I’m planning a home network with about 24 Cat 6a runs, including to wireless access points.

All the runs will converge to a finished room.

I’m considering using a couple of multi port keystone wall plates (enough for 24 cables) instead of a grommet hole in the wall with the Cat 6a cables coming through, for a cleaner look. This would keep all the in wall solid strand Cat 6a cables fully in the wall.

In this setup, should I still use a patch panel? Or go directly from the keystone wall plate to the switch with patch cables?

I like the idea of a patch panel for organization and convenience, but wouldn’t the multi port keystone wall plate act as a patch panel in this situation? And would putting in a patch panel add an unnecessary additional connection point?

I’ll be using a floor standing rack, about 16 or 22u, probably on casters. Not a wall mount rack. There should be plenty of room to get behind the rack to service things without having to move it much or at all.

Or should I forgo the idea of the multi port keystone wall plate and just run all the Cat 6a cables through a grommet home in the wall to a patch panel on the rack?

What do you all prefer in this situation?

Unrelated question. Should the Cat 6a going to wireless access points be terminated onto a keystone and wall plate the connected to the wireless access point with a short Cat 6a cable? Or should it just be terminated directly onto an RJ45 and plugged directly into the wireless access point? The former seems cleaner but the wall plate may add bulk behind the access point.