Help - New house ethernet

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ventolin

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#302116 30-Oct-2022 15:00

Hey team

Recently moved into a newly built house. I had agreed with the electricians that they would run cat6 eth through the house and leave it in the garage for me to deal with which is fine.

I've now started the process of patching the cables but realised I have no idea if they have terminated the wall ports using T568A or T568B. I've taken a wallport off and can honestly not tell and it's not labelled.

Aside from asking them (I would like to sort today if possible), how can I tell what they've used?

I've patched one using T568A and it's not working which would logically lead me to T568B however it could also be a combination of the patch leads from the wall to the device as I assume these also need to match?

Thanks in advance.

Dynamic

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#2989669 30-Oct-2022 15:06

Patching is simply plugging cables into a patch panel. Terminating is punching the individual wires down into the block on the back of a connector that a patch cable plugs into. I get the imrpession you are talking about you terminating at least one end of the cables.

Do you have a cable tester?

Can you upload a photo of one of the sparky's terminations? The colour coding should tell us.

If the sparky has terminated both ends for you and you are just plugging in a patch cable, it does not matter if the sparky has terminated both ends in A or B, as long as both are terminated using the same scheme. in-wall cable terminated as the B scheme and a machine-made patch cable bought from a retail store that was made using the A scheme will work perfectly well together.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

ventolin

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#2989670 30-Oct-2022 15:13

Yep you're probably right re terminology. Not my game.

They've done the wallports and I'm doing the other end.

coffeebaron

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#2989671 30-Oct-2022 15:20

Terminate the first cable using T568A, then run you cable tester at each end. If it checks out correct, then you know your answer, else try again with B.

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ventolin

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#2989672 30-Oct-2022 15:29

Unfortunately I do not have a cable tester. I don't think any electricla wholesalers would be open today and I doubt bunnings sell them

pipe60

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#2989675 30-Oct-2022 15:35

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/antsig-network-test-tool_p0322366?store=9474&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnvOaBhDTARIsAJf8eVNRLboEVUrRTjc0RWrhV_W3IJ2dmqy9-pyVnPcBGohSPttk0DsZvaUaAo6CEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

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#2989676 30-Oct-2022 15:35

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/antsig-network-test-tool_p0322366

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ventolin

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#2989677 30-Oct-2022 15:37

I'm an idiot, I searched ethernet and it returned nothing.

You're a legend, will head out now.

mdooher

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#2989679 30-Oct-2022 15:53

ventolin:

Yep you're probably right re terminology. Not my game.

They've done the wallports and I'm doing the other end.

Good grief... did they leave any sheath on at all?... and they did it without a tool... you can tell because the ends have been cut off after termination.

Matthew

wellygary

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#2989680 30-Oct-2022 16:01

mdooher:
Good grief... did they leave any sheath on at all?... and they did it without a tool... you can tell because the ends have been cut off after termination.

The boss said “just do it like the phone wiring “

cyril7

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#2989681 30-Oct-2022 16:02

Hi, as mentioned above, who unsheathed all the cable, if you want it to perform, do not do that. You can also see that the twist has been released, again if you want it to perform DO NOT DO THAT, its very clear on all pairs.

Cyril

Edit, terminations should look something more akin to below, anything less will not pass muster, I have shown both an RJ45 socket and a joint as examples.

ventolin

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#2989683 30-Oct-2022 16:05

I'll let the sparkys know

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Mehrts

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#2989685 30-Oct-2022 16:19

Classic sparky networking job right there.

FYI, the outer sheath is only supposed to be trimmed to the minimum distance, and the individual wires are punched down and the excess is cut in one motion of using the correct punch-down tool.

Since there's plenty of excess wire hanging out from the terminals, I'd be wondering if a punch-down tool was used at all. If not, then there's a high chance of termination contact failure.

Here's how a correctly terminated connection looks like:
(please note the colour order may vary depending on specific brand/type used)

elpenguino

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#2989697 30-Oct-2022 18:23

OP, none of this photos show something small that can go wrong - you need to view the the wiring terminal from the side to check each wire is pushed right down into the bottom of its 'V'.

Close is not good enough.

Good luck.

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ventolin

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#2989698 30-Oct-2022 18:26

Update: Thanks all. Got cable tester, used T568A. All cables now have plugs and all tested OK.

afe66

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#2990049 31-Oct-2022 14:32

Looking at the OP picture, instead of looking from top look from side as some wall connectors have the colour codes for A and B printed on the side, well my PDL ones have.

The terminalisation looks but rubbish as others have posted. If you have tech bent learning to do this sort of cabling is interesting.

I'm not employed in computing/tech fields but you can easily learn to do this with the correct kit. I've just done 8 runs in my new workshop. Can also create runs of ethernet to your ideal length.