Think of a patch panel as the backbone of your wired network. It's a flat, rack-mounted hardware unit that houses multiple cable connections in one central place. These connections can be for Ethernet cables, fiber optic cables, or even audio-visual wiring. Patch panels are one of the best ways to manage an expansive local area network (LAN) by providing quick and easy access to the ports and connections that connect them altogether. They come in a range of sizes, and are typically mountable, whether that's on a wall, or on a rack to make for easier. A patch panel, including fiber patch panels and Ethernet patch panels, is a passive network device that centralizes, terminates, and organizes multiple copper or fiber cables.