Patch panel

A remote broadcast trailer's jackfield

Diagram of an Ethernet network with a patch panel

A patch panel or patch bay is a panel, typically rackmounted, that houses cable
connections. One typically shorter patch cable will plug into the front side, whereas the
back holds the connection of a much longer and more permanent cable. The assembly of
hardware is arranged so that a number of circuits, usually of the same or similar type,
appear on jacks for monitoring, interconnecting, and testing circuits in a convenient,
flexible manner.

Patch panels offer the convenience of allowing technicians to quickly change the path of
select signals, without the expense of dedicated switching equipment. This was first used
by early telephone exchanges, where the telephone switchboard (a massive array of patch
panels) and a large room full of telephone operators running it was ubiquitous.

Contents
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 1 Uses and connectors

 2 Normalling
 3 Switches
 4 See also
 5 References