Weird ethernet ports

[Nuclear Fusion]

We've just moved into a student flat and we're trying to use the ethernet ports in 3/4 of the bedrooms. There are two ports in every bedroom except the one which has the main phone socket that the router is plugged into. The ports are labelled 5/01, 5/02, 5/05, 5/06, 5/07 and 5/08 (we are on the fifth floor). (These ports look like these ones in the photo at the bottom) We have tried plugging an ethernet cable from the router into one of the other wall ports but to no avail. We can't find any central socket to make it work. Any help much appreciated

 

[bremen1874]

There will almost certainly be a central location where they all connect back to. It could be on the same floor, but doesn't need to be. It's probably in a locked cupboard somewhere.

 

[Nymins]

What do you mean when you say, "...the main phone socket that the router is plugged into"?

Is the router actually a modem that requires a phone socket? Or when you say router do you mean switch?

Quite often universities will ban the use of routers and switches in halls, restricting you to the amount of ethernet ports supplied, i.e. 2. So you will probably only be able to plug in 2 devices to the faceplate.

EDIT: Just re-read and you say student flat. Are the flats owned by the university?

 

[PistolPete]

What were you expecting to happen by plugging your router into one of these ports??

As Bremen says, it's probably structured cabling going back to a central location, usually to grant access to to either a managed internet connection or somethings the Uni network.
What happens if you plug a machine into one of the ports? Does the connection come up? Can you get on the internet? Do you get prompted for a login of any kind?

 

[Nuclear Fusion]

The router is a router/modem in one, it's the one sky sent us, it plugs into our phone socket.

It's privately rented accommodation so there's no restriction like that.

We're still puzzled by the numbering on the ports, there appears to be two that are missing.

 

[Nuclear Fusion]

We tried just to see what would happen, no connection appears when we plug in a laptop though.

 

[Nuclear Fusion]

Currently we have a temporary solution- running an ethernet cable from the router around my room and into my flat mates room as seen below



Yeah, too much flash..

 

[Hades]

ISDN used to have two ports. It could be that from long ago.

 

[Caged]

Talk to whoever manages the building. Nobody here can help when all we have is a photo of a couple of ports.

 

[PhillyDee]

The ports will have a second 'end' either in a basement, cupboard, loft etc. From there you patch ports to wherever you require. Find the panel, and ou will find your answer. Do you have access to the whole building? I bet if you do, there will be 4/01 etc on the 4th floor etc.

It may be that its an old install from before the place was done up (or installed 'just in case') and therefore unuseable.

 

[Westyfield2]

As the others said, there's probably a patch panel somewhere that you need to connect up to use it. Wish our student house had structured cabling - had to use power lines!

 

[Cycrow]

if you plug something into the ports and its not showing any connection, it might mean the other end is not connected to anything.

when i used to wire up houses we put all the cables to a central location where we had a switch at the end, but it wasn't usually turned on until someone had moved in