Options to run ethernet cable from wall to wall mounted rack

[ARAMP1]

We're about to buy a house that is several decades old. There is a closet in the office in the middle of the house that is perfect for a server room with a rack mounted to the wall. I'm planning on wiring the house, two stories with cat6 or cat6a wire. Said office closet is on the bottom floor. I plan on running the wire through the wall at the back of the closet either down to the crawl space below the floor then distribute it to the rooms on the lower level floor or through the wall above and then into the attic where it will be distributed to the second level rooms. I'm planning on having around 40-50 drops and all will culminate back in the closet.

The question is, I'd like to have all the wires come out of the wall behind the rack so that it's a neat presentation. Do I buy some kind of AV bucket that fits into the wall, have the wires come through and terminate into a patch panel on the rack?

Or, could I have them terminate behind the closet wall into several keystones and have a multi-gang outlet? There, I could use small patch cables from the switches to the wall behind the rack.

 

[KenZ71]

Try a google image search for "patch panel wall mount "

At the risk of stating the obvious once 40 cable drops are in place it will be darn near impossible to relocate your switch, servers, etc.

Make sure whomever you share the home with understands that closet will be off limits! Ventilation and cooling may also be a concern.

 

[L&LD]

Is 'bottom floor' the basement (or a location that may also be susceptible to floods)? If so, rethink the location of the drops.

A metal frame/door (with ventilation and possibly fans) with locks is required for that closet, otherwise.

 

[ARAMP1]

Is 'bottom floor' the basement (or a location that may also be susceptible to floods)? If so, rethink the location of the drops.

A metal frame/door (with ventilation and possibly fans) with locks is required for that closet, otherwise.

It isn't susceptible to flooding at all, but good call.

I was more thinking about getting the cable from the wall to the rack. I'd rather not just cut a circle in the wall. Ideally, the inside of the wall will be sealed off from the closet somehow. I figure I'll have to insulate the openings to the attic and floor. Just looking for clean options to get the wire from the wall.

 

[alphamatter]

So, will you be using a standard 19" patch panel, such as:
http://www.pimfg.com/Product-Detail/K6P-48-B

And used in conjuction with a 4U Wall mount Bracket:
http://www.pimfg.com/Product-Detail/HMB-04-4

Will give you your 48 ports punched down on a 110 Block panel with an extra (2U) for your 48 port Network Switch.
Or, you can go with a complete 7 foot Rack and build your entire network right in there...

You could use something as simple as:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-4-in-PVC-DWV-x-Sewer-and-Drain-Adapter-3P16/100377417

for bringing the cable from behind the wall, into the closet. Then, use Foam to seal it up. Easy to use a razor to clean in up and make it cleaner looking.

For the home, I would do something like this, especially, if it's in the Closet, behind the rack. After the cable is in, I would carefully tie wrap and anchor the cable neatly to the Bracket or Rack.

 

[ARAMP1]

Will give you your 48 ports punched down on a 110 Block panel with an extra (2U) for your 48 port Network Switch.
Or, you can go with a complete 7 foot Rack and build your entire network right in there...

7 foot might be a bit overkill. I was thinking more along the lines of a wall hung 12U - 18U.

 

[alphamatter]

In my previous house, I had my network closet with (2) wall mounted 12 Port Network panels for 16 CAT 5E Network ports. I ran the cable right under the Panels and up. It was pretty clean, though the Network Patch cords from the Panel to the Network Switches were unruly. I didn't use it completely as a Network Closet, so all of my networking was mounted on the upper back wall of the Closet. I didn't a large floor footprint to use a rack.

If you have floor space, you could also consider what we call a Half Rack, basically, about a 4 ft rack, standard 19''. This will give you about 18U – 22U of space.

With this, you could have a 'Ladder' bolted to the Wall and attached to the top of the Half Rack for the Network cable be routed from the wall to the Panel(s). I suggest possibly (2) 24 Port panels, so as to split the Upstairs and Downstairs cable runs for easier troubleshooting/labeling in the future after you've laid to rest your cabling runs. If this is the case, a 1U or 2U 19'' rack mounted Routing spacer would make it nice and neat to patch to a 19'' Network Switch.

I would do this. In my home, I have Dark Fiber for INternet and 4 cabled Network Cat 5E runs. The far end of the house has a WIFI Bridge for those devices to attach to the Network Switch behind the Wifi Bridge. As everything is working well, I'm not in a hurry to update my network. Just sharing my work experience and personal experience with network setup with you that may help jog a helpful Idea for your application.

 

[coxhaus]

I would just pick one corner of the ceiling in the closet and cut a hole which you seal up after all the cables are in. You will need some slack to be able to roll the rack out. Using the ceiling will separate your power from your data cables. Your power cables will be low and data cables will be high. A patch panel would be best but not required.

 

[ARAMP1]

I would just pick one corner of the ceiling in the closet and cut a hole which you seal up after all the cables are in. You will need some slack to be able to roll the rack out. Using the ceiling will separate your power from your data cables. Your power cables will be low and data cables will be high. A patch panel would be best but not required.

Don't think that would work too well. The closet being used is on the first level, so the only place the cables would go if they went to the ceiling would be into the floor above, so it has to be in the common wall that is shared by the first and second floors if I want to get the cables up to the attic.

 

[coxhaus]

Ok, use the top corner wall. I think you will find having the cables high will be better than draped on the floor. You will need to be able to roll out the data cabinet which takes a lot of extra cable.

 

[sfx2000]

Ok, use the top corner wall. I think you will find having the cables high will be better than draped on the floor. You will need to be able to roll out the data cabinet which takes a lot of extra cable.

Definitely do not want cables on the floor - in our data centers that was a hard requirement...

 

[System Error Message]

Actually cables on the floor depends. Some places would have the floor raised so all the cabling goes under, same can be done with ceiling, the cablings hidden within LED arrays that can make the place look more futuristic.

you dont particularly need 48 cables, it really depends on how many you plan on having. The patch panels only for those that go out of the cabinet so all devices in the cabinet itself plug directly to switch. With sufficient ports you can have the modem where it needs to be but the router anywhere.

You can however colour code them to make it easier for which room/floor as in using cables of particular colours.

most likely you will end up with 24 ports, it really depends on how many cables per room.

The sight of the wires coming out the top sides of the cabinet is much better than floor.

As for cooling, if there is room above the cabinet have it vented. Make sure there is a place for air intake like in the front of the cabinet. Vents/grills help with cooling and perhaps lock and key if you are planning to share the house,

 

[sfx2000]

Actually cables on the floor depends. Some places would have the floor raised so all the cabling goes under, same can be done with ceiling, the cablings hidden within LED arrays that can make the place look more futuristic.

you dont particularly need 48 cables, it really depends on how many you plan on having. The patch panels only for those that go out of the cabinet so all devices in the cabinet itself plug directly to switch. With sufficient ports you can have the modem where it needs to be but the router anywhere.

You can however colour code them to make it easier for which room/floor as in using cables of particular colours.

most likely you will end up with 24 ports, it really depends on how many cables per room.

The sight of the wires coming out the top sides of the cabinet is much better than floor.

As for cooling, if there is room above the cabinet have it vented. Make sure there is a place for air intake like in the front of the cabinet. Vents/grills help with cooling and perhaps lock and key if you are planning to share the house,

High density ethernet cabling needs planning - there's certain best practices that ensure that things are manageable...

Here's a couple of good guides on best practices...

https://www.brocade.com/content/dam...guide/cabling-best-practices-ga-bp-036-02.pdf

http://www.cisco.com/web/tsweb/pdf/Guidelines-and-Best-Practices.pdf