Rj45 Network Patch Panel

What is a Patch Panel?

We live in a world where everything is wireless. We do not have a lot of need for cables and cords these days, we tend to reply on the internet and electronic signals. However, nothing can beat the connection speed of a cable and that is why they are relied upon a lot in commercial buildings, where communication needs to be quick and simple.
However, it wouldn’t be practical to have a million wires going through various walls to their desired location. Nobody likes spaghetti junction – it’s not practical. That’s where patch panels come in and they sort out the cable tangles and twists.
A patch panel is essential a box of ports that various cables fit into. These ports allow for connections to be made between different rooms and allow data to be passed easily without the need of thousands of individual connections. A port panel could contain several ports that may point to a different location. The result is a neat and tidy system that allows connections to be made quickly and efficiently (normally in commercial buildings with lots of floors).

How Does a Patch Panel Work?

Patch panels use a lot of different ports to make connections both external and internal. Usually, they are used to manage office buildings/commercial buildings that need to connect up their computers to one another, as well as to outside lines. Not only are patch panels used for LANs but also for general electronics and communications. Patch panels are also a way to connect LANs to wide area networks to enable connection to the internet. If there are any problems with the communication systems or connections, the solution becomes simplified because patch panels are a plug and go system. This is why they are used a lot in the music industry where different devices need to be connected if everything is to run smoothly.

Patch Panels: Why Are They Needed?

Have you ever tried to sort out the plugs under your computer? If you’re not an organized individual, you may have not noticed that the wires behind the computer are tangled and twisted, which is a huge problem when you’re trying to find a plug socket or an input jack.
Patch panels solve this issue by removing the need for hundreds of cables and connections. They are essentially cable management systems and more recent designs are focusing on this aspect. New designs have a front access design that enables individuals to access the connections easier and make changes where needed.
You’ll often find that patch panels are used in telecommunication departments where thousands of connections are made every minute. If something needs changing to the central network infrastructure it can be done relatively easily.

Copper or Fiber: What is the Difference?

When you want to make a communication network more efficient, you not only want to make it simpler but also faster. A fast network is a happy network and every patch panel system is measured and tested to see whether it is up to scratch and matches the standard that’s required of it.
However, there is option confusion over which is better: copper or fiber. The truth is that there is little difference – they actually conduct just as well as each other and there is no change in speed. The only noticeable difference between the two is that fiber patch panels are a lot more expensive.

Conclusion

Patch panels are essential if you have a lot of cables and external connections to be made. They are often found in big corporate buildings that need LANs as well as connections to wider networks and the internet. They tidy up the network architecture and make everything simpler. With a patch panel, you won’t have a lot of headaches when it comes to finding the right cable for the right job.