Broken USB phone charging cord in an airport RJ45 outlet

Anyone responsible for network infrastructure probably has stories of  questionable foreign objects stuck in their ports and outlets.  While it may be more of an issue in publicly accessible ports, it can happen wherever you might find childish mischief, malicious intent, or old-fashioned stupidity (in other words, anywhere).

Gum in a grade school computer lab port

I’ve collected a few good examples in my travels, including gum in an elementary school outlet, the remnants of a USB phone charger jammed into an airport kiosk port, and my personal favorite: a half-smoked cigarette in a TR patch panel, left by a tech who obviously intended to smoke the rest of it later.

But I’d be willing to bet that my examples would be child’s play compared to what you contractors and network pros have seen over the years – and we’d love to hear about it.

Share your best “foreign object in a port” story via Twitter @siemoncabling #siemonlockit and we’ll send you a Siemon gift pack, including a few samples of our LockIT outlet lock (which, not coincidently, was designed to help keep all manner of unauthorized things out of your network ports).  Include a picture of the offense and we’ll throw in a Siemon bucket seat and a hard hat*.

LockIT Outlet Lock and locking patch cord

And, once we’ve all had a good laugh, you can check out an easy way to make sure it never happens again – with Siemon’s LockIT outlet locks.

*In US only, while supplies last.