Help!!! Just wired up my Gigabit network but only getting 100mbps

pumaz

pumaz

pumaz

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I'm pulling my hair out :(

I've just re-wired my house with Virgin Modem linked to a Asus RT-N56U Router in the lounge.

I have a NAS pluged via 1m cat5e in to port 1 and two Bedroom PC's via 15m cat5e in ports 2 and 3. NAS, Router and both PC's have gigabit ports. Port 4 as a switch on it and is distributed between consoles and media players.

Cables being used are all brand new and I have carefully routed the cables to bedrooms under floorboards etc. (took all day)

The problem I have is both bedroom cables are only working at 100mbps instead of 1000mbps(gigabit). After much testing I've come to the conclusion that both 15m cables are ****!

With the aid of a switch and 2 x 5m cat5e cables I managed to link a bedroom PC down to the router by trailing the cables round the house and got a gigabit connection. So must be the cables (am I right?)

Is there anything I can do with the existing cables so as I don't have to go ripping floor boards back up? If I do have to buy new cables will buying cat6 cables be a safer bet and will they work with the rest of my cat5e network?
 
Are you sure you've crimped the ends properly? Get a cable tester if you can.

100Mbit uses only two of the four pairs in an Ethernet cable while 1000Mbit uses all four pairs. It's possible that the ends aren't crimped properly or there's a break on a wire or two preventing gigabit connectivity.

There's nothing you can do about it other than recrimp the ends or run new cables. You can buy Cat6 if you want but there's no reason why Cat5e shouldn't work fine - either way having a mix of Cat5e/Cat6 cables isn't a problem. This time run the cables, crimp the ends and test before putting the floor boards down :)
 
Either a pair isn't crimped or punched down correctly or its not been wired correctly and auto MDIX isn't helping.

All connecting should be straight through OW / O / GW / Bl / BlW / G / BrW / BrW and any jacks / patch panels crimped to the same standard.
 
Guys, these are moulded cables that i just have sticking out from under the carpet, I know it's not proper but for now it will have to do.

I don't have a crimping tool, Would it be worth buying one and putting new RJ45's on?

Like I said these are brand new cables, is it possible that they are too long or is it more likely the plugs haven't been crimped on good enough?
 
pumaz said:
Guys, these are moulded cables that i just have sticking out from under the carpet, I know it's not proper but for now it will have to do.

I don't have a crimping tool, Would it be worth buying one and putting new RJ45's on?

Like I said these are brand new cables, is it possible that they are too long or is it more likely the plugs haven't been crimped on good enough?
Click to expand...

It's rare a moulded cable won't be terminated correctly. Check both ends and make sure they're identical, it might be a 100BaseT crossover. [Pins 1, 2 swapped to 3 & 6 at the other end]

Try setting the NIC drivers to 1000BaseT rather than auto-negotiating the speed.
 
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If it helps this is what the cables have printed on them.

E-TIME DATA CABLE CAT.5E UTP 24AWG 2PAIR AWM 2835

I'll try anything that helps me not take the house apart again!!!!
 
2PAIR?

That would suggest the cable is missing the 3rd and 4th pairs required for gigabit communication.

Any chance of a photo close up of one of the connectors to confirm?
 
ots3go said:
2PAIR?

That would suggest the cable is missing the 3rd and 4th pairs required for gigabit communication.

Any chance of a photo close up of one of the connectors to confirm?
Click to expand...

IMG_0876.jpg


Sorry about the quality!
 
HEADRAT said:
What NAS

How are you telling that they are only running at 100Mbps?
Click to expand...

This.

15m is not a long run, cat5e will do gigabit up to 100m easily.

Edit: That cable is fine. Put a cable tester on it if you have one available - maplins sell them.
 
HEADRAT said:
What NAS

How are you telling that they are only running at 100Mbps?
Click to expand...

I have a ZyXel NSA310 that is capable and i've had 42MB/sec out of previously.

I've tried copying a single large file of 6gb from the NAS to each bedroom PC and only get 10MB/sec

I've also clicked on Local Area Connection Status and it says "Speed: 100.0 Mbps"

I've also tried changing auto-negotiating in drivers to 1 GBit but it made no difference.
 
Just checked the cable in the other bedroom and it says 4 Pairs, Also did a test using 2 TP-Link 4 port switchers by putting a switch at either end of the cable and seeing what colour light it gives (Green=1000Mbps and Orange=100Mbps)

Bedroom one - 15m 2 Pair cat5e, Switch = Orange

Bedroom two - 15m 4 Pair cat5e, Switch = Green

Despite this both PC's show as 100Mbps in Local Area Connection Status and can only copy a large file at 10MB/sec.

This is why I'm pulling my hair out!
 
I'd say faulty cable then, as if you've tried a different cable you've isolated everything else.
 
So should I bite the bullet and just buy 2 x 15m Cat6 cables just to be sure?

I'm thinking if I was to start buying cable testers, crimpers and whatever else and it still didn't work i'd have to go out and buy new cables anyway :(

Thanks for your help though guys
 
Another thought...
The cables run along side electrical wiring under the floor boards, could this possibly degrade performance?

Also should I go for 15m FTP (foil twisted pair) cat5e or for a little extra cat6 FTP?
 
Interference from mains wiring, or any other source, could reduce the throughput but it shouldn’t actually cause the connection to be detected as 100Mbit rather than Gigabit.

If you do install new cables try to keep a couple of inches between the mains wiring and the network cables. If they need to cross do it at right-angles. It’s always a good idea to install extra cables for later use (cable is cheap), especially if the installation is awkward.

FTP cables can cause more problems than the solve if they aren’t used correctly.
 
pumaz said:
Sorry for being stupid but in what way?

Also these will just be 15m patch cable with moulded plugs
Click to expand...

FTP cables need to be correctly earthed. If they aren't then the screening can act as an antenna and end up adding noise rather than removing it. There’s no reason to believe that you’d need FTP cabling.

Any reason why you aren’t installing solid core cable between faceplates?
 
dLockers said:
This.

15m is not a long run, cat5e will do gigabit up to 100m easily.

Edit: That cable is fine. Put a cable tester on it if you have one available - maplins sell them.
Click to expand...


id disagree 100m easily your on maximum,, really 70 metres a 100 metres struggling with speed and throughput ,, cat5e
 
bremen1874 said:
Any reason why you aren’t installing solid core cable between faceplates?
Click to expand...

The Wife doesn't want me to add boxes/make a mess until we next decorate. My plan would be to use the existing wiring and install faceplates then.

Knowing That I will have to cross electrical cabling a couple of times and I need to achieve a Gigabit connection over 15 meters, if you were me what Cable would your purchase and any particular brand ?

thanks :)
 
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