# HELP! Wired Cat 5e cable won't work???



## jnghuber (Mar 4, 2008)

I am installing a wired LAN up to my Kids computers. I have run 278' (per the numbers on the cable coating) of Cat 5e cable to the site from our home office. I have tested the cable and it's ends with a continuity tester and it tests through just fine. I first put on the wall jacks and tested it through with patch cable and it was fine. But when I plugged the patch cables into my router and then into my switch, it would not light up the ports or work what so ever. When I went from my router to the switch with a short 6' patch cable it lit up the ports and worked just fine.
I also turned the cable in my walls into a large patch cable just to remove the wall jacks and it tested through just fine but again would not light up the ports.
Now thinking it must be something with the cable in my wall, I have taken another section of Cat 5e cable that is approximately the same length, 278' and made that a patch cable and it tests through fine, but again will not light up the ports on the router and/or the switch.
The only thing I can think of now and I have consulted my IT friends from where I work as well as a buddy who does computer network installations is that somehow I have a Length issue... even though I am clearly under the criteria.
Does anyone have any idea of what could be my problem or any suggestions on how to proceed from here???
The router and the switch are both "Netgear" brand. I have two computers running off the router via patch cords and a wireless laptop and printer that work just great. 
I'm trying to hard wire the kids computers cause the wireless connection keeps dropping to the desktops and I felt it would be more stable and a faster connection with the wired connection. Also, it was something I had never tackled and I enjoy a project. Just hate it when it feels as if I've done everything right and followed the rules and then it just doesn't work and even the experts I know don't know why... sorry I'm rambling, just frustrated!!! HELP!!!


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Classic sign of mis-wired cables. Note that the conductor paring is CRITICAL, they must be wired EXACTLY like the links below specify. Continuity is not enough.

CAT5 Cable Wiring Diagram

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CAT 5, TWISTED-PAIR NETWORK CABLES


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## jnghuber (Mar 4, 2008)

Well, I have checked double checked and triple checked my work. I forgot to mention that I made a much shorter version, only 2 feet long, of what is in my walls and put the female jacks on the end and then plugged in my patch cables to the router and switch and when I did that it worked just fine. 
So I know i'm putting my plugs and jacks together properly, cuz I can get them to work fine, it's just with my "Long" cable from my office to the kids computers is where it wont work. And when I tried a smililar length of cable fresh out of the box it wont work as well.
Again, I have checked, double checked, triple checked and checked again and I am confident my jacks and plugs are wired properly. I am using the 568b as my wiring standard and I am wiring everything straight through and have no crossover cable in my house at all.
Any other suggestions I am willing to listen to...
thanks for the reply!


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Well, if you're 100% sure the cables are not damaged and are wired incorrectly, there are a couple of other possibilities.

One of the Ethernet devices connected to that cable is malfunctioning.

You have a power grounding issue between the locations. This is a common problem with long distance network connections, I used to fight this all the time in old buildings.


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