Patch Panel/ Switch

technoboy18 · 14-06-2011, 15:24

Hi guys,

My company is moving premises and this is what I have found. Top and bottom parts seem to be patch panels? (I really have no idea what they are but I did Google it)

We will be having brand new server and I am just wondering what I would need to do to get this all working?

I have found 10 wall cat 5e sockets and I have used two laptops with static ip address and plugging one into wall socket and other one using ethernet cable into correct port on patch panel just to get them to communicate. For some reason if I plug into socket labeled 1 into port 1 they seem to communicate but if i plug into wall socket labeled 1 and into port 2 of patch panel I can't get ping to work.

Observation: There are number of ethernet cables hanging lose from top and bottom patch panels but middle was empty.
Hardware:

Top (no marking 12 ports)
Middle (Krone 24 ports)
Bottom (BICC Brand-rex 24 ports)

I hope photos help. Am I missing a switch in this configuration? Because if it was switch I wouldn't be so confused but with these devices I am not sure what I need to do in order to get fully functional network.

Please let me know if there is any other information you would like me to provide.

mrmistoffelees · 14-06-2011, 15:36

how many devices do you need to connect ? incliduing servers etc ?
will the network need internet access ?

But yes you need a switch

technoboy18 · 14-06-2011, 15:44

Hi, We will have 1 server 5 desktop units.

Because I have two patch panells do I now buy switch and plug them both into a switch?

I really am lost on this one..

---------- Post added at 14:38 ---------- Previous post was at 14:37 ----------

And yes network will need internet access..

1 Server
5 Base units
1 BT Business Router
1 Printer

---------- Post added at 14:44 ---------- Previous post was at 14:38 ----------

I think all wall sockets are fully functional. So just need to connect these two up into one switch and then from server to switch? I hope someone could explain.

Siuko · 14-06-2011, 16:15

They all definitely look like patch panels...

The top one reminds me of a fibre patch panel.

Patch panels are just there to neatly finish off a network setup so that its easier to patch into the switch.

Try to get a logical idea in your head where each cable leads - from which socket to which patch panel port.

You will then need to get short patch leads to go from these patch panel ports to your switch.

The switch is the bit that will do the magic of moving the data between the computers.

You can either plug your servers and BT router direct into your switch or if you have plenty of wall sockets (once they are patched up correctly) plug them into those.

technoboy18 · 14-06-2011, 16:50

Hi Siuko,
Thank you so much for the reply.
The wall sockets are all labeled and as you can see the numbers on wall sockets match the letters above the ports on patch panels. (tested via two laptops and ping)
Patch leads are what I would call RJ45 leads? They are already in there so I guess if I just plug them all into switch that should be physical side of network complete?

I was under impression that I will plug the BT router in the network card on server and second network card on server into the switch?

Which would make BT router default gateway.. or do I plug BT router into CAT 5E socket and give it static ip address of 192.168.1.254?

I just inspected network in current office where I work and totally all the leads from patch panels are plugged in into a switch.

THANK YOU SIUKO. You are a star. But yeah please let me know if I didn't get it.

MovedGoalPosts · 14-06-2011, 17:02

There are lots of ways to set up a network, but you basically want to be able to pick up what you have at the moment from one office and plonk it down in the new one.

Think of patch panels as just a load of connection sockets. Each socket is just one end of a very long cable which then has a socket on the wall near a desk. Just as you use a short lead to connect a computer to the wall socket you need a short lead to connect the patch panel to the networking device. Patch leads are short ethernet cables and yes they will have a RJ45 plug on each end.

It sounds as though your current server has two network cards. One is plugged into your BT modem, the other then connects to a switch from where ethernet leads then connect to your office's computers. The switch is a powered device which does all the magical work of joining a load of the otherwise dumb ethernet cables together letting everything speak.

Siuko · 14-06-2011, 17:41

Well your BT router might go into the server IF your server is doing something special...

If your server was some sort of content or proxy server it possibly would work that way...

What sort of BT router is it? Many newer routers are small switches themselves which could just be plugged into the main switch... and as you say make the BT router the default gateway.

Some old routers (well the adsl modem's anyway) had to have a computer to be hosted on.

Hopefully you will have a newer one that can act as a default gateway.. and hopefully your network is setup so all computers only require a default gateway for internet access (rather than a proxy/firewall etc)

mrmistoffelees · 15-06-2011, 11:11

I'm in the barbers at the moment but I'll write a config up when I get home

technoboy18 · 16-06-2011, 16:50

I will be setting it all up next week so I will make a tutorial because you guys helped me understand something and I hope my tutorial helps other people.
I will be installing Small Business Server 2011 on HP ML330 G6 server and using BT Business Hub ADSL router.. Honestly you wouldn't believe that BT BUSINESS HUB router by default is set to give up DHCP!
I am lucky that I spotted that.

16-06-2011, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by technoboy18

.... BT Business Hub ADSL router.. Honestly you wouldn't believe that BT BUSINESS HUB router by default is set to give up DHCP!
I am lucky that I spotted that.

Errrr most routers have DHCP enabled - the ones that I have seen have anyway...

jamiefrost · 16-06-2011, 22:00

Depends what they mean by business routers, any business with one or more servers I would expect DHCP to be carried out by the server along with any group policies and active directory etc. not the router.

BT probably class the business router as anyone not on a residential line, for SLAs etc.

JJ

technoboy18 · 17-06-2011, 17:59

Are patch panels commonly used in up to date networks?
Or is something else used currently?
Would love a few photos of what is used for what.

LSainsbury I am aware that most home routers are enabled to give out DHCP but Business router should really have that feature turned off due to the fact its going to be used in business enviroment.

mrmistoffelees you must be having a very long haircut.. hehe :] Only joking. Seriously appreciate the help.

Also we are moving offices and its a fresh network install. But I found cabling done in the new building so I am trying to use up as much as possible.

Thank you.

MovedGoalPosts · 17-06-2011, 19:03

Patch panels are very much used in current networks. Indeed their benefits are even greater than a few years ago. Run a load of wires to the desk positions, then you can use the patch panel termination to separate out, or integrate the various services. Some stuff like printers might only operate at 10mbit speeds so why waste your expensive gigabit ports on those? For a small office yes that might not be importants but in a large office there could be lopnger term savings on energy and shorter term savings on kit.

Of course if you don't use a patch panel then you just stick the RJ45 plug on the end of each lead and connect those direct to the switch. That's absoluitely fine, but how are the cables marked so you know which came from where in case of troublshooting, or need to change stuff around. In my own office of 20 users, I find I'm often switching some cables so they rout through the server, and other times direct from the modem.