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Question

Terminating structured wire at a central panel

Jul 16, 2014 4:12AM PDT

My major home renovation = opp to "future proof" wire my entire house. I plan to install stall a structured wire (a pvc-jacketed single cable containing (2) CAT6 Ethernet + (2) RG6 Quad Shield wires) into each room, and all of them will lead to a central location where my new Verizon or Comcast TV+Internet service will be installed.

So far (although I'm open to suggestions) I plan to install a Legrand metal wall enclosure in lieu of a full-fledged server rack due to space constraints, and all of the 11 or 12 incoming structured wires will be fed inside that wall enclosure (that so far will contain a mini punch panel for the 11 or 12 CAT6 connections and a passive video splitter for using no more than 4 video feeds; this means that most of my RG6 wires will be unused for the near future).

My question is: do I split the jacketed structured cable into its (2) CAT6 and (2) RG6 wired OUTSIDE of the metal wall enclosure, or do I first feed the 11 or 12 structured cables inside that enclosure and THEN split them into the 4 separate wires?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
I've seen such before
Jul 16, 2014 4:17AM PDT

And then they want HDMI cables run so your future proof is often best done with conduit with the pull string ready to pull what is needed later. Ethernet wiring is dropping out of favor but I think some love it still. I use powerline networking to make the jump today.
Bob

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HDMI is OK but...
Jul 16, 2014 4:31AM PDT

Yes, they'll tell you that HDMI is the way to go, but then others will also say that fiber optic wiring is best, and then there is probably something else that I am omitting.

Since I have to draw the line somewhere then I'm betting that if I really need HDMI in the future then there will be an effective way to run "HDMI over CAT6" or "HDMI over RG6" - hence my decision to use the jacketed cable.

As for using conduits - that is a good suggestion. Maybe I will do that for a few of my runs.

Regarding your use of powerline ethernet: for me does that simply mean using my CAT6 wire with a PoE-enabled digital switch?

As for my original question about terminating the structured wire at the "wiring closet" panel: how would you organize that area?

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That's just one of my solutions.
Jul 17, 2014 2:07AM PDT

Powerline networking is all over the web so I won't duplicate that here. But it is a solution I like to use.

As to "terminating" I run the cable to the closet and then cut it off cleanly, tape and then all important mark where it came from. I take a heavy 200 pound sheet of paper and with my sharpie draw a map of the house and sketch cable runs, rooms are labeled A, B, C etc so I save myself time with the cable ringer later.

Tony has insured that he'll be in the cable room for a year.
http://b2b.cbsimg.net/gallery/6413811-428-713.jpg

Bob

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Do I separate the structured wires OUTSIDE/INSIDE the panel
Jul 17, 2014 12:55PM PDT

I like the photo. Hopefully that is not where I'm heading.

I am terminating about 12 structured wires at a 28" Legrand metal wall enclosure. Each incoming structured wire contains (2) CAT6 and (2) RG6 wires. Which of these options is recommended: Do I separate each structured wire OUTSIDE the metal enclosure (and then feed a bundle of (24) CAT6 and a bundle of (24) RG6 into the panel), or do I first feed the bundle of 12 structured wires intact INTO the metal enclosure before I then split them into separate CAT6 and RG6 bundles?

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Your choice.
Jul 17, 2014 2:57PM PDT

I can't guess your design or aesthetic goals. For me, I wire as need be and label the rest.
Bob

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INSIDE or OUTSIDE?
Jul 18, 2014 3:16AM PDT

Aesthetics aside, my design goals will be driven by your (or anyone else knowledgable on the subject) answer to that question, so let me reframe the same question: is there some factor that I am not taking into consideration that should warrant me do the INITIAL separation of the incoming structured wires into its CAT6 and RG6 wires OUTSIDE or INSIDE the panel?

Here is one possible reason why I am asking: in case I eventually connect a security device to the network then that device MAY NOT qualify for an insurance discount if parts of it (or possibly parts of the network's cable wiring itself? or possibly where I initially break down the jacketed cable?) are located OUTSIDE or INSIDE of a fire-resistant panel.

So, it is for reasons like this that are currently unknown to me that I am asking: should I do all of the splitting apart of the incoming structured wire INSIDE of the panel, or can I do some of the initial breaking apart of the incoming structured cable OUTSIDE of the panel (and only THEN feed the separate CAT6 and RG6 wires into the panel)?

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Since the end result is the same
Jul 18, 2014 3:20AM PDT

From a system stand point, it's a design choice and not dictated by any standard I know of. Because I like simplicity I take a cable into the box through a single opening and split it up inside. There's a time factor as well that splitting it up externally can have me cutting open the sheath and possibly breaking some code rule about the sheathing, fire rating and more.

For 2 reasons. Inside.
Bob