Box of Connectivity V2.0

Cool gadgets are packed in cool boxes. Sometimes they are just too cool to be thrown away. This is VENTURE 30 SOLAR RECHARGING KIT box that I won from Survival Ready Contest which is slid out from its side unlike the conventional box. It is large enough and has the perfect size to switch my previous Box of Connectivity.

Fresh idea crossing my mind was using the old CPU fans or Laptop cooler fans to cool down the temperature of the power adapters inside the box. The goal remains the same, leaving as little cables as possible at the outside. Be inspired and make adjustment according to the box you have in hand.

What you need :

• Any cool box, large enough to hide your adapters, power sockets and cables.
• 2 pieces of 5V CPU/laptop cooler fans.
• 5V smartphone travel charger/adapter.
• An USB plug. I use one from my old laptop cooler.
• Several RJ45 Network Cable Extension Coupler (depends on your need).
• Several RJ45 8pin modular plug connector (depends on your need).
• Extension Socket (number of ports depends on your need).
• Screwdriver.
• Glue gun.
• Network crimping pliers. You can just borrow from your office IT department.
• Cutter.
• Wire cutter.
• Some CAT5 cable.
• Donuts and coffee.

• Install the fans. One is blowing inside the box while other is blowing out of the box. Some fans have air flow mark on their bodies. If there is no mark, then try out with a 5V battery or power supply and mark the air flow position.
• Cut out the box where you want to install the fans.
• Glue the fan to the box with glue gun.

• Define the position of the extension socket. I have three routers so I get 4 ports socket. One for the fans.
• Disassemble the extension socket cable. (I hope you know how to do this because I have no photo of this step).
• Drill a hole with cutter or screwdriver, to let the cable in from the outside.
• Now reassemble the cable to the extension socket.
• Glue the socket to the box with hot glue gun.

• I glued four network socket into one. This is the number of sockets I need to plug from the outside of the box including the PoE for routers.
• I cut out the outside box so that the socket can be plug from the inside and outside of the box.
• Crimp short network cables needed with certain length according to the position of your adapters in the box. In case you forget how to crimp network cable, I attach the color code above as a clue.
• Also crimp several short cables from outside of the box to the router(s).

• Connect your fans to the usb plug. Here I join two fans to one usb plug and plug it to a 5V smartphone travel charger into the extension socket.
• Plug your adapters.
• Close the box.
• Plug the cables to the outside routers.
• Plug extension socket cable to the wall wart.

Tada... the fans have fancy blue LEDs telling me that it is ON. Cool box, fancy fans, no more overheat, tidy cables. Hope this will inspire you to clean up your messy cables ;)