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Can the Arris XB6 Modem Be Connected Directly to the Patch Panel?

x86doom
I've been here awhile

Hi All,

 

I'm trying to utilize the Ethernet ports in the walls of my new condo. I connected the modem directly to the patch panel via Ethernet but the lights in the back of the modem won't blink green/yellow as it would normally do when connected to my laptop. Which probably means I need something in between the modem and the patch panel to translate that communication like a router? Does the the XB6 modem also act as a router? I know that some modems have that capability not sure about this one. What would I need to achieve this setup?

 

PS. I have a 5 port switch that I can connect to the modem so I can have more Ethernet ports around the unit.

 

 

***Edited Labels***

5 REPLIES 5

Re: Can the Arris XB6 Modem Be Connected Directly to the Patch Panel?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@x86doom  Thanks for the picture.  I'm not quite sure what to make of this; it looks like the jacks in each room should go straight to one of those jacks on the top row of Suttle modules, hopefully as shown in the diagram... but the wiring diagram looks mis-labelled to me.

 

The top-left module, for the Blue jacks, should have six jacks wired in but it only appears to have four.

The top-right module, for the Gray/White jacks, should have four jacks wired but only has three.

I don't know what to make of the other module below those.

 

To try to figure this out, I would plug a computer's Ethernet into one of your wall jacks, then find the other end in the patch panel by trying each jack, patching it into your LAN switch, until you get a link light.

 

One you figure out which port is which in your patch panel, I would patch each jack that you want to activate into your LAN switch and then connect the LAN switch to the "ETH 1" port on your Ignite modem.

 

I hope this helps...

Re: Can the Arris XB6 Modem Be Connected Directly to the Patch Panel?

Alex4161
I'm a senior contributor

It looks like the patch panel does not have Ethernet source connections and just fibre.   Look to see if you can plug a CAT6 cable from the XB6 port into the Telus Feed Blue Jack #1 as your input. Then plug another device from Blue Jack 2 into another device and see if you get some connectivity.  If not, you might need to look at getting a different patch panel hookup or use some coax to ethernet device to connect the devices to the modem.

Re: Can the Arris XB6 Modem Be Connected Directly to the Patch Panel?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@Alex4161 wrote:

It looks like the patch panel does not have Ethernet source connections and just fibre.


Have a closer look at the modules on the top row where the TP cables are punched down.  You'll see 8 jacks in the middle of each module.

Re: Can the Arris XB6 Modem Be Connected Directly to the Patch Panel?

Datalink
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@x86doom those modules at the top are Suttle 8 Port Cat 5 data modules, with front punch downs for the Cat 5/6 cables and front ethernet jacks.  

 

Typically you would install a router or switch between the modem and the Data Modules.  In your case it looks like there are 7 Cat 5/6 cables connected to the ports, so, you would need an 8 port unmanaged gigabit switch to connect the modem to the switch and the switch to the Data Module.  That would use all 8 of the switch ports if you were to buy an 8 port switch.  

 

The web page for the Data Module is located here:  https://www.suttlesolutions.com/shop/sam-d8/

 

Download the Datasheet using the Datasheet link.  That pdf page had a colour diagram showing the data module, switch and connected house ethernet ports.  That diagram should clear up any questions.  

 

You will probably need short jumper cables such as the following, to connect the switch to the ports:

 

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=2115

 

Flip down to the 1 ft length, 95 cents U.S. 

 

The same cable on amazon.ca is $16.95 CDN.  There's definitely something wrong there:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-Cat6-Ethernet-Patch-Cable/dp/B003L1AET2/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords...

 

So, switch plus patch cables and you should be good to go.  

 

Now, before you get there, I'd suggest testing the cabling, just to make sure that the cables and their associated punchdowns are operational.  Thats done with a quick ethernet test using an ethernet tester, which looks like this:

 

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/sperry-instruments-cable-test-plus-coax-utp-stp-tstr-tests-for-open...

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Sperry-Instruments-TT64202-Tester-Master/dp/B004Y75B5Y

 

Thats a transmitter and receiver.  Using those two test equipment pieces, you can easily determine what room is connected to what port on the Data Module, and determine if the ethernet cable is properly connected at both ends.  It will take a few seconds to recognize whether or not the cables are connected properly when you have found the correct data module ethernet port to connect to.  

 

Hopefully this clear up any questions you might have regarding the data modules and their use.

 

Edit:   One last thought, yes, you can connect the modem's ethernet port directly to any one of those ethernet ports on the data modules that have an ethernet cable punched down, either above or below the port number.  The associated ethernet port in the home should then be "live", as in available for internet use, just have to connect an ethernet cable to the intended device.  The assumption here is that the house ethernet cable is connected correctly at both ends.  This is where an ethernet tester comes into play, confirming that the house ethernet cable and its connectors are fully serviceable, before you connect any equipment at either end.  

Re: Can the Arris XB6 Modem Be Connected Directly to the Patch Panel?

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert
Hi x86doom,

You can defiantly use the Ethernet wall jacks in your condo and connect them to your Rogers ignite modem.

Now in order for this to work smoothly and properly, you must insure that the Ethernet jacks are first and foremost wired correctly to the patch panel if they are not terminated correctly to the patch panel, then you must re-terminate them. also when you are doing that you also must look at each and every wall plate and ensure the termination at the back of the wall plate is also terminated correctly.

A lot of builders will run all the necessary wires and make it look like you have Ethernet jacks but in reality they cut corners and wire them up as telephone jacks and only wire up one pair to the jack so it can be used as a phone jack only. which makes sense.

just because its wired as phone jacks only does not mean you are out of luck, it means you have to do a bit of extra work and make sure all the jacks are wired to the correct Ethernet Standard. once this is completed, you can connect a small switch, to your patch panel and inject the signal from ONE of the Ethernet ports of your ignite modem into your own switch, and voila, every wall jack in your house will have working Ethernet signal.
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