Fixed-Design Wall Plates

A fixed-design wall plate cannot have its jack configuration changed. In this type of wall plate, the jack configuration is determined at the factory, and the jacks are molded as part of the plate assembly.

You must understand a few issues before choosing a particular fixed-design wall plate for your cabling installation, including the following:

• Number of jacks
• Types of jacks
• Labeling

Number of Jacks

Because fixed-design wall plates have their jacks molded into the faceplate assembly, the number of jacks that can fit into the faceplate is limited. It is very unusual to find a fixed-design faceplate with more than two jacks (they are usually in an over-under configuration, with one jack above the other). Most fixed-design wall plates are for UTP or coaxial copper cable only; but fiber-optic fixed-design wall plates are available for fiber-to-the-desk applications. Figure 1 shows some examples of fixed-design wall plates with various numbers and types of sockets.

 
Figure 1: Fixed-design wall plates

Types of Jacks

Fixed-design wall plates can accommodate many different types of jacks for different types of data communications media. However, you cannot change a wall plate's configuration once it is in place; instead, you must install a completely new wall plate with a different configuration.

The most common configuration of a fixed-design wall plate is the single six-position (RJ-11) or eight-position (RJ-45) jack (as shown in Figure 2), which is most often used for home or office telephone connections. This type of wall plate can be found in your local hardware store or home center.

 
Figure 2: Fixed-design plates with a single RJ-11 or RJ-45 jack

Warning

Fixed-design wall plates that have eight-position jacks must be carefully checked to see if they are data-capable. We know of retail outlets that claim their eight-position, fixed-design wall plates are "CAT 5e" compliant. They're not. They use screw terminals instead of 110-type IDC connections. If it's got screws, folks, it ain't Category 5e.

Other types of fixed-design wall plates can include any combination of socket connectors, based on market demand and the whims of the manufacturer. Some of the connector combinations commonly found are as follows:

• Single RJ-11 type
• Single RJ-45 type
• Single coax (TV cable)
• Single BNC
• Dual RJ-11 type
• Dual RJ-45 type
• Single RJ-11 type, single RJ-45 type
• Single RJ-11 type, single coax (TV cable)
• Single RJ-45 type, single BNC

Labeling

Not all wall plate connectors are labeled. Most fixed-design wall plates don't have special preparations for labeling (unlike modular plates). However, that doesn't mean it isn't important to label each connection; on the contrary, it is extremely important so that you can tell which connection is which (vital when troubleshooting). Additionally, some jacks, though they look the same, may serve a completely different purpose. For example, RJ-45 jacks can be used for both PBX telephone and Ethernet networking, so it's helpful to label which is which if a fixed-design plate has two RJ-45 jacks.

For these reasons, structured-cabling manufacturers have come up with different methods of labeling fixed-design wall plates. The most popular method is using adhesive-backed stickers or labels of some kind. There are alphanumeric labels (e.g., LAN and Phone) as well as icon labels with pictures of computers for LAN ports and pictures of telephones for telephone ports. Instead of printed labels, sometimes the manufacturer will mold the labels or icons directly into the wall plate.

Fixed-Design or Modular Plate | Wall Plate Design

Another design and installation decision you have to make is whether to use fixed-design or modular wall plates. Fixed-design wall plates (as shown in Figure 1) are available with multiple kinds of jacks, but the jacks are molded as part of the wall plate. You cannot remove the jack and replace it with a different type of connector.

 
Figure 1: A fixed-design wall plate

Fixed-design plates are usually used in telephone applications rather than LAN wiring applications because, although they are cheap, they have limited flexibility. Fixed-design plates have a couple of advantages and disadvantages (as shown in Table 1).

Modular wall plates, on the other hand, are generic and have multiple jack locations (as shown in Figure 2). In a modular wall plate system, this plate is known as a faceplate (it's not a wall plate until it has its jacks installed). Jacks for each faceplate are purchased separately from the wall plates.

 
Figure 2: Modular wall plates with multiple jack locations

Table 1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Fixed-Design Wall Plates 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Inexpensive	Configuration cannot be changed
Simple to install	Usually not compatible with high-speed networking systems

Tip

When using modular wall plates, make sure to use the jacks designed for that wall plate system. Generally speaking, jacks from different wall plate systems are not interchangeable.