Any recommendations for a network cabinet?

[Andeh1]

Hi all,

We are in the processing of finishing off our new build, and the builder has installed the cat6 but I need to supply & fit the hardware. We have 2 x cat6a per room, 4 x per study and 4 x lounge. Probably have nearly 30-40 odd in totally.

We also have 8 x pairs of ext POE Cameras, incl hard drive controller for them all.

The router will be in here as well, and there is cabling for a central Sky box if we wish (sent over CAT6a if we wish).

As a result, I now need to look at the housing for all of this. It has been several years since I ever looked at this & my last one was pretty amateurish. I know I can do it all...just want to make sure I do it right this time!

The space:


I am looking at something like this, wall mounted:
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/164404-12...

But wanted to seek wider thoughts before I took the plunge?

[robsdesk]

We have something similar in terms of requirements - about 40 outlets around the house, router (rack mounted) & poe switch, I used something similar to this: Jingchengmei 3U Lightweight Foldable Wall Mount Patch Panel Bracket - 19 inch Steel Vertical Mounting Bracket for Network and Data Equipment (3U35P) https://amzn.eu/d/fihFxnI you can get 48 port 1u patch panels.

Much less intrusive than a cabinet (I was a bit restricted for depth so mounting this way was preferable), you can get heavier duty versions if you wanted to add a CCTV recorder in.

[LooneyTunes]

I really like these when there’s a lot to go in: https://www.comms-express.com/categories/datacel-6... (the hinged access is very useful) and use these as any secondary cabinets when needed elsewhere around the place: https://www.comms-express.com/categories/datacel-v...

I’m on about my sixth installation now and the big lesson I’ve learned is forget punchdown terminations, always use toolless keystone jacks (I use the Excel ones https://www.comms-express.com/categories/excel-key... They are so much faster, easier, and more reliable to terminate. Leave plenty of wire when you position them and trim off the surplus with a sharp pair of snips and they close/terminate easily. Keystones also have the advantage that you make up the connection then snap it into the rack/outlet, meaning less fiddling around trying to make off terminations inside a mass of other cables in your cabinet.

Edited by LooneyTunes on Sunday 4th June 09:13

[emperorburger]

APC Netshelter if you are flush.

https://www.comms-express.com/products/apc-ar112sh...

[Andeh1]

emperorburger said:

APC Netshelter if you are flush.

https://www.comms-express.com/products/apc-ar112sh...

Thanks very much, I love that APC one...but that price! Is there an equivalent one for half the price? I do think thats the sort of one I would prefer to go with.

The 90 degree ones that offer front & back, look great for installation aid, but I do plan to fit & forget...and with NAS/access to front being more regular, would prefer to have it front facing.

LooneyTunes said:

I really like these when there’s a lot to go in: https://www.comms-express.com/categories/datacel-6... (the hinged access is very useful) and use these as any secondary cabinets when needed elsewhere around the place: https://www.comms-express.com/categories/datacel-v...

I’m on about my sixth installation now and the big lesson I’ve learned is forget punchdown terminations, always use toolless keystone jacks (I use the Excel ones https://www.comms-express.com/categories/excel-key... They are so much faster, easier, and more reliable to terminate. Leave plenty of wire when you position them and trim off the surplus with a sharp pair of snips and they close/terminate easily. Keystones also have the advantage that you make up the connection then snap it into the rack/outlet, meaning less fiddling around trying to make off terminations inside a mass of other cables in your cabinet.

Edited by LooneyTunes on Sunday 4th June 09:13

These toolless designs look very interesting. Sniping the cables, orientating them, sliding them into the plugs to crimp & test was a hateful job, that i did OK with but it'll be a long ass job.

For each of the rooms, I intended to terminate into a Cat6 jack with a punch down tool. Not as bad as trying to terminate them into a plug, but still a faff. Only issue is the electrician has left each pair of cables in a single socket with 2 clip in faceplate/terminals I need to buy and use. Something like the below:
https://www.yesss.co.uk/module-cat6-utp-50x25mm-wh...



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Would a 450mm deep rack be deep enough, or do I really need 600mm deep?

Edited by Andeh1 on Sunday 4th June 10:40

[Andeh1]

Along with looking for the network cabinet, I also need to work out how I install the cables. Is the below logic ok? Obviously I need network rack compatible equip to install it, but this is how you set up a network? / using the right terminology?

Am I right in thinking I terminate each of the wires into a *patch panel* like the below. DO I need to install each cable into a RJ45 or can I use a punch down type design which I think is easier then RJ45 connectors?
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CXPPC48.html...

Then I use link leads to connect each of these into a *managed hub* like the below.
https://www.comms-express.com/products/tp-link-tl-...

My *Router* then connects into the *managed hub* to provide broadband to each of the rooms?



Then for CCTV, I simply buy a CCTV hub with 8 cameras, and each of the CAT6 to those get terminated into a rj45 which plugs into the CCTV's hub?




Then for CCTV:

[SteveKTMer]

Andeh1 said:

Along with looking for the network cabinet, I also need to work out how I install the cables. Is the below logic ok? Obviously I need network rack compatible equip to install it, but this is how you set up a network? / using the right terminology?

Am I right in thinking I terminate each of the wires into a *patch panel* like the below. DO I need to install each cable into a RJ45 or can I use a punch down type design which I think is easier then RJ45 connectors?
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CXPPC48.html...

Then I use link leads to connect each of these into a *managed hub* like the below.
https://www.comms-express.com/products/tp-link-tl-...

My *Router* then connects into the *managed hub* to provide broadband to each of the rooms?



Then for CCTV, I simply buy a CCTV hub with 8 cameras, and each of the CAT6 to those get terminated into a rj45 which plugs into the CCTV's hub?




Then for CCTV:

I would split your cables into two sets, so for example you have four sockets in each study - put two of those into one set and the other two into the other set, then you punch each set into a separate patch panel and connect each patch panel to a separate switch. This gives you some resilience - if one switch fails you don't lose all of your network, only half the sockets in each room.

I would use patch panels - punch the cable down - you cable tie the cable to the panel and cable tie the cables together as you go along the panel. You do this at 90 degrees to the panel so you can remove it and pull one end out if you need to swap a cable or get to something behind the panel. It's usually fit and forget as far as the cable goes but the rest of the install won't be.

Link the switches with a short patch cable.

Don't use anything which says hub - it's got to be a switch and it needs to be 10/100/1000 or 100/1000 - 1000 is the gigabit speed you need. Do you have PoE equipment ? If so get switches that have a number of PoE ports, check the PoE spec of your WiFi access points.

Yes, broadband router plugs into one of the switches.

For CCTV I would punch those cables into the patch panels then use patch leads to connect those to the CCTV device.

[LordLoveLength]

Canford Audio have a wide range of wall / floor cabinets with or without doors etc

https://www.canford.co.uk/Wall-mount-racks

[Andeh1]

Thanks all for the advice, can you check my homework please?

I am assuming approx 48 total Network ports for house. Grouped in two 2 groups, not sure how ill group them but ill find a logic that works. House is all CAT6a installed, so targeting Gigabit capability.


1) Cabinet:
https://www.comms-express.com/products/lande-20u-1...

2) Patch Panel (three of them....2 x Home, 1 x for PoE/CCTV??)
https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/cat6a-patch-panels/9...

3) Network Switch:
https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/switches/3879-tp-lin...

3) Power for it all: [I would like one where you can turn off sockets individually if reboot required - struggling to find one??]
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EN84053-Horizontal-Surge-...

4) Patch Cables: [ill colour coordinate bedrooms, v study, v lounge, v kitchen etc]
https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/rj45-network-cables/...


Any thoughts?

Edited by Andeh1 on Sunday 4th June 12:45

[LooneyTunes]

Don’t use punchdown patch panels, use the ones they take keystone jacks!

https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-low-p...

[Andeh1]

LooneyTunes said:

Don’t use punchdown patch panels, use the ones they take keystone jacks!

https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-low-p...

Thanks Looney, I have re-read your post above but there is a broken link.

Just as I am a layman approaching this, would the below be what I require in place of the patch panels:

1) the rack mount:
https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-low-p...

2) 2 x lots of the below
https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-cat6a...


and just for super layman:

You feed the cable through the hole, extract the 8 x wire, punch down into the colour coordinated terminals, trim excess, snap off...then click into place within rack?

[LooneyTunes]

Yes, they’re the ones.

I’m by a cabinet that is part finished so took a couple of photos.

Keystone (with an rj46 patch lead plugged in as it’s in use) on the end of a Cat6a


That’ll then have the patch lead temporarily unplugged before the keystone is snapped into the panel:


Means you have plenty of cable to work with, and dead easy then to access the panel by swinging the cabinet forward.

ETA, with the toolless ones you strip the outer jacket, trim the central wire guide, pass the cable through the reach piece, untwist the cables, sit them into the guide slots, trim, line up the wire holder with the front, then close the back of the keystone. No punching down needed as closing the back of the unit causes teeth to bite through the insulation of each wire.

Edited by LooneyTunes on Sunday 4th June 13:00

[mrmistoffelees]

It's worth testing the cables when you've got them punched down/installed/whatever you're doing. You can get cheapo things off Amazon which light up if each core is connected which is reasonable, but you may be able to borrow something if you find you've got issues which will tell you where the problem is. I'm a network engineer so have some nice toys - I've got a Fluke which will do TDR tests and show how many metres away a fault lies, which core it's on, if it's crossed and so on.

Regards cab, that's something of a personal choice. Make sure you've got enough room for future expansion. Do it once, do it well. Remember that all cabs aren't the same depth, too. So a 450mm may be problematic. Better to go 600 or even 800 if you can. If you're not going for the 90 deg access one, get one with removable side panels. They're a Godsend. The ones without side panels are an absolute arse to work on.

It may be worth thinking through how you'll do mains now. Get a PDU, with 13A outlets now. Look to wire that either to a fused spur unit on the wall or a nearby 13A outlet depending on how you want to do that/how neat you want it to be.

Consider at this point how external services such as Openreach/telecoms provider of choice will access. Put a drawstring in if you're not wanting them to clip it to the wall up to the cab.

Label things! Invest in a label maker if you've not already got one (so that you know that socket A1 in the study is A1 on the patch panel for instance).

Get some cable management units, also plan where this'll go in your cab (typically I go patch panel, cmu, switch, cmu, patch panel...)

Get a good number of different coloured patch leads of different lengths, and keep them in the cab. If you're going from the right hand side of the patch panel to the left hand side of the switch then a 30cm patch lead isn't going to cut it and a 2m will leave you with loads to coil up on the cable management.

Consider ventilation. Don't align it so that the cab is touching the ceiling, make sure there's airflow.

Where is the cab? Kit can be noisy! You can get soundproof cabs but they're £££.

Also if you're not precious, keep an eye out for second user cabs. I'm constantly ripping out small 6u cabs and replacing them with 12u. I've got a shipping container full of old stuff.

Edited by mrmistoffelees on Sunday 4th June 13:17

[Gary C]

I used a desktop patch panel rather than one that needs mounting in a 19" rack

Screwed to the wall alongside the switch it looks tidy

But with the number of terminations you need, a 4U 19" rack, a patch panel and a rack mount switch is the way to go.

[theboss]

Like the APC mentioned above these aren't the cheapest, but I've bought a couple of Startech units recently and have been really impressed by them

They have a lot of different designs from open frames and small cabs to fully enclosed hinged cabs in a variety of depths and heights.

https://www.startech.com/en-gb/server-management/r...

I have a hinged 20" deep one containing a load of network kit and a UPS, and its very robust. Obviously, you need to think carefully how you mount it to a wall as the rated 90kg swinging open on a hinge is not something you want hanging on with a few plasterboard plugs.

[megaphone]

OP if you're near Uxbridge/Heathrow then Mills are a good place for cabinets and patch panels.

https://www.millsltd.com/default/cabinets-enclosur...

Looking at your picture, I would mount the cabinet higher up, above head height, can you re-route the cables to come out higher?

[Andeh1]

Hi all,

just before I start buying all of this.... how does this look?

1) Cabinet:
https://www.comms-express.com/products/lande-20u-1...

2) Patch Panel (three of them....2 x Home, 1 x for PoE/CCTV??)
https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-1u-un...

2.5) Boots for cables:
https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-cat6a... do I need angled or straight?

3) Network Switch:
https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/switches/3879-tp-lin...

3) Power for it all: [I would like one where you can turn off sockets individually if reboot required - struggling to find one??]
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EN84053-Horizontal-Surge-...

4) Patch Cables: [ill colour coordinate bedrooms, v study, v lounge, v kitchen etc]
https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/rj45-network-cables/...

5) 2 x per room (to fit into the modular faceplate we have on the socket:
https://www.comms-express.com/products/excel-cat6a...

Edited by Andeh1 on Wednesday 14th June 11:44

[GuyW]

I may have missed it, are you sure the CCTV NVR/DVR is providing power to the cameras as well? If not, you'll need a POE switch.

What's your total port count? As I'd be looking at just using a single 48 port patch panel. Or if you're above this, 1x 48 port and then a subsequent 24 port for the overspill.

I'd also include a UPS to keep power going, at the very minimum the cameras during any outage.

[Buttery Ken]

Also consider PoE injectors if you've only got a few devices. PoE switches can be quite expensive.

Our CCTV has an Ethernet connected NVR but the cameras are all co-ax I think. Only PoE devices I have are my WiFi APs (Ubiqiti)

[Andeh1]

Thanks all, for now I was going to leave the cameras and POE for a later date... Just want to get the basic network installed first!


Any recommended tools for making the job easier, ie striping the cable sheeth off, punch down, testers etc?

Thanks