First off let me introduce myself since this my first post. I am a systems administrator (one of those IT guys I keep reading about on your forum) except I know when something has me licked.
After a fire at one of my clients, they decided to build new. I am taking care of the data wiring, have did that for quite some time. What has me a bit puzzled is the choice in phone equipment. Unfortunately, I don't have any say because the owner is determined he knows better (and doesn't want to spend additional money on a PBX).
-Cabling: Cat5E, most places are either 4 or 6 drops for multiple items (it amazed me how many optometrist measurement devices are now Ethernet capable.) I know many of you guys don't like running Cat5 for voice but again, out of my hands.
-Phones: Typical office superstore with 4 line up to 16 extensions. I tried like a dickens to get him to go with my vendor and let them install a small ESI or Vodavi system but had no luck.
-Lines: Unfortunately he has a long standing with his cable company providing him 4 lines and has had no problems. Same as the phones, owner knows better...I'd rather deal with the telco but once again, he pays the bills that let me continue eating...and from the size of my gut, I like to do that often!
All of the Cat 5 cabling will go to patch panels and I planned on taking whatever type of output from the cable company to a 66. What I'm not sure about is how I should "hub" all these phones together.
My initial thought was: Floor drop patch panel -> Patch cable -> Telephone patch panel where all 4 pairs are connected together and taking the lines from the 66 back into a 8P8C modular connector into the first port of the panel to feed the voice circuits into each pair.
On the station end, 8P8C modular at the wall that splits into two 6P4C to enter the phone.
I obviously
know there's no
real "right" way to do this as 16 extensions SHOULD be on a PBX but for now I'm stuck working with this without option of using an outside telephone guy.
I will deeply appreciate any suggestions and criticisms.
Thanks!
