross it to another physical port.
I've done a few of them. You need enough patch panel space to bring in all your Cat 5 or 6 home runs. Then you need another set of patch panels just for whatever phone switch you are using. So you pull off the 110 or 66 block connections for the EXT lines on the switch into a patch panel and then you cross connect using patch cords as needed. I have done it with three racks, side by side. The center rack is for the home runs, the left rack for phone equipment and the right for network.
It worked out great but it was very expensive. We must have sold them 400 patch cords, a dozen 24 port patch panels plus extensive cable raceway, management and tray products. Definetely a deep pockets project.
But I'll agree the person tasked with swapping patch cables is usually so dumb that they never do get it right and they treat it as rocket science. So we still had to come in and fix things. All that money and they basically got very little for it.
Then you have to be diligent and make all your own line cords. If you use 6 po jacks in a 8 pos connector you're usually OK. 4 pos and you bend pins. You cannot count on the employees to care much about this and when they add a phone they just use the patch cord in the box rather than make a new one using 6 pos.
So it can become a real mes unless you are very diligent.
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Originally posted by hbiss: I'll add to that and say CAT 5 or 6 should never be used for voice nor should 8 position jacks (commonly referred to as RJ-45). Hal, i'm following you on all of the above except i don't understand why you recommend not using CAT5 for voice. is there a performance concern or..? and what do you recommend to use instead? we do a lot of voice and data cabling and i know the decision to only carry CAT5 on our trucks was made primarily because we have limited space and the cost difference between CAT3 and CAT5 was negligible. that being said, i'm a researcher at heart and if there's a good reason to do something, i want to know! =) tnx!
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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Originally posted by MacOSX: Ughh... looks like it'd be a nightmare to service!
I never suggest a PP for voice... but sometimes, the customer insists and we oblige. We fore-warn them that from our experience it's more of a pain than it's worth and time wasted in general, but they still insist, usually because they're weak and have been drawn into the Dark Side.
Customers are usually ignorant of the fact that when phones move, we move the same physical port... that most phones are not "smart" phones, but "dummy" pieces of equipment. Mostly because the CG has sold them on "I can move your computer to any outlet, phones should be set-up the same".
The "It will save you $ if I do it..." theory. Almost always costs them more in "fix-it" bills instead of "MAC's". The only time I haven't had a CG cost more, is when they've been willing to have us train them (CG) in how to use a punch tool and probe/toner correctly. In those (very few) cases a CG has saved the company LOTS of MAC $, but that's because he/she listened and understood the theory of the phone system moves.
[/rant] I have gone this way on one occasion, not because I didn't know better, but was told that the person wanted to be able to shift their office about the house depending on the season or some random whim. It seemed like a silly thing, but hey customers is always right, and they were paying for it. To fix the 8p to 4p/6p jack issue, I will end up building some cables and using the adapter Skip shows from this post when I asked about it.
About me: 8 years of network support 7 years IT field service
Always looking for the next project to be done.
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93mdk93...the reason most of us recommend using cat 3 cable for voice is simply because cat 5 or cat 6 is total overkill. It does cost more, takes more time to terminate vs cat 3...plus, 9 times out of 10, if you put everything on an 8 pin jack, someone will plug their phone into the data jack or vice-versa.
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Originally posted by jeffmoss26: 93mdk93...the reason most of us recommend using cat 3 cable for voice is simply because cat 5 or cat 6 is total overkill. It does cost more, takes more time to terminate vs cat 3...plus, 9 times out of 10, if you put everything on an 8 pin jack, someone will plug their phone into the data jack or vice-versa. no, i totally understand using the correct termination (as i stated previously) - in fact, i made a CG eat crow just last week because i came in to do an install and he'd wired the entire place with RJ45 jacks and simply labeled the odd numbered jacks for network and the even numbered jacks for voice. i explained to him how a short on the wrong pair could blow my ports and he had to agree that it obviously wasn't the correct way to do it. he'd never even considered it before and until i brought it up, had never been called on it either. but seriously, i haven't found there to be a significant cost difference between CAT3 and CAT5 and we don't have room on our trucks for a decent amount of each kind (we keep 3 boxes of white and 3 boxes of blue on each truck, which is sufficient for most of our jobs). in addition, i really like knowing that i can re-terminate voice runs to use for data should the need arise. i was just curious if there was a technical reason i'd overlooked. i take a great deal of pride in my work but i also have to do this in the real world and make a profit, so in my mind there are more compelling considerations to weigh than just a hang-up over perceived 'overkill'.
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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P.S. - it was the "should never be used" part i was questioning, which isn't the verbiage i would choose without a functional reason for the statement.
just my Irish nature, i s'pose.
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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Here is how I see it. You can run a 2 inch pipe to every faucet in your house to supply water, and spend more money, but why do it when it only needs a 1/2 inch pipe?
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Originally posted by jeffmoss26: Here is how I see it. You can run a 2 inch pipe to every faucet in your house to supply water, and spend more money, but why do it when it only needs a 1/2 inch pipe? And here's how I see it: If that 2" pipe costs, say, $0.25/ft and the .5" pipe costs $0.22/ft, why would I bring a half load of each to a job that needs a full load of one or the other, but I may not know which one I need until I get there. The customer pays for it and doesn't complain, and I have enough gray hair already.. The customer doesn't mind paying for my materials, but he doesn't want to pay for my fuel. I love what I do and I want to do it right, but I'm not going to spend MY money just to make a point. You dig?
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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I haven't priced out cable lately, but when I did there was definitely a difference between cat 3 and cat 5e...
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Originally posted by jeffmoss26: I haven't priced out cable lately, but when I did there was definitely a difference between cat 3 and cat 5e... hey, i'm in the heart of Amish country and the first joke i heard upon moving here was: "how was copper wire invented? by two Amish men fighting over a penny!" believe me, people around here like to save money like they think the Treasury is gonna stop printing it tomorrow. but if that's all we're on about, i'd be willing to bet that i can make a case that CAT3 costs MORE to install than CAT5.
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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How do you figure? If you are talking all cat 5e, all on patch panels, then I might agree. But if you are talking about running cat 5e to 66 blocks, then no way. Yes, I have seen people do that.
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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but seriously, i haven't found there to be a significant cost difference between CAT3 and CAT5
Obviously you don't use plenum listed cable. That's all we use because most of our work is commercial in air handling spaces. CAT5e is almost twice that of CAT3.
You also have to consider the termination time. You can't deny that CAT5e, because of it's tight twists is more difficult and time consuming to terminate, particularly on 66 blocks but even with 110s and jacks. Longer termination time may not be an issue with a few terminations but it is a definite consideration with larger jobs as is fatigue and repetitive motion injuries.
So it just doesn't make good sense to use CAT5e (and up) except where it is needed.
-Hal
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Originally posted by 93mdk93: Originally posted by jeffmoss26: [b] I haven't priced out cable lately, but when I did there was definitely a difference between cat 3 and cat 5e... hey, i'm in the heart of Amish country and the first joke i heard upon moving here was: "how was copper wire invented? by two Amish men fighting over a penny!" believe me, people around here like to save money like they think the Treasury is gonna stop printing it tomorrow.
but if that's all we're on about, i'd be willing to bet that i can make a case that CAT3 costs MORE to install than CAT5. [/b]I will bet that shiny Amish penny that you can't make that case... now, as Gary Winston said "Surprise me, challenge me, defy me!"
- Tony Ohio Data LLC Phone systems, data networks, firewalls and servers in Central Ohio. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.
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Originally posted by jeffmoss26: How do you figure? If you are talking all cat 5e, all on patch panels, then I might agree. But if you are talking about running cat 5e to 66 blocks, then no way. Yes, I have seen people do that. From your statement, I get the feeling you don't often see CAT5 terminated on 66 blocks. Around here that's what we find probably 90% of the time. You get pretty fast at it too with enough practice.. Originally posted by hbiss: Obviously you don't use plenum listed cable. That's all we use because most of our work is commercial in air handling spaces. CAT5e is almost twice that of CAT3. You are absolutely correct, Hal. We don't even keep plenum in stock; it's ordered as needed, which is rarely. And I totally get what you're saying about termination time on big jobs. For most of our jobs, we're not doing enough drops to make a big difference.. I get it though. Originally posted by MacOSX: I will bet that shiny Amish penny that you can't make that case... now, as Gary Winston said "Surprise me, challenge me, defy me!" Why does talking cost justification with a Mac guy seem like a bad idea? =) (just playin - we do Mac too, although not a lot) I'm no accountant but the thought behind my admittedly hyperbolic statement was factoring more than just material costs. Space on the truck costs money, space in the warehouse (or converted barn, in our case) costs money, freight costs money.. I've been doing our purchasing for about three years now and still don't have all my landed costs worked out. Hal makes a great point about repetitive strain injuries too.. with the absolutely obscene cost of healthcare in the US today, that alone probably negates all the things I've been considering by an order of magnitude or two. Good food for thought, gentlemen. Thank you.
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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I heard the same joke, but it was two jews, not amish....
Rob Cashman Customer Support Engineer
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Originally posted by RobCalltrol: I heard the same joke, but it was two jews, not amish.... religious jokes are the new ethnic jokes. ![laugh laugh](/forum/images/graemlins/default/laugh.gif)
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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My point is that it is much faster to terminate cat 3 on 66 blocks than terminating cat 5 on 66 blocks.
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Originally posted by 93mdk93: Originally posted by MacOSX: I will bet that shiny Amish penny that you can't make that case... now, as Gary Winston said "Surprise me, challenge me, defy me!" Why does talking cost justification with a Mac guy seem like a bad idea? =):rofl: good one I am guessing since your reasoning is shipping and space, that you do small 1-5 cables at a time type of AMC jobs that are mostly data anyways?
- Tony Ohio Data LLC Phone systems, data networks, firewalls and servers in Central Ohio. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.
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Originally posted by jeffmoss26: My point is that it is much faster to terminate cat 3 on 66 blocks than terminating cat 5 on 66 blocks. i have no problem giving you the point on that. it's even faster to terminate cross-connect wire on 66 blocks. Originally posted by MacOSX: I am guessing since your reasoning is shipping and space, that you do small 1-5 cables at a time type of AMC jobs that are mostly data anyways? well, no. our business is primarily small(ish)telephone systems and we often wrestle the cabling jobs away from the sparkies and bored CGs. our average job is under 50 drops, equally voice and data. say, two 12-port vertical patch panels, four 66-blocks, six 89Ds and a handful of mushrooms.. =) however, i've taken more accounting classes than i have technical and even as anal-retentive as i am about doing things correctly, i'm always doing job costing in my head. our margins are slim but adequate as long as we don't confuse our objective, which ultimately is to turn a profit. as we grow, it's increasingly critical for our practices to be scalable (not to mention competitive). that's the whole reason i'm asking questions: i want to be very careful not to lose sight of how things should be done when i'm making certain we're not losing money doing our work.
"There is one thing and only one thing in which it is granted to you to be free in life, all else being beyond your power: that is to recognize and profess the truth." - Leo Tolstoy
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Originally posted by binbrain: ...in a different thread that Hal stated that patch panels should never be used for voice. I found this really interesting and was wondering why? I was also hoping someone could post a picture of what a text book good install would look like.... I've done voice and data for decades and really do not see much of a difference between them. Ethernet over Twisted Pair was developed to utilize existing voice telephone cables. I've run LAN connections on the violet pairs of a 25-pair cable feeding a 6-button KTS phone. No Problem! I haven't started yet, as there have been delays, but I'm installing a roughly 200 position call center. Everyone gets a quad-4 ... four 4-pair "RJ-45" jacks to be used for whatever: corporate LAN, DSL LAN, digital telephone, single or multi-line analog telephone, even lamps and switches. All the cables will terminate on patch panels in the equipment racks. Each floor position laid out vertical on four 24 position patch panel. The rep's phones are on an Avaya whatever. The lines from the Avaya terminate on connectorized 66 blocks -- running the cable involves attaching a pair of 25-pair connectors. Supervisor lines are local Centrex analog and arrive from the 1.1 on tie cables that I actually had to punch down. Both will be cross-connected to either 2-w jacks or 8-wire jacks, depending on whether or not they only use pair one. These 66-blocks are also connectorized, and Panduit makes both 1 pair and 4 pair connectorized patch panels. In the equipment rack I'll be mounting (with some variation): 24 2-wire patch jacks (1 ru) 24-quad-4 floor cables on patch jacks (4 ru) 48 port LAN switch 24-quad-4 floor cables on patch jacks (4 ru) 48 2-wire patch jacks (2 ru) 24-quad-4 floor cables on patch jacks (4 ru) 48 port LAN switch 24-quad-4 floor cables on patch jacks (4 ru) 24 2-wire patch jacks (1 ru) 24 8-wire parch jacks (1 ru) 95%+ of all patch cables in the equipment racks will be 12" tip to tip running vertically between the LAN switch and a floor jack or a voice patch and a floor jack.
Telecommunications Installation and Repair: April 1, 1966 -- November 30, 2011
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Talk to some of your suppliers and you will find that they are not selling Cat 3 and that it is a special order. Just got off the phone with these 2 suppliers - All Per 1000' Pricing IE - Graybar - Cat 5E Riser ******* Cat 5E Plenum ******* Cat 3 Riser ******* Cat 3 Plenum ******* El Supply - Cat 5E Riser ******* Cat 5E Plenum ******* Cat 3 Riser $not available Cat 3 Plenum ******* you will still find Cat 3 at your HD or Lowes but I am told in my area that it will not be stocking it when they run out. We have been using Cat 5E for voice for the last 4 years and found that the cost is a fraction more. We always use Cat 5E 8 pin for Data and Cat 3 4 pin for voice. There is a little more time to terminate on a 66 block, but very little if you have an experienced tech who is used to cutting down large number of cables. We also use white cable for voice and blue for data unless we have a request for a specific color. Just my $2.13 cents worth. Cosmo Edited due to forum policy violation regarding posting of pricing in public areas.
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Moderator-Vertical, Vodavi, 1A2, Outside Wire
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Rick, you might want to shop your suppliers more. There is quite a significant difference in the cost of C3 vs: C5, about 20% here.
Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX
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And the difference between CAT3 and CAT5e PLENUM is like 50% or more. If CAT5 costs you a fraction more then you have been paying too much for CAT3. Try dealing with some telecom supply houses, they stock CAT3. Only reason Graybar and others no longer stock CAT3 is because they cater to the sparkies. "Duh, gimmie a box of CAT5, ya know dat blue wire. Gotta wire up a doorbell and thermostat."
-Hal
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Some comments made by me are known to the State of California to cause irreversible brain damage and serious mental disorders leading to confinement.
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We just went through the warehouse here and found a ton of older cat 5 utp and stp cable. We are going to be using that for voice runs to use it all up.
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Hal, have you had issue with Graybar not stocking voice/CatIII? As we still order it from our Graybar in Columbus and haven't had any mention of an un-stocked item.
The cost is MUCH cheaper than Cat5e and we have always used it for voice.
- Tony Ohio Data LLC Phone systems, data networks, firewalls and servers in Central Ohio. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.
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RIP Moderator-Nisuko-Tie, General
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"Duh, gimmie a box of CAT5, ya know dat blue wire. Gotta wire up a doorbell and thermostat." so true , so true :rolleyes: (probably wondering if they should really be using cat6 for that doorbell...future and all )
Skip ------------------------------------
Serving SW and West central Fl since 1984
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I just ordered a bunch of CAT3 from CSC day before yesterday with no problems whatsoever. I did request gray and they only had white in stock at this location, but other than that, I've never had any trouble getting it. It's also a good 25-30% cheaper even in small quantities.
I did speak with my rep at Target distributing that same day and he told me that they are not stocking CAT3 anymore, but only due to low demand. I guess I won't be buying wire from them anymore.
Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX
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We usually buy 20K to 50K feet at a time. I look around for the best pricing every week. Graybar, Electric Supply / Data Com, New Tec, Target and a few others. I guess here in central Florida there must be a little difference. Most of my suppliers are from Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Etc.
Yes Hal, Graybar does cater to the sparkies, but we have been dealing with them for over 20 years and have had a great relationship.
I work my rep weekly and sometimes daily for the best pricing on wire. I have found in the last year I am pricing wire from 2,3 or 4 sources to get the best pricing, shipping is also a consideration. Some companies will ship for free if x amount is purchased and some won't.
Thank for listening,
Cosmo
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Graybar is our primary supplier and they have all the CAT3 you could want, 3 and 4 pair. I like them because they are a 1 stop shop usually. I can get whatever EMT stuff I need at the same time I get the datacom products. They will work with you on pricing for large orders but you can do better, that much is for certain.
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Originally posted by MooreTel: CG=Computer Geek
GC=General Contractor
EC=Electrical Contractor CG=Cable gods
James T Dobson Dobson Network Cabling Hampton,Va
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CG=Cable gods
In their minds maybe.
-Hal
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Some comments made by me are known to the State of California to cause irreversible brain damage and serious mental disorders leading to confinement.
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This CG is no Cable God. in fact anytime I can learn from a phone guy, I'll watch and learn all I can.
Ben Weeks Network/Phone System Administrator
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![cool cool](/forum/images/graemlins/default/cool.gif) where's the photos of good work? way off topic ![call call](/forum/images/graemlins/default/call.gif)
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yeah im a computer guy who anytime i see a phone guy i try to get as much experience from them, even if its working for minimum wage on weekends just to get some knowledge
Jay, a recovering IT guy
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The remodeled space in all concrete, all open, all white and main paths are exposed surface, consisting of: - 127 Cat 5e
- 3 RG-6
- 1-6 AWG Ground Wire
![[Linked Image from i754.photobucket.com]](https://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx190/Professor_Shadow/Telecom%20pics/OpenPanel.jpg)
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Yeah, but how come no curtains on the window? :db:
When I was young, I was Liberal. As I aged and wised up, I became Conservative. Now that I'm old, I have settled on Curmudgeon.
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Now that is the way to do it.
www.myrandomviews "Old phone guys never die, they just get locked in some closet with an old phone system and forgotten about" Retired, taking photographs and hoping to fly one of my many kites.
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<3 techflex. If you don't mind my asking, why do you ziptie the outside of the techflex?
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Originally posted by badcable: <3 techflex. If you don't mind my asking, why do you ziptie the outside of the techflex? We had to install split-tube due to cables "T-ing" off.
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You should post that photo by the rack so people know what it once looked liked before the CG's totally destroyed it.
Nice work!
Aaron
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(disclaimer: I'm a CG)
I agree with pictures of the rack...I always take pictures after doing the job right and post them next to the equipment. I find that if people think someone else gives a heck, then they are more likely to do it right.
As for patch panel vs. non-panel, I'd say it depends on the environment. But doing it to save money is probably almost always foolish. What does a patch panel cost? Compare that to a 66 block. What does a 6 foot patch cable cost? What does 6 feet of cross connect cost?
(that said, I really like VoIP - but it sure ain't cheap, and it needs people who actually understand how it works - who are thus hard to find and expensive to hire; you definitely don't save money this way!)
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Originally posted by MooreTel: CG=Computer Geek
GC=General Contractor
EC=Electrical Contractor I thought cg=cable guy!
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Originally posted by Michael Havens: Originally posted by MooreTel: [b] I thought cg=cable guy! [/b]Sorry you're mistaken, Larry=Cable Guy.
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The customer wanted me to install a new voice/data network. The first two pictures are what it looked like before I started, and the final picture is my install. And a Close-Up After: ![[Linked Image from i754.photobucket.com]](https://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx190/Professor_Shadow/Telecom%20pics/After.jpg)
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Wow, what an improvement. How come they are always willing to pay to do it right the second time?
Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX
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What is that wire coming out of the wall just above the electrical outlet? I think I spot the phone jack from your other post ![smile smile](/forum/images/graemlins/default/smile.gif)
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Originally posted by jeffmoss26: What is that wire coming out of the wall just above the electrical outlet? I think I spot the phone jack from your other post Correct Jeff. It's the same location. I had intended to run all the cable inside the wall, however I discovered that the at one time the wall had a window right there...it was just "framed in". Thus the little sticks of raceway to work around the blockages. This bid job was site unseen and 250 miles out of town. "Take what you think you might need."
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I would have used a long flex bit through the mudring below and through a larger hole behind the rack for the runs that go up. Or a new mudring can be cut in 6" above or below the blocking to allow a standard auger access to drill through. Cap it off with a blank plate or the owner can have the hole patched. Looks better IMHO than a raceway going halfway up a wall.
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This is what I was curious about... ![[Linked Image from i35.photobucket.com]](https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/jeffmoss26/After.jpg)
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Yes, that was "Customer Installed"
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Here's 3 of a switch I completed this week. ![[Linked Image from i1136.photobucket.com]](https://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n485/badcable22/rsz_4edt.jpg) Just need to heatshrink the end and done. But in reality, higherups called for braiding the cables, which I have no pictures of. I hate braiding cables. Also, please note that that mx80 is supported by a 0u shelf on the bottom, only able to secure with two screws on the top. Bottom holes were covered/occupied by shelf. there's another relay rack in back of the front relay rack supporting the back end of the equipment.
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Good job Badcable. Here is another picture of how it should be done: ![[Linked Image from i754.photobucket.com]](https://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx190/Professor_Shadow/Telecom%20pics/Photo0330.jpg)
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Avaya SMB Authorized Business Partner. ACIS/APSS ESI Certified Reseller/Installer www.regal-comm.com
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Where does one get that ladder frame? Is it the same as the Western Electric framing?
Joe
Real comms took 200lb teletypes, hand keys, sounders, operators and cranked phones!
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Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Yep Krone. This is a Community College setting, and it was impossible to capture the entire room. The picture is about 1/4 of one wall of the IDF.
I must admit I was an intermitten helper on this particular job. It's just the quality of work our company does on a regular basis.
I believe everything was CPE (except for velcro, wrap and j-hook).
The ladder frame was from our local electrical contractor supply house.
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Is that TechFlex on the wires?
Jeff Moss Moss Communications Computer Repair-Networking-Cabling MBSWWYPBX, JGAE
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Yes Jeff it is (AKA: sock). We use split if there is a chance of adding more cables, but if the panel is full then using split doesn't make sense.
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Joe,
Ladder rack is available from many supply houses (graybar, anixter, etc.) or direct from manufacturers like Newton Instruments. Any medium sized job (100 line PBX) and up (and even many smaller ones) got ladder rack.
Sam
"Where are we going and why are we in this hand basket?"
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To the ladder rack question, I've only used Chatsworth via Anixter. Good product with alot of additional features, vertical transitions, radius pieces - I think they custom manufactured some tall standoffs for us recently - but I'll need to check on that.
ProfessorShadow: Do you run into issues with the splices of the techflex rolls? I've recently been doing some longer fully socked runs, and have had multiple issues with splices in the middle of a techflex roll.
btw - I like the black. Do you comb out the cable past the sock or leave it be?
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Originally posted by badcable:
ProfessorShadow: Do you run into issues with the splices of the techflex rolls? I've recently been doing some longer fully socked runs, and have had multiple issues with splices in the middle of a techflex roll.
btw - I like the black. Do you comb out the cable past the sock or leave it be? I do run into splices and sometimes when you need multiple 75 foot piece (from rack-to-rack) it can waste a lot of time and effort. I comb it adequately in the sock, meaning it's not a perfect waterfall, but it also doesn't bulge in places. I tuck the end of the sock inside the sock and the end. Finally, dress the cables through the wire manager to the appropriate ports. (I think and earlier post might show the wiring within the panel)
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For the last few years, I always recommended patch panels for voice, as I anticipate customers eventually switching to IP phones. They will thank me when they do (although I may be shooting myself in the foot for future work). I thought this thread was titled "Pictures of Good Work"? Here's mine. Clients do pay me to "un-mess" their messes... Before (voice on left, data on right): ![[Linked Image from img.photobucket.com]](https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/genevawatch/Rack_4.jpg) After (Data side): ![[Linked Image from img.photobucket.com]](https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/genevawatch/Data_Rack_after4.jpg) After (Voice side): ![[Linked Image from img.photobucket.com]](https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/genevawatch/Voice_Rack_after3.jpg)
D. Ocean Miami, FL
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Why do clients ignore cable management when they have it? I really hate coming back to a site and seeing the patch cords going all over the place after I so carefully arranged them in a neat manner.
www.myrandomviews "Old phone guys never die, they just get locked in some closet with an old phone system and forgotten about" Retired, taking photographs and hoping to fly one of my many kites.
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In my thinking, this is how it goes down when customers run new patches:
"Oh, I need to run a patch. I better get a cable that's long enough to complete the job."
Rather than looking at the work at hand, a "layperson" (how do you like that term) will usually grab the longest premade and proceed to patch port to port, not even messing with cable management, or using a proper sized patch cord, color coding, or whichever other standards are in place. Most likely, the patch could have been completed with a 4' patch routed correctly. Now you have 6' of slack dangling in front of the rack to play with, and eventually replace.
REMEMBER - a 10' patch is much better than a properly sized 4' patch cord. [/sarcasm]
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There are still a few of us around that insist installation are done right ![[Linked Image from i754.photobucket.com]](https://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx190/Professor_Shadow/Photo0546.jpg)
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I get it, Dean (assuming you are referencing the upside-down mounting of Cisco hardware). I had to double-check since you are so tongue-in-cheek. ![wink wink](/forum/images/graemlins/default/wink.gif)
Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX
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Originally posted by EV607797: I get it, Dean (assuming you are referencing the upside-down mounting of Cisco hardware). I had to double-check since you are so tongue-in-cheek. I think that is simply a Cisco box. Maybe he's refering to the size wire tray used for the one ground wire. Just kidding. Looks good so far, show us some pictures when it is done.
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Job is already completed. Yes, I believe it was just an empty box.
This is a data center for a well known dot.com. I think there were 45 4 post racks in this one room.
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I just went back to a seasonal customer (hotel/restaurant) to make sure everything is working for the Summer rush. I maintain their phone system, point of sale (POS) wiring, and computer network.
The customer paid me a lot of money a few years ago to put every low voltage wire in many hundreds of feet of PVC conduit, for both indoor and outdoor terminations, for the obvious reasons of keeping everything weather resistant and also rodent resistant during the off-season.
Every POS location has two Cat5e wires -- one for service, one for back-up -- so in the middle of a mad weekend, they can just unplug a kitchen printer, for instance, from the "A" port to the "B" port, and service is not interrupted.
During the winter, an electrician did some renovation in the kitchen. One of the printer locations had its conduit (with two gray Cat5e wires inside) cut off near its location, and now is fed with one blue Cat5e wire TIE-WRAPPED TO THE CONDUIT, all the way back through walls and ceilings, to the MDF / patch panel.
At the patch panel, the lone blue wire is punched down on a single biscuit /jack, stuck next to the original 24-port jack panel. He could have just re-used the existing wires, or he could have used them as a drag for TWO new wires, and he could have used one (or two) of the spare jacks on the panel or he could have used the two original jacks.
I don't understand why they take more effort to do it wrong, than to follow the lead of the person who originally did a picture-perfect job.
Arthur P. Bloom "30 years of faithful service...15 years on hold"
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Because they don't have the knowledge or training required to do it right. Guy was probably a 3months or so apprentice that had no idea what the word "QUALITY" entails. "Can you run wire?" "Sure, how do you start it?"
When I was young, I was Liberal. As I aged and wised up, I became Conservative. Now that I'm old, I have settled on Curmudgeon.
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Originally posted by Arthur P. Bloom:
I don't understand why they take more effort to do it wrong, than to follow the lead of the person who originally did a picture-perfect job. More $$$ doing a crappy job, than taking pride in a job well done and doing right by your customer. I must me lazy, because I will always find the easiest way do get a job done, and the job done right at the same time.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
Member
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Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150 |
Here's one for a 5 story office with everything home run to the second floor server room Of course everything starts getting ugly when the carriers begin mounting their routers. (See back wall) ![[Linked Image from stoph.smugmug.com]](https://stoph.smugmug.com/Other/Camera-photos/i-rZss42k/0/L/promoworks-data-room-L.jpg)
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,808 Likes: 18
Retired Admin
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Retired Admin
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,808 Likes: 18 |
When I view the second picture I keep hearing...
Dave Bowman: "Open the pod bay doors, HAL."
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OS 7030
by Bushmills - 09/03/24 12:42 PM
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