[conspire] (forw) Re: [TAG] Wiring a house with ethernet

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Dan Martinez (dfm at razorwind.org):

> [This is my first attempt at posting to conspire. Please kill me
> *gently* if it's off-topic or otherwise unauthorized, and I promise
> never to do it again. Thanks.]

Hi, Dan.

The old rule of thumb from mailing lists, newsgroups, and BBS
echo-conferences of the '80s and '90s was that offtopic digressions are
welcome to the extent that they're some combination of:

o brief
o amusing
o non-annoying
o infrequent

Our little foray into hardware neepery might bore some software-only
folks and others, but not a lot or for long.   ;->


> > o  Siemon Company Modapt RJ45 pin-breakout tool (w/pin-diagrams for
> >    T568A, T568B, and USOC)
> 
> Interesting. Didn't know that one. It took me a second to figure out
> its purpose from the image and description I was able to dig up:
> 
> http://www.homenetworkgear.com/catalog/model_MODAPT.htm
> 
> I take it that each of the indentations around the edge is a contact
> corresponding to one of the pins? Elegant and useful, that. I might
> have to get one.

Yes, and they are indeed very handy.

> o One or more Ethernet loopback plugs
> 
> While no substitute for full-blown cable testers with remotes,
> loopback plugs make it relatively straightforward to verify that you
> have correctly identified the patch-panel socket corresponding to a
> network outlet somewhere else in the house.

I used to have a few homebrewed ethernet loopback plugs.  I wonder where
they ran off to?  ;->