Re: [SLUG] Networking advice please.

[Phil Scarratt <fil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

bill wrote:

> I have 3 pc's networked to an ethernet switch, which is connected to the 
> 'Net via a modem router. All works well.
>
> My house was cabled for LAN with cat5 cable when it was built.
>
> I have connected a pc to each of 2 LAN wall outlets ( in different 
> rooms)  with a straight-through (ie not crossover) cable, and have tried 
> connecting the ethernet switch to each of the 4 outlets at the LAN 
> outlet point at the other end of the cabling in my "Den". The 
> appropriate set of lights on the ethernet switch fail to light up, no 
> matter which of the 4 outlets at the wall junction I attach it to, even 
> though the other end of one of these outlets has a PC (in another room) 
> attached.
>
> Either all of the LAN cabling in the house is defective (unlikely as the 
> other cables for Cable-TV and TV Aerial work), or I am doing something 
> wrong re connecting the remote PC's to the ethernet switch.
>
> Should I be using straight-through cable or crossover cable from the 
> wall point to the ethernet switch (I asume straight-through)?
>
> How can I test the cabling, short of purchasing an appropriate cable 
> tester?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Bill


By "all works well" I assume you mean pc's networked to the ethernet 
switch NOT via the wall cabling.....

If the switch is a fairly recent purchase, then it shouldn't matter if 
you use cross-over or not - a lot, if not all, of soho switches 
auto-detect cross over or not. Theoretically, the wall cabling should be 
straight through and so using the cables you used to test the ethernet 
switch with the pc's should suffice.

Cable-tester: borrow one????

Try each of the 4 ports on all of the ports on the switch.

Nothing else comes to mind.....there's not likely to be 100M of cable 
between the switch and the computer is there? 100M is the theoretical 
limit.....

Fil