Basically, I’m building a home and getting it wired with Ethernet cabling. I didn’t want to get too much into the technical details, so I just provided the builders with locations where I want RJ45 ports, along with one spot where I just said “24-port patch panel” (the number of ports located elsewhere being 22.
I did some Googling and figured the patch panel should cost at most $150 in hardware costs (I found plenty of sub-$100 options, but a couple of more expensive ones and would not have been . I didn’t mention anything about needing a rack because I thought it would be something that could just go directly in the wall. (And then I could buy a switch and use it to connect pretty much all the ports from the patch panel to the router.)
The builder came back to me with an estimated cost of:
- $465 for a server cabinet: SEVCBN -6RU – 66WM
- $567 for a patch panel: NCO760242563
- $148 install charge
They gave me specific model numbers for the patch panel and server cabinet, but I can’t find information about whether that’s the actual cost of them, because the costs are locked behind having an account with the B2B retailers.
Does their proposed patch panel costing about 4x what I was expecting actually seem likely to give any value? Is there are explanation for that cost?
Secondary question: is having a wall-mounted cabinet worthwhile? How will it work in terms of installing a switch and connecting from the patch panel to the switch?
Thanks!
They are ripping you off on both the patch panel and network cabinet. A patch panel shouldn’t cost you more than $50 unless you have very specific requirements and would do fine for years and years. The one they’ve quoted you isn’t actually expensive, just has a massive markup for them. Same for the comms cabinet - bit more expensive but a 6u one should be less than $250 and in reality you could just use a normal furniture if all you’re putting in is a patch panel and a switch.
If this was me, I’d review every quote and invoice from this builder and likely end up firing them if not considering legal action because it’s highly unlikely that they haven’t done the same to you for other quotes that you just didn’t catch.
Edited to add: a 24U server cabinet from the same maker is $653 and you were quoted almost that for a network cabinet that over 3 times smaller.
https://www.lwt.com.au/Product/SEE3871166/Serveredge-24RU-600mm-Wide-600mm-Deep-Fully-Assembled-Free-Standing-Server-Cabinet?SectorID=2&websectorid=3
Something like below is what you’re looking for and is only $189:
https://www.selby.com.au/brands/raxx/6u-wall-cabinet-530-450.html