Cat 5 diagnosis (1 Viewer)

[Neil Hodge]

I just moved into a new place, and it is already wired for cat 5 (sort of). I finally figured out where the patch panel is, so I'm good there. I do need to wire at least one jack up. What I would like to know is: what is the easiest way to diagnose problems? For example, the patch panel is not labeled. Is there any easy way to tell which jack goes to which endpoint (besides carring a machine down there and trying every one)?

Relevance?

Try this (or something similar):

http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2...11/slimp3.html

Thanks.

Neil

 

[Paul.R.J]

I have a little experience with your problem. I built a loop back connector for the wall jack. If you don't have the tools then don't bother they are to expensive for one shot. But if you know some with them. Connect the 1 to 8, 2 to 7, 3 to 6, 4 to 5. Then pull the loop back in to the wall jack and test the circuit at the patch panel. If any fail then you have to rip out the cable.

 

[Mike Barto]

You need to use a tone generator, you plug the generator in the jack and use the wand at the patch panel end and detect the signal or if you are in michigan and the detroit are I could help. home depot carries the tone gemerator and wand in a kit for 87.00$

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...enerator&DRC=4

 

[MikeWh]

The easiest way is to use a test probe/tone generator. For example:

http://www.smarthome.com/9038.html

I'm sure Radio Shack sells them too.... Home Depot/Lowes might, since they've been getting more and more into home automation. May find something cheaper at one of these places or elsewhere. I'd find it hard spending $80 to run a set of tests once.

The cheapest way is to complete a circuit with two network appliances-- like you said.... carrying them down and testing every one.

 

[MikeWh]

Looks like others beat me to the response while I was constructing my post.

Ummm... what they said.

 

[Neil Hodge]

All:

Thanks for the information.

As for the economics, MikeWh is a right that it would be of duboius merit to pay $80 for such a specialized tool. But my past experience has always been that once I get a tool, I loan it to people and use it much more than I would have thought. Frankly, I have already done this twice (set up/debugged networks, in other places) where a tone generator would have been very handy.

Plus, there is a large market here for network equipment (Bay Area), so I may be able to get one on the cheap.

Thanks again.

Neil

 

[Larry_Johnson]

Ok.... now the easy one!!!

Take a 9 volt and put a cut out RJ45 network cable on it.
(normally the two blues are best (blue-white and white-blue))
**Notice which color wires you terminated it to, just in case.

Take a led light, or model train light and go to the patch panel.

Find the correct jack.

Or just use your trusty neighbors volt meter and find the 9 volts.

Quick... cheap... and you can use the 9 volt to replace your smoke dector battery...

I know you didn't change them when you changed your clock, last weekend. Did you??

 

[David Broome]

That is exactly what I did (9-volt battery). Worked great, and the best part was that I was proud of myself for saving 80 bucks AND thinking of a great idea at the same time...

 

[Neil Hodge]

Larry, David:

That 9V idea sounds good. I need a few little parts (9V cap with leads, small clip-on leads for the meter), and I think that will work fine. Plus, I have found many good docs about how cat 5 is pinned, so it should be no problem to diagnose any major problems. Thanks for the hint.

Neil