Ethernet Network Interface in wall not working
digimon900
Posts: 4,249
Forum Member
✭✭✭
Hi network guys, gals, and geeks out there.
I have a dilemma, I am not an advanced tech but know enough to put together a wired home network.
Our local building codes require that when a home is re-wired for electrical sockets/lights etc. A phone and RJ45 Ethernet interface port is placed in every room used as a living space. Some larger rooms like open plan kitchen dining must have one on each wall or a certain distance apart on the same wall depending on the length of the wall. The ports don't all have to be active just wired and present with the end cable plug terminating in a central location where a router/hub will be installed. So all cables installed, plastered in, floorboards down, and walls painted, the network works brilliantly. My main computer gives me total control over all devices on all ports. We have a Fibre Optic 100mbps line directly into the home, in the ONT box this connects to an Ethernet port that feeds my WD N900 Router and an 8 port Gigabit Ethernet Switch. All cables are Cat6, all faceplates are Cat6 (code states that they have to be bright blue). I use a Mac, and have a Mac laptop. Additionally there is a SONY blu ray player, a voip phone server, and 3 WDTV Live boxes on the network. I turned off the wireless adapter because the 2.4ghz in the area is so saturated with devices it barely works, and also because my roommate was annoying me with Youtube music in the kitchen instead of her room. Her HP laptop runs win7 64bit, its six months old. The wireless card does not find the router's 5ghz signal so I shut that off as I am not using it. I suggested she plug into the Ethernet port in her room, but this is where the problems began. Every single port I tested using my macbook, and put under pressure by trying HDTV streaming using a WD Live box, and I got no problems. Her computer does not find the Internet or the home network. I tried different connection cables cat6/5/5e patch and crossover to no avail. I also changed the wiring configuration from B to A to no avail. I changed the RJ45 faceplate, to no avail. If I plug her computer in any other room it connects and appears on my network map. All other devices tried in her room connect fine. Ping to any device on that port responds in 2 - 8 ms. Any ideas on where I am going wrong? Its only her computer in her room that is a problem!
I have a dilemma, I am not an advanced tech but know enough to put together a wired home network.
Our local building codes require that when a home is re-wired for electrical sockets/lights etc. A phone and RJ45 Ethernet interface port is placed in every room used as a living space. Some larger rooms like open plan kitchen dining must have one on each wall or a certain distance apart on the same wall depending on the length of the wall. The ports don't all have to be active just wired and present with the end cable plug terminating in a central location where a router/hub will be installed. So all cables installed, plastered in, floorboards down, and walls painted, the network works brilliantly. My main computer gives me total control over all devices on all ports. We have a Fibre Optic 100mbps line directly into the home, in the ONT box this connects to an Ethernet port that feeds my WD N900 Router and an 8 port Gigabit Ethernet Switch. All cables are Cat6, all faceplates are Cat6 (code states that they have to be bright blue). I use a Mac, and have a Mac laptop. Additionally there is a SONY blu ray player, a voip phone server, and 3 WDTV Live boxes on the network. I turned off the wireless adapter because the 2.4ghz in the area is so saturated with devices it barely works, and also because my roommate was annoying me with Youtube music in the kitchen instead of her room. Her HP laptop runs win7 64bit, its six months old. The wireless card does not find the router's 5ghz signal so I shut that off as I am not using it. I suggested she plug into the Ethernet port in her room, but this is where the problems began. Every single port I tested using my macbook, and put under pressure by trying HDTV streaming using a WD Live box, and I got no problems. Her computer does not find the Internet or the home network. I tried different connection cables cat6/5/5e patch and crossover to no avail. I also changed the wiring configuration from B to A to no avail. I changed the RJ45 faceplate, to no avail. If I plug her computer in any other room it connects and appears on my network map. All other devices tried in her room connect fine. Ping to any device on that port responds in 2 - 8 ms. Any ideas on where I am going wrong? Its only her computer in her room that is a problem!
0
Comments
Did that, tried connecting directly to the router as well in stead of the switch
It could be something weird like a pair is reversed or one wire not terminated correctly at the plug end. Bit odd that only the one laptop has issues. But it could be something like the laptop is operating at gigabit speeds so needs all four pairs correctly terminated and the other devices are using 100MB speeds so only use two pairs. So there might be an issue with one of the pairs that only gets used for gigabit?
You can get testers that are two part. One part plugs into each end of the cable run and they have a simple LED ladder that steps though from pin 1 to 8 and if they light up out of sequence, eg go 3, 5, 4 or whatever or one LED does not light up you know there is a wiring issue.
This is the sort of thing I mean. No doubt there are equivalents available nearer to where you are
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/module.jsp?moduleId=cpc/541792.xml
But apart from that bit of a puzzle.
We bought a batch of pre manufactured cables with plugs on both ends and just sliced the plug off the end that would terminate at the faceplate
Explain?
Or the other favourite is you use cable clips to secure the cable to the skirting board or whatever and stick the nail of the clip through the cable or just nick it enough to break it with out it being obvious.
:eek: you laid cables/plastered/floors back. But dont have a tester :eek:
Until you test the cables like chris has already suggested, youre wasting your time doing anything else.
That will be the one with the faulty cable, as you didnt test any of them :eek:
That is the only time a fixed IP address on the laptop would stop it working on one socket and not any others. Anything using DHCP would obviously work on any network subnet (assuming a DHCP server exists on each subnet).
It appears and has an IP when its on the network.
Maybe the cable you're using there is a crossover cable (little X on the plug) and some equipment may or may not work with those.
Until you plug in a network tester to determine each end is wired up correctly it's hard to say what else might be the problem.
Did you order it?
They are 9cents each! I bought 5