gizmokid999

Hi all. Trying to do some simple wiring on my LAN. To wit:

cable modem > router > 3 computers.
Now, two of these computers are side-by-side and next to the router, so wiring is quite simple and trouble-free, both work perfectly. For the 3rd computer, which is in another room, when I connect it to the router with a store-bought cat5e extension cable draped across the floor, all is well and trouble-free. However, I don't like wires running across the floor. So I bought a couple of rj45 wall sockets and I've run the wiring as follows: router connection for computer 3 > short store-bought cable > rj45 wall socket > 65 foot section of cat5e cable from the office through the laundry room and into the family room > rj45 wall socket > short store-bought cable > 3rd computer. As for wiring these rj45 wall sockets, I've made sure that the a particular colored wire within the cat5e cable (e.g., the orange and white wire) is connected to the same colored connector (e.g., black) on each of the rj45 wall sockets. Seems straightforward. However, when I plug everything in, the light on the router for the 3rd computer flickers for like 2 seconds, then goes out, then flickers for 2 seconds, then goes out, and so forth. Also, the 3rd computer reports that the network is disconnected.

Okay, to check things out, I disconnected the 65-foot length of cat5e cable from the two rj45 wall sockets and reconnected them to a separate shorter length of cat5e cable that I draped across the floor between the two rooms and then plugged everything in. Now I got a slight steady flicker on the router for the 3rd computer, but I received a solid connection, all seemed to be working, internet and email worked fine, and so I thought that perhaps I had damaged the 65 foot length of cat5e cable that I had installed between the two wall rj45 sockets (my stapling was a bit sloppy), but that the rj45 wall sockets themselves were okay. So I went out and bought a new section of cat5e cable, connected everything up very carefully (didn't staple this time but used wire fasteners), and I'm getting the same damned "flickers for 2 seconds, then goes out" pattern, which repeats over and over, and the 3rd computer reports no network connection. To trouble-shoot a bit, I connected my first computer to this wiring configuration, and while it also reported no network connection, its light on the router flickered continuously.

This just seems like such a simple task, like "wiring 101". Anybody have any idea why I'm having trouble? Is there some secret to connecting two rj45 wall sockets with cat5e cable? I get the sense I'm missing something very elementary. It's not like the wire is passing anything highly electronic either, just a few water pipes and the washing machine. Thanks.

hotshot

There are two wiring standards for this type of cable, and typically both will be marked on these wall plates. You want to be using the 568B standard for your use, my best guess is that you used the A standard.

Other than that it could be just about anything relating to how/where you are running the cable. The distance should not be an issue as you can easily go to 300' per the standards.

gizmokid999

Thanks Erik. There's no mention of any standard on the wall sockets, it just says "Made in China". I think I need to google how to attach wall cat5e cable to a wall socket. I suspect I'm missing some nuance here.

hotshot

Has the wall socket got anything marked on it at the back? most should have the colour code printed on them.
follow this (568b standard) and you'll be fine.

hotshot

There isn't that much to it. The biggest step is following the right color scheme, there must be soemthing somewhere telling you which wire goes where. I have never seen anything without this. All you do is strip a bit off the end and screw the wires down if it is a screw terminal. If it is a punch down style just insert the wires and push all the way down using a punch down tool. Pretty simple really.

Biggest thing is to get the order correct to the 568B standard.

gizmokid999

The standard colors for CAT5 (and above) cables are (in order per 568B):
White-Orange
Orange
White-Green
Blue
White-Blue
Green
White-Brown
Brown

If your jacks don't have these colors or instructions telling you which goes where then that is our problem. If you can trace it out and find out which pin connects to which connection at the back then this is the order they need to go in.

My recommendation would be just buy some new (good) jacks. Home Depot sells some really nice ones made by Leviton. They come with a small plastic punch down tool, and have the coding for both standards printed right on the jack. The jacks themselves snap into the wall plate cover to allow you to easily add more connections later on.

hotshot

Yeah, I know, it's pretty simple really and "there isn't much to it". Excuse me for being frustrated. I mean, I build my own systems, so this just seems ridiculously confusing. The color of the wires in these rj45 connectors do not match the colors in the cat5e cable, and it's hard to tell whether I'm connecting them per the 568B standard. Actually, I'm wondering if these rj45 connectors that I purchased just suck. As I read up on connecting to rj45 connectors, I see nothing resembling the ones I have, plus I'm reading how you have to keep the twisted wires together as much as possible, that your signal will get lost otherwise.

I'd have thought that connecting cable to these connectors would be straightforward, that the instructions would say "connect a to b and you'll have a 568B standard". But there are no instructions, and it's hard to tell how the pins line up.

I may go out and look for a different connector. This is taking way way too much time, for such a simple task. I've assembled computers in less time.

gizmokid999

That was it. Thank you Erik, and sorry if I was a bit cranky this AM. But Home Depot had everything Levitron at reasonable prices, it took me 15 minutes to connect everything, instructions and the tool came with each connector. Very easy, straightforward. I should have gotten these in the first place. Now I just need to clean everything up.

Thanks again. Boy, having the right hardware sure makes a difference.

hotshot

My recommendation would be just buy some new (good) jacks. Home Depot sells some really nice ones made by Leviton.

You just made my day. We do have a Home Depot here. I rarely go there out of habit of going to Lowes. Levitron is the brand I've read about, so I'll cross my fingers they've got it. Thanks.

hotshot

Glad it worked out for you. I know how frustrating bad wiring can be, it is really a pain to get down to the exact cause without some very expensive test equipment.

Didn't mean to make it seem like it is just such a simple task. I just really wanted to emphasize that it is pretty much as easy as you would think, but the key is getting the order correct.