How to Set Up a Patch Panel

An Ethernet patch panel makes wiring management easier.

An IEEE-802.3 based Category 5 Ethernet patch panel is typically installed in wiring closets in office environments as a central location for Ethernet wiring to terminate. With all the Ethernet cable runs terminating at a patch panel, it makes it easier to manage and upgrade the Ethernet network as necessary. For example, if a new faster switch is upgraded, it is easier to connect the shorter Ethernet cables to a patch panel than to manage each individual cable run.

Things You'll Need

• Ethernet punchdown tool

Instructions

1. Remove approximately 2 inches of the outer shield of each Ethernet cable to connect to the patch panel.

2. For each Ethernet cable, untwist and straighten all the inner colored wires.

3. Place each color coded wire into the matching color coded spot on the back of the patch panel.

4. Secure the color coded wires to the patch panel with the punchdown tool.

5. Use wire cutters to trim the ends off the punched-down wires if the punchdown tool does not do this when the wires are punched down.

Tips & Warnings

• Most patch panels have color coded wiring for two different wiring schemes. Choose the "B" scheme for traditional Ethernet networks.