BT socket on CAT6 can't be cleared to use for data

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RogerW

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#293513 27-Jan-2022 12:54

Hi All,

I have just moved into a house built in 2015 with a star distribution board. When it was built, the phone system was POTS or whatever was still around in 2015. The blue/white pair from what I presume is the incoming phone cable (cat6 UTP) has the silicone connectors with what looks like an orange pair snipped off at the connectors (not sure why the orange pair would be connected to blue pair). Anyway, the incoming POTS cable now appears redundant as UFB was installed in 2017 (according to a Chorus consent form I found in a drawer).

I want to use the installed BT jackpoints for data now. I've fitted an RJ45 socket to those two jackpoints and one of them tests clear back to the distribution cabinet. The other is showing a fault in all four pairs. Both of these cables are cat6 UTP.

My cable tester is a Dintek Twin. With the MASTER unit plugged into either end of the cable, with no remote unit attached to the other, the 4 indicator lights flash red simultaneously. If the remote unit is added to the other end of the cable, none of the indicator leds light up.

I deduce that there is something somewhere in this cable that is causing a problem. I can't access this cable anywhere between the endpoints due to having no ceiling crawl space. The only two things I can think of are that there is either a nail/gib-screw through the cable at some location or there is some sort of device inserted at points unknown in the cable such as a DSL splitter.

If anyone has any bright ideas about what may be causing problems on this cable I would appreciate the help.

Cheers, Roger

trig42

5816 posts

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#2857145 27-Jan-2022 13:10

So you've removed the face plates, and changed the BT jack to a RJ45 socket and are getting no sign on life on that port?

I take it you know where it is going back to? You say it has Star wiring, therefore there must be some sort of patch panel (in the garage?). Can you find where your old phone line came into the house, and check there (like in an ETP) for a DSL filter?

RogerW

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2857159 27-Jan-2022 13:58

I can't find the original ETP however, I'm presuming that on my side the cat6 supply cable will be running straight to the distribution cabinet where I can see the end of the cable and it has been disconnected. It looks as though that cable and the later fibre cable have both been pushed into the house through the pvc conduit as prescribed by Chorus.

Bung

6506 posts

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#2857169 27-Jan-2022 14:30

Is there an old alarm system that could be piggybacking on that run of phone wiring?

openmedia

3334 posts

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#2857240 27-Jan-2022 16:55

RogerW:

Hi All,

I have just moved into a house built in 2015 with a star distribution board. When it was built, the phone system was POTS or whatever was still around in 2015. The blue/white pair from what I presume is the incoming phone cable (cat6 UTP) has the silicone connectors with what looks like an orange pair snipped off at the connectors (not sure why the orange pair would be connected to blue pair). Anyway, the incoming POTS cable now appears redundant as UFB was installed in 2017 (according to a Chorus consent form I found in a drawer).

I want to use the installed BT jackpoints for data now. I've fitted an RJ45 socket to those two jackpoints and one of them tests clear back to the distribution cabinet. The other is showing a fault in all four pairs. Both of these cables are cat6 UTP.

My cable tester is a Dintek Twin. With the MASTER unit plugged into either end of the cable, with no remote unit attached to the other, the 4 indicator lights flash red simultaneously. If the remote unit is added to the other end of the cable, none of the indicator leds light up.

I deduce that there is something somewhere in this cable that is causing a problem. I can't access this cable anywhere between the endpoints due to having no ceiling crawl space. The only two things I can think of are that there is either a nail/gib-screw through the cable at some location or there is some sort of device inserted at points unknown in the cable such as a DSL splitter.

If anyone has any bright ideas about what may be causing problems on this cable I would appreciate the help.

Cheers, Roger

I don't suppose you have a photo of which wires we're running to that old BT jack before you swapped it?

I think there is a high chance there is a patch somewhere en-route either for an alarm system or for a secondary socket.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

RogerW

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2857274 27-Jan-2022 18:07

@openmedia

Variously...
- Cat6 UTP cable from patchpanel to wall socket now with female RJ45 block fitted (outer cut away to show plastic cross inner for UTP)

- Same cable on 110 block (#5)

- (I think) original POTS connection from ETP now disconnected. The black cable carries fibre-only to ONT

- block on back of original BT socket - had the blue pair connected when I opened it up. I replaced it with the RJ45 female block.

I have emailed previous owners, who built the house, what the BT socket had in it, medical alarms, monitoring etc. Will update...

nztim

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TEAMnetwork

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#2857316 27-Jan-2022 18:56

That panel looks like a typical sparky job

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

antoniosk

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#2857387 27-Jan-2022 20:04

yeek, you might need to look at doing a continuity check per wire

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K8Toledo

1014 posts

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#2857424 27-Jan-2022 22:57

RogerW:

@openmedia

Is green terminated correctly?

RogerW

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2857722 28-Jan-2022 13:58

Irrelevant - even if crossed I should be able to get the other three pairs showing as ok.

RogerW

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2857734 28-Jan-2022 14:15

I am abandoning this cable - I can't replace it and there is no continuity on any individual wire; nor can I find anywhere in the internal LAN that is causing a problem. I'm guessing that something (perhaps one of the later aircon units) near the cable has caused the problem by physically damaging the cable.

Thanks anyway everyone.

toejam316

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#2857808 28-Jan-2022 16:15

Before you abandon it, remove it from the terminations and put a plug directly on it at both ends and test it - possibly an issue with the actual termination block.

Also, all those wires are way overstripped, there's a lot of room for improvement in that installation.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

K8Toledo

1014 posts

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#2858030 29-Jan-2022 01:31

RogerW:

Irrelevant - even if crossed I should be able to get the other three pairs showing as ok.

I'll take that as a 'no'. You're welcome. :P