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New Home - wired connections not working

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Labjt

New Around Here
I just purchased a new home and it has ports around the house for wired connections or access points. All of the cat6 is pulled into a single closet where the AT&T Modem/Router is located.

I tested the ports on the back of the router and they appear to be working fine when connected directly, but when I connect the blue cat6 to the router none of the wall ports are activated.

I'm sure I am missing something obvious so take it easy on me. This is my first post.

See pics of the closet.
 

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How do you know which cable goes to which wall jack elsewhere in your house? They don't look like they are labeled. You might need to plug into a port on your router and then try every jack in the house until you get a connection, if they aren't labeled.

Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk
 
I tested the ports on the back of the router and they appear to be working fine when connected directly, but when I connect the blue cat6 to the router none of the wall ports are activated.

Might be an issue with the RG provided by ATT...

Put a switch in between the punchdown and LAN1 on the RG - why a switch? Even a cheap 5-port unmanaged switch will do the job..

MDI-X and cross-wire detection...

Worst case - call ATT - they might need to do a truck roll to fix it with a tech onsite...
 
Thanks Tim. Correct, they are not labeled. Tried that and never got a connection.
OK, and if you connect a device directly to any of the switched ports on your gateway do they work? If they do then it's not the gateway, and if you call in AT&To they will charge you for the service call. You might need to pick up a cable tester, which I'm pretty sure they have at Home Depot, and test your wiring end-to-end.


Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk
 
A cable tester is the best option. If you don't want to get one of those yet, take a closer look at the pinout of each end of the CAT6 cables. Note the color of the wires and the order they are in. If they don't match on both ends, that is a problem. If they match...well...you need a cable tester.

The pinout should match one of these:
attachment.php
 
Spend the $10 for a tester. Even if the pinning looks to be correct there can be problems.

Also be sure that the jacks are wired for Data and not phone. Same cable can be used for both but the pinning is different. If you buy the tester it will show you that the pinning isn't correct.
 
Spend the $10 for a tester. Even if the pinning looks to be correct there can be problems.

Also be sure that the jacks are wired for Data and not phone. Same cable can be used for both but the pinning is different. If you buy the tester it will show you that the pinning isn't correct.

It's one of the tools that should be in a networking toolbag - the other is an outlet tester - both are pretty low cost, and can save hella time...

A short crossover cable should be in the same bag... along with a patch cable - depends on how big the bag is, a 5 port Hub and a known good 5-port switch is also good have handy - the hub is nice as one can jack into it and see all traffic across the hub - so it can be inserted into interesting places inside the network (a managed switch can also do this with port-mirroring, but that is a lot of effort compared to a hub and assumes one can get into the Layer 3 to change/update settings there).
 
OK, and if you connect a device directly to any of the switched ports on your gateway do they work? If they do then it's not the gateway, and if you call in AT&To they will charge you for the service call.

Depends on services that ATT is on the hook for...

Wireline and DSL Broadband - it stops at the demarc between the service tie and the premises wiring if push comes to shove - most premises techs there will ensure at least one servicable endpoint within the customer side of the demarc.

With UVerse - it's different, as their services are delivered within the Customer side of the demarc, and the tech there needs to ensure that TV/DialTone/Broadband are working with ATT provided gear - and there the tech has some latitude to get things working, as the ATT provided services run on the same network.​

With the DirecTV integration - that can fall back to dialtone/broadband only services as well.

So it depends on the Premises Tech deployed for the initial service install - and the following truck-roll if things don't work.

With outside plant techs - depends - wireline guy will check the crossbox and demarc - the Uverse guy has more latitude to fix things as service delivery depends on things working.

(there's a lot of keywords here if reading between the lines - play it nice with customer care, and the truck roll is free - same goes with the tech dispatched once the roll is scheduled)
 
Ok. Thanks for all the input folks.

Tim, yes, it works when connected directly.

So, if I am reading everyone correctly, the first thing to do it get a cable tester?

I am somewhat skeptical because of the six RJ45 plugs in the house none of them work. Is is that unlikely they are all wired incorrectly? I suppose if the same person did them thinking they were doing it right...
 
Ok. Thanks for all the input folks.

Tim, yes, it works when connected directly.

So, if I am reading everyone correctly, the first thing to do it get a cable tester?

I am somewhat skeptical because of the six RJ45 plugs in the house none of them work. Is is that unlikely they are all wired incorrectly? I suppose if the same person did them thinking they were doing it right...

The testor will first tell you if you have continuity from end to end and many testors will also tell you if you have any reversed pairs. If you have to reterminate the lines I suggest you use the most common 568B pinning scheme vs the 568A.
 
I had a similar experience. My guess is the building contractor configured wires for phone.

I suggest calling a local networking company. I chose a company that sent someone who actually looked at everything, gave an estimate, and guaranteed the work. They will send techs who can install connectors, configure, and test wiring. No need to buy equipment for a one-time job.
 
I had a similar experience. My guess is the building contractor configured wires for phone.

I suggest calling a local networking company. I chose a company that sent someone who actually looked at everything, gave an estimate, and guaranteed the work. They will send techs who can install connectors, configure, and test wiring. No need to buy equipment for a one-time job.

It isn't a one time job. If you are going to run a wired Ethernet network you need to be able to trouble shoot it. If a device isn't work or working well the first thing I do is check the cabling. While wired Ethernet is very reliable things happen; connectors come loose, clips break, someone hangs a picture and drives a nail into a cable, etc. My suggestion to spend $10 for a tester still stands even if you have someone else do the installation.
 
My suggestion to spend $10 for a tester still stands even if you have someone else do the installation.

I second...

Take a look at the RJ's - the pinouts posted above for T-568A/B are pretty good - and if they don't line up - clip them, and reterminate them..

Crimpers are cheap enough on the Amazon.
 
It isn't a one time job. If you are going to run a wired Ethernet network you need to be able to trouble shoot it. If a device isn't work or working well the first thing I do is check the cabling. While wired Ethernet is very reliable things happen; connectors come loose, clips break, someone hangs a picture and drives a nail into a cable, etc. My suggestion to spend $10 for a tester still stands even if you have someone else do the installation.
Perhaps I incorrectly read the OP, his house is pre-wired. The OP didn't mention the electrical schematic diagram was in his possession or access to it. My response was based on my experience. My house has structured wiring. I did not buy a tester and do not intend to buy one. It was a one-time job.
 
Perhaps I incorrectly read the OP, his house is pre-wired. The OP didn't mention the electrical schematic diagram was in his possession or access to it. My response was based on my experience. My house has structured wiring. I did not buy a tester and do not intend to buy one. It was a one-time job.

Each to his own spend twice as long diagnosing problems then call a service tech to check out what the problem is and pay him $75 instead of just replacing a jumper cable for $1.99.
 
If you just bought your house, they either wired them incorrectly and need to be called back to wire them correctly, or something else is going on.

If you have two computers, plug one end into one cable (or a switch as suggested earlier in the thread), and plug another computer on the other side. If there's no link, they didn't do the work correctly and need to come back and fix it. No need to pay twice for a job.
 
$7 add-on cable tester at Amazon (also tests coax)

http://a.co/iq8ANq6

Don't test Coax while there's DC on the line (power supply for antenna pre-amp, e.g.). It will kill the coax tester.

I second the need for a tester. Even if one is not installing new cable, a tester can save so much time and headache. I thought two of the runs in my house were bad and was coming up with ever more crazy schemes to test the continuity. I finally just bought a tester and found that I had some bad patch cables. My in-wall wiring was fine. Which led me to discover that my crimping tool wasn't crimping properly, unless I adjusted where the plug sits in the tool when I do the crimping.
 

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