Is my network speed right, or is there something wrong?

bledd · 12 Oct 2016 at 11:56

Buy one of these..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RJ45-CAT6...589436?hash=item4ae078bebc:g:kJEAAOSwuMFUb4n6

Only run it on NON powered cables.

IE, from the network cable to the other side of the network cable, don't connect it up to a switch or PC/NAS etc.

Try it on a single cable in your hands first to see how it works. Basically, each light from 1-8 should light up on both ends if it's working correctly. Should light up in that sequence.

It's the most basic network tester you can get. Better ones are over £100.

Anchundan · 13 Oct 2016 at 05:45

ok, the network tester lights up on channels 1, 2, 3 and 6 only.

I've looked at how they've terminated the cables that go into the first switch, and it does appear they only connected up 4 wires.

I next opened a faceplate, and all 8 wires have been terminated. So it seems the person who put the plugs on the end of the network cables to go into my switch (my internet service provider) was lazy, and the people who actually put the network cables into the walls and connected them to the faceplates (the decoration company) did their job properly. The cables themselves all have 8 wires, so it looks like all I need to do is to rewire the plugs somehow.

ov_sjo · 13 Oct 2016 at 07:00

The termination at the wall barely meets spec too so that's unlikely to be helping. Reterminating both ends should help or at least give you piece of mind.

Armageus · 13 Oct 2016 at 08:15

Jumbo frames definitely won't solve that!

As above, re-terminate both ends and hopefully all should be well.

leigh_boy · 13 Oct 2016 at 09:47

In our shanghai office, the network team we hired to wire the office, did that, the would use 1 cable and split it so that it did 2 ports making the connection 10mb... we was pretty angry and mythed as they supplied 1GB switched and 10GB backbone.

Anchundan · 13 Oct 2016 at 10:31

in that case I think I'd better check all the faceplates!

Anchundan · 13 Oct 2016 at 10:51

The faceplates all seem to be ok, if so far as they have connected all 8 wires. So I guess I just need to buy some ends and some kind of crimping tool?

Armageus · 13 Oct 2016 at 10:55

Anchundan said:
The faceplates all seem to be ok, if so far as they have connected all 8 wires. So I guess I just need to buy some ends and some kind of crimping tool?

Yep - Just some RJ45 connectors and an RJ45 crimping tool.

I would question the faceplates though, as there should not be that much of the individual twisted pairs unsheathed - normally no more than 1 inch of outer jacket removed for RJ45 connectors, and maybe 1 1/2 to 2 inches for faceplates.

Anchundan · 13 Oct 2016 at 11:41

ok, got it thanks.

Thanks for all the replies, I'm really learning a lot!

bledd · 13 Oct 2016 at 11:56

Just buy patch leads of the correct lengths. If the wall ports are ok, it should just work.

Looks like it's been installed very poorly though.

ov_sjo · 13 Oct 2016 at 14:45

Armageus said:
Yep - Just some RJ45 connectors and an RJ45 crimping tool.

I would question the faceplates though, as there should not be that much of the individual twisted pairs unsheathed - normally no more than 1 inch of outer jacket removed for RJ45 connectors, and maybe 1 1/2 to 2 inches for faceplates.

It's not based on RJ45 (the plug), it's based on the cable. Category 6 is no more than 13mm.