【My Study Note】Network Ports and Patch Panels
Network Ports and Patch Panels
Twisted pair network cables are terminated with a plug that takes the individual internal wires and exposes them.
The most common plug is known as an RJ45 (Registered Jack 45). It’s one of many cable plug specifications but by far, the most common in Computer Networking.
A network cable with an RJ45 plug can connect to an RJ45 network port.
Switches would have many network ports because their purpose is to connect many devices. But servers and desktops, usually only have one or two. Your laptop, tablet, or phone probably doesn’t have any.
Most network ports have 2 Smapll LEDs
- Link LED
- Activity LED
Link LED
The link LED will be lit when a cable is properly connected to two devices that are both powered on.
Activity LED
The activity LED will flash when data is actively transmitted across the cable. A long time ago, the flashing activity LED corresponded directly to the ones and zeros being sent.
However, Today, computer networks are so fast that the activity LED doesn’t really communicate much other than if there’s any traffic or not.
On switches, sometimes the same LED is used for both link and activity status. It might even indicate other things like link speed.
Sometimes a network port isn’t connected directly to a device. Instead, there might be network ports mounted on a wall or underneath your desk.
These ports are generally connected to the network via cables and run through the walls that eventually end at a patch panel.
But it does no other work. It’s just a container for the endpoints of many runs of cable. Additional cables are then generally run from a patch panel to switches, or routers to provide network access, to the computers at the other end of those links.