Adding an Ethernet Connector to Direct Bury Cat5e Cable

[Bubbles Galore]

I ran some direct bury Cat5e cable to my ACW and am curious if there will be any issues with me adding a connector directly to the cable? I don't think there will be a problem, but I wanted to check with the experts. Thanks!

 

[Buzzie8]

I am not an expert on networking computers but I remember a few years ago making up cables for some computers I wanted to network. I am pretty sure for some reason I needed to reverse the order of the wires on one end from the other for it to work. Look at a store bought ethernet cable to check the order of the wiring. Using the tool (available at Radio shack) was easy.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I am not an expert on networking computers but I remember a few years ago making up cables for some computers I wanted to network. I am pretty sure for some reason I needed to reverse the order of the wires on one end from the other for it to work. Look at a store bought ethernet cable to check the order of the wiring. Using the tool (available at Radio shack) was easy.

I did some splicing last night and all appeared to go as planned, but I think you may be right about reversing the order since I am using a RJ45 coupler at one point and the colors do not match up when they go in the coupler...good thing I bought a tester...I love/hate learning new trades...

Thanks!

 

[bigleo48]

Typically a switch will have TX and RX on opposite pairs from a device like a PC, but most switches/routers now will auto detect for a cross over. Max length is 300ft...going beyond that lenght might give you Near End Cross Talk (NEXT) issues.

I'd be more concerned with the connector types. First you want the connector casing to be the right size for the cable and jacket. For example, you don't want to use a connector for a 'flat' cable when you have a large round cable. This will cause an improper crimp and thus either having the stress relief on the jack too tight or too loose.
The other consideration is that the connector is for the type of conductor used. If your strands are braided vs solid, they can require a different connector. Also, if your using STP (shielded cable), you want to be concerned with using shielded connectors and looking out for ground loops (can be tested with clamp om current tester).

Remember, just cause it works, doesn't mean its right.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I definitely don't want to "hack" it together, but running a new and solid ethernet line just isn't possible. Both the standard and direct bury CAT5e lines are solid. I used a coupler at one point and the way the ends plugged into the coupler, it appears as though the wires are reversed??? I may just cut off the connectors and do a direct splice to counteract any issues that may arise.

I have a CAT5e test unit that should help me diagnose any issues, but I want to make sure that I can get a good signal for my ACW...a little out of my league here but I am willing to learn.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[trentu]

typically a computer will connect to a switch with a direct straight through wire.... I typically order the wires in the ethernet - orange, then org/wht, then blue, then green/wht, then green, then blue/wht, then brown then brown/wht from left to right as the connector is up and facing you. It should look like that on both ends. If there is a coupler in the middle then make sure it is a "straight through" coupler if it is a "cross-over" coupler you will reverse the order to the wires above.

 

[bigleo48]

Trentu,

Your post is a perfect example of how someone can get confused. First, your described wiremap is incorrect, but because we are dealing with balanced pairs, as long as you get the pairing right, it will work...just not in spec and not uniform. Second, I get what your saying, however here's where someone could interpret it wrong;

"left to right as the connector is up and facing you." This could be interpreted in three different ways. With the locking tab facing you, away from you or on top while then end is facing you.

"It should look like that on both ends. " This could be interpreted as having both ends matching up side-by-side (in parallel) or butt-end to each other.

Now there are literally millions of diagrams to the TIA/EIA-568-B.1-2001 spec. Here's the wiki on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIA/EIA-568#T568A_and_T568B_termination Better off using them as its easier to figure it out as a diagram.

Finally, any switch I've seen built in the last 10 years will auto-cross over if it detects a transmit on the receive pair (sensing a level 2 switching device instead of a terminal).

 

[trentu]

Thanks for the corrections and addition of the wiki reference. You are right that was sloppy but have to disagree on the small hubs/switches that most of us buy at a shopping center don't have all autosensing or at least I wouldn't count on it. Thank again for fixing my quick but mostly dirty post

 

[bigleo48]

No problems...what you posted is fairly typical IMHO. In my lifetime I have cabled up towers, in manholes, car plants, hospitals, computer centers, etc. Things back in those days got messed up regularly...so I learned from my early mistakes.

With regards to those small switches and hubs you can buy anywhere. I would be a little more picky than getting any of those to carry commercial traffic. I use to teach for a test equipment company that had Ethernet Packet Simulators to stress test these devices. So I tested a number of these and they really suck...especially if you try to put any speed or long packets through them, they error/drop packets constantly. So think of them as a computer....using one of those cheap switches is like using a really old computer with a slow processor and little to no memory. When you pay a little more (say $200), you'll get a switch that will operate at the given speed regardless of traffic. The little one may slow traffic and you might experience weird problems. You get what you pay for.

With regards to hubs (level 1 repeaters, as opposed to level 2 switches), I would not use them, unless repeating is the desired outcome (somewhat rarely needed). It will cause unneeded extra traffic on all ports and in the case of a runaway Ethernet port, can shut down the whole network.