Patch panels connect hardware devices via cable connections or wirelessly.
Many hardware devices must be connected at times for testing or other purposes. This connection can be performed via physical cables or wirelessly. A patch panel can be used for both options.
Definition
A patch panel, also referred to as a patch bay or jackfield, is a panel that houses multiple sockets or cable connections. Patch panels can be used for video applications, telephone connections and data transfers.
Function
Several short cables plug into the front side of the patch panel, allowing access to electrical equipment that is connected. The patch cable has an in end as well as an out end, allowing users to connect devices together via the panel for interconnecting, monitoring or circuit-testing purposes. Patch panels can also be used to network computers to the Internet and each other. Wireless patch panels can connect networks via a switch, as opposed to a physical line connection.
Fun Fact
Before the onset of automatic telephone switching, or connecting, early telephone operators utilized patch panels to connect callers manually by plugging cables in and out on a switchboard.
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