Patch panels have the purpose of managing cable connections that involve patch cables mixing with permanent cables.

In the front of a patch panel, there are jacks in place for patch cables that correspond to the longer permanent cables that are arranged in the back. Patch panels allow circuits to be monitored and tested in the convenience towards the technicians, where they are able to quickly remove the patch panel on the rack and change the circuit signals.

A patch panel connects computers to each other and the Internet in a LAN (Local Area Network) and can also be used to further connect to a WAN (Wide Area Network).