This topic

Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Paulo4 — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:05:02 GMT

Hi all

I have searched the forum but can't find anything on what I would like to know!

We live in a new build with the ONT in a hallway cupboard and patch panel to 3 RJ45 ports (lounge, office, study) dotted around the house all of which we use. What I would like to know is can I move the router from the cupboard to the lounge port but then still use the patch panel in the hallway cupboard so we can still use the other 2 ports without having to run cables from the router back to the patch panel?

Thanks in advance!

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:10:04 GMT

You would need to add a cheap 4/5 port switch in the cupboard to redistribute the feed from the router. Something like theTP-Link LS1005G is under a tenner.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Paulo4 — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:16:36 GMT

I tried that but couldn't get it to work, would you mind detailing what I need to plug where?

Thanks

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:28:30 GMT

Ethernet from Hub to lounge port.

Ethernet from all ports on the panel to any ports on the switch.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

countrypaul — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:31:45 GMT

If there is only 1 RJ45 port in the lounge you will not be able to simply use the patch panel. You will to patch from ONT in the cupboard to Router in the Lounge and from Router in the Lounge back to the patch panel in the cupboard. The Gigabit Ethernet uses all 8 wires in the cable so you cannot run both through the same cable. You might be able to use Powerline adapters to go back from the Lounge to the cupboard, or directly to one of the other rooms.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:32:10 GMT

Scratch that, you will be using the lounge port to feed the ONT to the Hub, so forget what I said.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Paulo4 — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:40:55 GMT

Wow I am confused as to what I need to put where! Essentially we have the same setup as this

With 3 single RJ45 ports in each room. I want to take the router out of the cupboard and put it in the lounge but still use the other 2 ports around the house. I have had a go but can't get it to work!

Thanks

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

countrypaul — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:58:45 GMT

When you say 3 single ports in each room, does that mean each room has a single RJ45 port (which is what I thought you meant initially) or that each room has 3 RJ45 ports. If the latter do you know what is connected to what?

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Paulo4 — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:00:11 GMT

Correct, a single RJ45 in each room

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

WSH — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:18:29 GMT

If I've understood you correctly your problem is this...

The problem is that the cable from the ONT to the router is effectively not part of your network. It’s part of the connection to the outside world, known as the WAN. Your internal network starts at the router and is known as the LAN. So, what you would need is a minimum of two cables going to your router. One from the ONT to the WAN port on the router and another separate cable from one of the LAN ports on the router back to the patch panel in the hall. Of course, you should have four ports on the router, so that should leave at least two connections for things in the lounge. The cable to the patch panel then enables the connections to the other two rooms.

(I did try and do you a diagram but this website seems completely usueless at loading a diagram and I was in danger of losing the will to live after a few minutes).

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

licquorice — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:21:46 GMT

Forget you have got a patch panel, simply think of your network as just long Ethernet leads. How would you connect things with just leads, it will be exactly the same using the patch panel.

The patch panel is only of use where you have multiple Ethernet ports to service it, i.e a router or a switch.

The simple answer to your original question is no.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

countrypaul — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:26:18 GMT

From the ONT you need a connection to your router, but from your router you need connections to the rooms. You can patch from the router to the RJ45 in you cupboard to each room and provide ethernet to each room in that way. You will use one cable from router to ONT and 3 cables from router to the RJ45 ports in your cupboard.

If you want to move your router to the lounge you would have to patch the ONT to the RJ45 for the lounge and in the lounge patch from the RJ45 port to the router. There would be no way to connect the other 2 RJ45 ports in the cupboard easily to the router. There are ways round this but none are that simple. You could plug a powerline adapter in a mains socket in the lounge and patch from router to the powerline adapter, the plug another into a socket in the cupboard and patch from there into the RJ45 for the office and a second patch to the study (some powerline adapters accept 2 ethernet connections). Note that powerline adapters are very unlikely to give the performance as a proper Ethernet connection.

Why do you want to move the router to the lounge?

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

WSH — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:30:41 GMT

Sorry, forgot an important point in my last...

You would also need a 5 port gigabit unmanaged switch to connect the three patch panel ports together. Should be less than £20.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Paulo4 — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:55:11 GMT

Thanks everyone for you help. I managed to move the router to the lounge through a combination of connecting the wan to the port in the lounge but this has just made there other 2 RJ45 ports in the house unusable. I dont really want to go down the route of using powerline adapters so it looks like it is a non starter

I some ways I am pleased with the outcome because it is what I had thought, its just nice to have confirmation from users who know more than me!

I only wanted to move the router for better wifi coverage in the rest of the house/garden but looks like I might go down the AP route to achieve that

Thanks

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 17:39:37 GMT

@Paulo4

Apologies for causing confusion. Note to self to not hastily skim read & post before leaving the house!

The AP would almost certainly be the best solution.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

spile — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 06:50:35 GMT

So just run a single cable from the ONT to the wan port of the router. Then everything else on the network from the other lan ports of the router including any switches.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Devon_Dave — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 07:45:35 GMT

ONT to lounge RJ45 port. Plug hub in

Connect powerline adaptor to hub using one of the RJ45 sockets. In the lounge

Plug the other powerline adaptor into mains socket in cupboard.

Obtain a 5 port switch, plug 1 port into the powerline adaptor in cupboard, then each of your other ports on the patch panel plug into the switch.

Re: Move Router from ONT but still use patch panel

Paulo4 — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 09:29:51 GMT

Thanks, I tried that last night but noticed significant performance drop off from the other 2 RJ45 ports around the house. I have also tried a powerline adapter in the back bedroom and that seems to provide adequate speed into the garden.

I guess another option could be to change the Smart Hub router for something with better Wi-Fi coverage?