We're having AT&T Fiber installed at the house, and the tech informed me that he's getting a "short" reading and that the CAT5 wiring in the house is bad. The house is 7 years old, so it's not covered by warranty. What do I do here? Am I SOL? I guess general solution would be to have an electrician come out and try to pull new CAT5 cable from the ground floor up to the main comm box?
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CAT5 Wiring Short - Options/Suggestions?
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Last: 4 yr ago by FatZilla
This is what I'd do, assuming I had a spool of Cat5:
1) Get some duct tape and attach an end from the new Cat5 spool to one end of a bad cable
2) Start pulling
3) Punch down both ends of new cable
Repeat however many times needed. Might not be for everyone but it should be easy enough.
1) Get some duct tape and attach an end from the new Cat5 spool to one end of a bad cable
2) Start pulling
3) Punch down both ends of new cable
Repeat however many times needed. Might not be for everyone but it should be easy enough.
I was leaning towards something like this, but it's not something I've ever done before. Do you think this will still work if the wire wasn't run through a conduit and is just free or possibly attached some other way inside the wall?rbcs_2 said:
This is what I'd do, assuming I had a spool of Cat5:
1) Get some duct tape and attach an end from the new Cat5 spool to one end of a bad cable
2) Start pulling
3) Punch down both ends of new cable
Repeat however many times needed. Might not be for everyone but it should be easy enough.
Yeah that can cause some problems. If it's a concern then get some fish tape or there are even these things called glow rods. It adds some work to the process but those would give you something a little better to pull on. That's what an electrician/AV person would use in this case I imagine.
Edit #2 to say I don't know what the going rate is for having a person do this type of work for you but I have a decent amount of experience. For me I didn't give it a second though because I know the materials are inexpensive. But all it takes mainly is some persistence if you face challenges.
Edit #2 to say I don't know what the going rate is for having a person do this type of work for you but I have a decent amount of experience. For me I didn't give it a second though because I know the materials are inexpensive. But all it takes mainly is some persistence if you face challenges.
rbcs_2 said:
Yeah that can cause some problems with snags. If it's a concern then get some fish tape or there are even these things called glow rods. It adds some work to the process but those would give you something a little better to pull on. That's what an electrician/AV person would use in this case I imagine.
Thanks rbcs, I appreciate the insight. I've done DIY framing, drywall, and flooring, but I've never messed with power/electronics. Not super excited about this one.
Mind you, you're not going to get shocked pulling this type of wiring...and use Cat6 as it's the latest and greatest nowadays...Trolley Problems said:rbcs_2 said:
Yeah that can cause some problems with snags. If it's a concern then get some fish tape or there are even these things called glow rods. It adds some work to the process but those would give you something a little better to pull on. That's what an electrician/AV person would use in this case I imagine.
Thanks rbcs, I appreciate the insight. I've done DIY framing, drywall, and flooring, but I've never messed with power/electronics. Not super excited about this one.
And if you just pull it like rbcs suggested with duct tape, I would recommend stripping a few inches of the cables cutting all the wires off with the exception of 1 strand in each end, twist the two together and then duct tape over the connected cables for added strength to prevent them from separating inside the walls during the pull process.
Where are they installing the ONT vs your wiring hub. I understand you might have a bad run but insinuating that all the house cable is bad is stupid. The reality is that any shorts or opens are likely in the terminations not in the cable. Unfortunately if its really shorted and not on the end its likely because its pinched or the did something like stapled it through the conductors (and likely cant be used to pull a replacement.
I would verify the terminations first. You might be able to use the old cable pull in a replacement, but typically not successful if its any significant length. I would run a cat 5 on the floor needed to get the install completed and then worry about fixing it after they are gone.
I would verify the terminations first. You might be able to use the old cable pull in a replacement, but typically not successful if its any significant length. I would run a cat 5 on the floor needed to get the install completed and then worry about fixing it after they are gone.
If you've done all that then this should be relatively straightforward. Those tasks are much more difficult.
But for things like this that I'm unsure about I typically watch a few videos on youtube about what I'm attempting to do.
But for things like this that I'm unsure about I typically watch a few videos on youtube about what I'm attempting to do.
+1Quote:
I would run a cat 5 on the floor needed to get the install completed and then worry about fixing it after they are gone.
You do NOT need to pay an electrician. Find a young IT guy (or gal). and pay them to swing by your house on the weekend.
UmustBKidding said:
Where are they installing the ONT vs your wiring hub. I understand you might have a bad run but insinuating that all the house cable is bad is stupid. The reality is that any shorts or opens are likely in the terminations not in the cable. Unfortunately if its really shorted and not on the end its likely because its pinched or the did something like stapled it through the conductors (and likely cant be used to pull a replacement.
I would verify the terminations first. You might be able to use the old cable pull in a replacement, but typically not successful if its any significant length. I would run a cat 5 on the floor needed to get the install completed and then worry about fixing it after they are gone.
Fiber coming into the house on the ground floor at the garage. Wiring hub is on the third floor in the master closet (3-story townhouse).
I should've clarified - the AT&T tech didn't insinuate that the whole house was bad. Just the run from the first floor to the wiring hub. He said exactly what you said - cable probably got stapled or pinched somewhere. Pretty positive he checked connectors at both ends.
Edit to add: That's what I'm worried about trying to pull my own cable - if the old one is stapled to the framing, then it won't work.
ya pulling wire in completed residential properties is always interesting. Of course the cable company would likely just tack something on the outside wall. You also could use something like a homeplug Ethernet over powerline until you can get your wire optimized.
Not sure you location to recommend any one.
Not sure you location to recommend any one.
Check the terminations. I had similar trouble, so I called an AV guy to come inspect. The electrician improperly terminated all of the cat6. He told me it's not that uncommon for electricians to screw up, and then made a joke about them not being able to understand more than white wire / black wire.
CJS4715 said:
Check the terminations. I had similar trouble, so I called an AV guy to come inspect. The electrician improperly terminated all of the cat6. He told me it's not that uncommon for electricians to screw up, and then made a joke about them not being able to understand more than white wire / black wire.
Thinking this is probably Step #1. I called the builder to see which sub did the original install and if there was an off-chance they had specific enough as-builts to tell me where the wire was run. The warranty guy said something similar to what you're telling me.
Just got home and took a closer look at everything. No idea what the tech did, but the box in the master closet looks FUBAR'd. I wouldn't know which cable to pull if I wanted to. Need stars for the c/lol face right now.
Location?
Houston, Washington Ave area. Any recs?
I'll try to get with guy who does my datacenter stuff in medical center to see if he might have a suggestion. First how about a picture of the wiring can and where the ont terminates.
I think guitarsoup lives in that area and did a garage apartment build and may know some subs also. Think his email in his profile
I think guitarsoup lives in that area and did a garage apartment build and may know some subs also. Think his email in his profile
Trolley Problems said:UmustBKidding said:
Where are they installing the ONT vs your wiring hub. I understand you might have a bad run but insinuating that all the house cable is bad is stupid. The reality is that any shorts or opens are likely in the terminations not in the cable. Unfortunately if its really shorted and not on the end its likely because its pinched or the did something like stapled it through the conductors (and likely cant be used to pull a replacement.
I would verify the terminations first. You might be able to use the old cable pull in a replacement, but typically not successful if its any significant length. I would run a cat 5 on the floor needed to get the install completed and then worry about fixing it after they are gone.
Fiber coming into the house on the ground floor at the garage. Wiring hub is on the third floor in the master closet (3-story townhouse).
I should've clarified - the AT&T tech didn't insinuate that the whole house was bad. Just the run from the first floor to the wiring hub. He said exactly what you said - cable probably got stapled or pinched somewhere. Pretty positive he checked connectors at both ends.
Edit to add: That's what I'm worried about trying to pull my own cable - if the old one is stapled to the framing, then it won't work.
Unless he cut the ends off and re-terminated both ends, he didn't check if it was the terminations causing the problem. If you have the tool, $30-$50 at box stores and the new ends, $10, you can try it yourself. I recommend the pass-through type of terminations as they are very easy to use. Make sure you take a clear picture of the wire layout in the old terminations before you cut them. You need to put them back in the same order in the new one.
Cables should not be terminated in plugs they should be jacks or punch down blocks. Also most people terminating cables have no clue what tia568 is
Here's what everything looks like - wiring hub upstairs that the AT&T guy ripped apart, interior terminal that the AT&T guy installed, and the exterior of the house where the fiber is brought in. Definitely feel like I'm in over my head here after looking at the wiring hub. Everything is disconnected.
you could post that here https://www.reddit.com/r/cablegore/
Have not heard back from my friend.
Totally expect it's the termination.
Have not heard back from my friend.
Totally expect it's the termination.
Thanks again for the help. Going to see if I can get somebody out here that knows what they're doing without spending an arm and a leg.
Unfortunately the guy from chi who in theory know some people has not responded. A lot of places have fix fee per drop locally between $75 and 125 plus the call charge. Might not be bad for fixing your one drop, but to repair all would be crazy.
Wonder if you could find someone with a clue on task rabbit or other site like that.
Also have misgivings about electrician doing this stuff but maybe one of these guys could do or refer
https://texags.com/forums/61/topics/2771845
Wonder if you could find someone with a clue on task rabbit or other site like that.
Also have misgivings about electrician doing this stuff but maybe one of these guys could do or refer
https://texags.com/forums/61/topics/2771845
Have you considered moving to wireless?
"[When I was a kid,] I wanted to be a pirate. Thank God no one took me seriously and scheduled me for eye removal and peg leg surgery."- Bill Maher
Why would someone do that when they have a hardwire backbone already in their house?Mr. AGSPRT04 said:
Have you considered moving to wireless?
So they don't have to chase down wiring gremlins, aren't bound to outlet locations and legacy technology. I'm pretty stubborn on repairing instead of throwing away, but I abandoned and patched over my Ethernet system in favor of wireless. If OP is using POE cameras that changes things, but it was a good solution for me.
"[When I was a kid,] I wanted to be a pirate. Thank God no one took me seriously and scheduled me for eye removal and peg leg surgery."- Bill Maher
I've gone that direction. The wireless technology is good enough for what I need, and I assume it will continue to improve.
txyaloo said:Why would someone do that when they have a hardwire backbone already in their house?Mr. AGSPRT04 said:
Have you considered moving to wireless?
Better performance?
Avoid having to run new cat 6 since the cat5 is bad?
Convenience?
Not wanting stupid rj45 Jack's in every room?
Because a majority of devices will have wifi capability and may not have a network port?
Maybe anyone was reading the thread you would understand this is the run from the demarc outside to the central wiring closet where cables and things like wireless access point live.
I have wireless, and lots of cable and even some fiber in my house. And for every step wireless improves cable improves 10x more. With good equipment wire still wins.
I have wireless, and lots of cable and even some fiber in my house. And for every step wireless improves cable improves 10x more. With good equipment wire still wins.
Every device in my house that has an Ethernet port is wired.UmustBKidding said:
Maybe anyone was reading the thread you would understand this is the run from the demarc outside to the central wiring closet where cables and things like wireless access point live.
I have wireless, and lots of cable and even some fiber in my house. And for every step wireless improves cable improves 10x more. With good equipment wire still wins.
I make an exception for laptops when sitting on the sofa.
I like to run male ends on all cables. At the walls, I can use female-female keystones and move on. It makes it easier for me to test cables and, with the through connector type rj45 ends, I can run them quickly, easily and cleanly with no issues. It may not be the "right" solution, but I think there are a lots of perks to running that way for my preferences.UmustBKidding said:
Cables should not be terminated in plugs they should be jacks or punch down blocks. Also most people terminating cables have no clue what tia568 is
Wrong
How is it easier? They take longer to terminate. They're more likely to not work when you terminate them. You're buying a connector AND a keystone jack so its marginally more expensive. Punchdown blocks are easier than rj45 connectors,... I've done hundreds of rj45 terminations.Brad06ag said:I like to run male ends on all cables. At the walls, I can use female-female keystones and move on. It makes it easier for me to test cables and, with the through connector type rj45 ends, I can run them quickly, easily and cleanly with no issues. It may not be the "right" solution, but I think there are a lots of perks to running that way for my preferences.UmustBKidding said:
Cables should not be terminated in plugs they should be jacks or punch down blocks. Also most people terminating cables have no clue what tia568 is
The only perk is that you don't have to have a couple short ethernet cables to connect to the tester, and those are good to have around anyway. It doesn't make sense.
What are the "lots of perks" to doing it this way?
I did it this way only when I bought normal Cat 6 cables already terminated to run down some walls in my house to rooms that didn't have plugs. Cheap 50' or 100' cables and a few F-F keystones made dropping new wires so much easier. If your not trying to fish the cable through lots of crap and are just dropping them, its much easier to buy a pre-made cable that you know works and coil a few extra feet in the attic.TMoney2007 said:How is it easier? They take longer to terminate. They're more likely to not work when you terminate them. You're buying a connector AND a keystone jack so its marginally more expensive. Punchdown blocks are easier than rj45 connectors,... I've done hundreds of rj45 terminations.Brad06ag said:I like to run male ends on all cables. At the walls, I can use female-female keystones and move on. It makes it easier for me to test cables and, with the through connector type rj45 ends, I can run them quickly, easily and cleanly with no issues. It may not be the "right" solution, but I think there are a lots of perks to running that way for my preferences.UmustBKidding said:
Cables should not be terminated in plugs they should be jacks or punch down blocks. Also most people terminating cables have no clue what tia568 is
The only perk is that you don't have to have a couple short ethernet cables to connect to the tester, and those are good to have around anyway. It doesn't make sense.
What are the "lots of perks" to doing it this way?
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