Patch panels and Punchdown blocks.

[Skrrrr]

So I go to a tech school and we're learning about networking and things of that nature. I am pretty interested in the field but I have a question that's been bugging me. 

 

Why do we need punchdown blocks? Why don't we just use female to female connectors and plug in an RJ-45 cable and call it a day? It makes more sense to me to run a cable in a wall with an RJ-45 Connector on both ends then to cut both ends and wire each end to a punchdown block.  If someone could explain to me what the point of this is that would help a lot!  Sorry if this is a stupid question but it's been bugging me like crazy!!!

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, Skrrrr said:

So I go to a tech school and we're learning about networking and things of that nature. I am pretty interested in the field but I have a question that's been bugging me. 

 

Why do we need punchdown blocks? Why don't we just use female to female connectors and plug in an RJ-45 cable and call it a day? It makes more sense to me to run a cable in a wall with an RJ-45 Connector on both ends then to cut both ends and wire each end to a punchdown block.  If someone could explain to me what the point of this is that would help a lot!  Sorry if this is a stupid question but it's been bugging me like crazy!!!

It's a huge time saver to punch down hundreds of cables than to crimp every single one but that is mainly in very large setups or permanent application. For small installations and ease of re-configuring using crimp on keystones works well.  

[Cracklingice]

cheaper to punch down than to crimp cable and plug into something.  Both in time and actual $.

[beavo451]

Try running a bunch of cables through walls with RJ45 connectors already attached. 

[Tezza]

not only cheaper, but also reduces the possibility of losses due to corrosion of the tabs on the rj45 connectors and reducing losses for multiple connectors in the line.