Wiring Patch leads

When wiring patch leads a common misconception is that "she'll be right as long as the colour code matches on both ends". Whilst this may work over short distances, for the most part nothing could be further from the truth. I get a lot of work cutting ends off Cables wired in the incorrect sequence causing slow Network access, data loss or just plain not working at all.
The unfortunate thing about matching the ends is that the relatively cheap Pair Testing Meters will usually indicate a thumbs up even though it's just plain wrong.
The same goes for Keystones (sometimes called mechs). The colour indicated on the Keystone must be adhered to or you will create a lot of pain for yourself. The problem with most keystones is that they are tiny and the little chart drawn onto them is hard to read as they show two different wiring standards side by side. 568A & 568B.

568A Patch lead With the clip part of the cable end facing away from you, wires should go in the following order from left to right:- White/Green - Green, White/Orange - Blue, White/Blue - Orange, White/Brown - Brown
568B Patch lead With the clip part of the cable end facing away from you, wires should go in the following order from left to right:- White/Orange - Orange, White/Green - Blue, White/Blue - Green, White/Brown - Brown.

Ensure that the ends of the wires go all the way into the Clip so that you can see the ends of the wires against the end of the plastic, and if you don't have the proper crimping tool, don't even bother starting.

Note: A crossover Cable uses 568A on one end, and 568B on the other.

Cabling systems

The first diagram below sets out the cheapest and most common way to cable a home or small office.

The telephones are wired in a "peer to peer" type sequence, so that if one rings, they all ring at the same time, and several people can talk on the same call at the same time. There are handsets available that allow a call to be transferred from one handset to another, and can also double as an intercom.
If an alarm system that utilises a "mode 3" socket is to be installed, then the mode 3 socket needs to be the first one in the series after it enters the premises, and that's where the main control panel for the Alarm will go too.

The data points are in a "star configuration" (all branch out from a central point). This allows a desktop hub to be fitted to allow all the PCs to be Networked together and the Internet shared from either a server PC or a small router.

The Cable TV points are "star wired" from the box outside at the Telephone Lead-in point as per Telstra/Optus specifications.
If you're pre-wiring a new home, these rules must be followed for Cable TV wiring.

Anything outside of these rules, and the Cable TV installer will be forced to rewire the whole lot, and your money and effort pre-wiring will have been wasted.
Bear in mind that the Cable Networks are "sealed" networks and the Communications Carrier (Telstra, Optus etc) in fact own everything up to every socket and device (STU, Modem etc) and are not obligated to connect you to their network if your wiring is considered outside their specifications. The advantage in Pre-wiring for Cable TV on a new home, is that you don't have to compromise where the points will be and the Cabling will be properly hidden from view.

*Update: Previously I had dual-shield co-ax as a minimum (which was what it was when I was in the game) but I have received a report form a very reliable source that Telstra now require a minimum of Tri-Shielded co-ax cable while Optus & Telstra Satellite require Quad-Shield. It may be well worthwhile to check with your Cable provider before you fork out for the wrong cable.

The diagram below shows the next step from a standard Cable job on a home or small office.
In this situation we are installing a small PABX (Commander type Phone System), and a patch panel for all the Data and Phone sockets.

The main advantage here is that we can swap and change patch leads to our heart's content down the track without having to rewire anything, and all of the Networking Hardware and the Cable modem is hidden from view in a cupboard.

You'll notice that now the telephones are now wired in a "star configuration", and the PABX System and patch panel will be mounted inside a cupboard, out of sight. We will also be using Cat5E (Data Cable) for the Phones instead of the standard "2 pair" Phone line. This will increase the flexibility of the whole Cable installation and allow greater scope for changes via the Patch Panel.
The data points are still in a "star configuration", however now we have the central point in the cupboard where we will also install the Cable modem and a small Router to share the Internet Connection and Network the PCs together. The advantage of a Router over a hub is that it doesn't rely on a PC to be "always on" to share the Internet to all the other PCs.
The Cable TV points are "star wired" from the box outside at the Telephone Lead-in point as per Telstra/Optus specifications mentioned above.
Ensure the cupboard has louvered doors or some other method to allow air circulation. Excessive heat and Networking Hardware don't mix well...

A PABX system has many advantages over the standard method of wiring for Phones. Features like having an internal intercom, having several lines available at each handset and even being able to answer the doorbell or unlock gates are available with most PABX systems.
Expect to pay somewhere from about $1500.00 for a basic new system, depending on the number of handsets and features required.
I installed a basic Aristel System with two lines and four handsets, music on hold etc, Netgear JFS516 16 port Switch and patch panel on a mini rack/swing plate in my home office for around $2000.00. This doesn't take into account cabling or labour, but will give an idea of a starting point for this type of installation.
Note: For those intending to DIY, note that there are legal requirements for this type of work and you may receive an unexpected visit from the Australian Communications Authority to inspect the work and ensure it was carried out correctly by a licensed cabler.

See the OzCableguy online shop for a selection of suitable Routers & Switches.

Sharing a VCR or Set Top Unit to multiple TVs.

These diagrams show a simple way to change the standard Free to Air wiring in a house to share a VCR or Cable TV Set Top Unit to multiple TVs in the home. The drawback with this system is that although the TVs still maintain independent Free to Air control, they all have to watch the same Cable TV channel at the same time.
There are infrared relays available that allow the Cable TV or VCR remote to be used at other TV points by relaying the signal back to the Set Top Unit or VCR

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ADSL Central Filter

In most situations, the ADSL signal runs down the same line as an existing analogue service, but there are circumstances where this is either inconvenient or involves an unnecessary expense of leasing another line just for the ADSL signal. In other cases, there may be another service which will not coexist with ADSL or will adversely affect the ADSL signal.
Normally a small "in-line filter" is installed for each handset or device that is on the same line as the ADSL service. These filters prevent the screeching and crackling noise from the ADSL modem from being heard whilst using the line for voice and other purposes.
Other situations require that the filter is placed in a central location before it gets to the other devices. These situations are -

A central filter will also get around difficulties with some phones like many Panasonic Cordless units that don't seem to behave very well with inline filters.

* A mode 3 alarm socket is a type of switching socket used for back to base alarms. If the alarm is tripped while the phone line is busy it will cut the call off to dial the alarm company. They can tend to cause bad behaviour on ADSL whether or not an alarm system is connected for some reason.
Note: For a mode 3 socket to be effective it must be the first socket inline from where the phone line enters the building.

The diagram below shows the basic wiring format of a central filter.

The image below shows D-Link's 10SP Central Filter which also has an RJ11 socket so the ADSL modem can plug straight into it that way if you prefer, which is very handy for those situations where the incoming phone line is right next to where the modem is going to live. However, in most cases a new line will need to be run for a new socket for the ADSL modem to use and in these cases using the hard wired terminal is more convenient.

Note: The instructions that come with the 10SP are a little confusing as they outline a different method for connecting these, which doesn't seem right to me and isn't the way I'd do it.

Which colour wires go where?

Ok, firstly you need to bear in mind that installing a central filter or any other kind of work on a phone line is illegal without the proper ACMA license. I say this because if you don't know which wire is which to start with you shouldn't be even considering doing this job yourself. To find a licensed cabler try the OzCableguy IT Directory from the left hand menu here or look for Cablers, Electricians & Alarm installers in the Yellow Pages or your local paper. Using a proper tradie also protects you from making an expensive mess that might happen if you completely botch it up or drill through a water pipe or electric wire etc.

Tip: Besides taking adequate safety precautions such as wearing rubber soled boots and gloves, always find out where the water and electrical mains are before you do any blind drilling so you can turn them off quickly if need be.
Never grab a jammed drill bit or the chuck with your bare hands! It might be hot but it might also have welded itself to a live wire inside the wall. The drill casing is insulated. The chuck is not and you may die if you touch it in this situation.

Save yourself the headache and hire a cabler.

For the cablers, most houses will have a single "2 pair" phone line coming in. (One pair makes a circuit so there's provision for a 2nd line in a 2 pair cable). 90% of the time the "A" pair, ie blue and white, will be your first phone number. The "B" pair, ie black and red wires, is for a 2nd line or for emergency use in the case of a fault with the "A" pair.

It's no big deal if you reverse the polarity. It will still work fine, but mix up the "A" & "B" pairs or cause a short and you're in for a world of pain. A short in particular can cause the dial tone to black out back at the exchange for up to 20 minutes or so which can cause a lot of wasted time running around checking things even after you've fixed the problem thinking there must be another one somewhere...

Some bright sparks at this point might realise they've got a whole 2nd pair there they could use for the "modem" side of the central filter to save running a whole new line. That works (bearing in mind it'll be disconnected at each socket so you'll have to pull all of those off and scotch lock the wires), however it's a no-no. Do this and you run the risk of the next cabler or fault technician on the premises swearing & muttering stuff about 10 foot poles and getting back into his or her van and driving away. There are standards. Stick to them. There are penalities for not following the rules.