Really weird problem with cat 5e patch cable.

GuilewasNK

GuilewasNK

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Is there a reason my old yellow cat 5e patch cable that I run from the modem directly to a device works with my desktop, netbook, and 360, but my new black one works only with my netbook, 360 and NOT my desktop? Shouldn't all cat 5e cable work with any device that uses them?
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']There is no reason why it shouldn't work. Maybe a defective cable?[/QUOTE]

The new cable works with my netbook and 360, but not the desktop.
 
Right, we got that, but that doesn't mean it's not defective in some way. Might want to tell us HOW the desktop "doesn't work". Do you have no light on the router, no green light on your motherboard's ethernet port, your computer sees the cable connected but can't go online... doesn't work is very vague. And how long (in length) is the cable?
 
Cant answer this question without more details. Such as what exactly does not work, and have you tried duct tape.
smile
 
I ended up having to duct tape down the one end of my ethernet cable up over my router to hold it at just a certain angle and establish a connection. My router isn't as classy as it once looked, but it does the trick! :bomb:
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']Right, we got that, but that doesn't mean it's not defective in some way. Might want to tell us HOW the desktop "doesn't work". Do you have no light on the router, no green light on your motherboard's ethernet port, your computer sees the cable connected but can't go online... doesn't work is very vague. And how long (in length) is the cable?[/QUOTE]

[quote name='vagrantpaul']Cant answer this question without more details. Such as what exactly does not work, and have you tried duct tape.
smile
[/QUOTE]

When I plug the new black Belkin cable into the desktop and turn the modem on, there is no data light showing on the modem and no green light on the ethernet port on the desktop. The cord is in firmly on the modem and desktop side. I've tried holding it in by hand and wedging a toothpick and the internet never connects and the light on both devices never come on. When I tried it on the 360 and netbook, the black cable connected and I was able to get online with those devices with no problem.

The yellow Belkin cable doesn't have this problem on the desktop and works, but I have to wedge something like a toothpick in the ports on the modem and pc because the yellow cable is old and the locking part of both ends have been broken for years.

I know they are both 5e patch cables and not crossover cables.

I've had this problem with every new patch 5e cable I have tried to buy over the years with my desktop which is why I have had to hold on to that old yellow cable for so long. It's also why I am sure it isn't a defective cable and something to do with my PC or ethernet card. I got the PC in 2006 and it runs Windows XP. I haven't adjusted any network settings or messed with the BIOS. I've tried googling this before and haven't really found anything useful that could explain what is going on.
 
Maybe one of the metallic contacts of your computer's ethernet port is bend out of place? If you have to use a toothpick to wedge the port, and that you've previously had this same problem with other patch cables, then like you suspect, it's likely your computer's ethernet port not being able to make complete contact with the cable. Since you said the old yellow cable has the plastic 'lock' broken off, maybe it works because you can push it further into the ethernet port on your computer to make the contact. Do you have an old PCI network card lying around from an older PC? I would get one and install it into your computer to see if it works if you really want to use that new cable. Or you can always go wireless by adding a wireless card. Or stick with the old yellow cable since it does somehow works.
 
As a side note, be sure you're trying to use the same port on your router with both cables. A given port on a router can go bad (especially if it's got a large number of ports on it).

SOSTrooper touches on a good point that it may not be the cables being different but the port on one side or the other being a little wonky. It may be that your toothpick trick is no longer fixing just a bad RJ-45 connector but also a poor female ethernet jack (your computer's).

All the surefire diagnostics I can think of require a multimeter with a connectivity test, which I'm guessing you don't have....
 
my response is "WTF?" You're running one cable for multiple devices? You're turning the modem on and off? Why? Go on newegg and buy a switch (cheap for the amount of port's you'll need) and stop running such a bad setup
 
[quote name='n25philly']my response is "WTF?" You're running one cable for multiple devices? You're turning the modem on and off? Why? Go on newegg and buy a switch (cheap for the amount of port's you'll need) and stop running such a bad setup[/QUOTE]

You missed the whole point of his dilemma. He's not talking about how his setup is like, nor did he ever told us what his real setup is, he's telling us some cat5 cables works for his desktop, some does not.
 
Like others have said sounds like that little patch cable is just right to fit in the desktop port and the others don't touch what they need to.

And n25 has a good point ... are you using one cable all the time or just for these trial and errors?+
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']You missed the whole point of his dilemma. He's not talking about how his setup is like, nor did he ever told us what his real setup is, he's telling us some cat5 cables works for his desktop, some does not.[/QUOTE]

read it all again, the only thing that is clear here is that his setup is a complete mess
 
[quote name='n25philly']read it all again, the only thing that is clear here is that his setup is a complete mess[/QUOTE]


The setup isn't the problem. The cable issues are.

Although I did get a Belkin router last week and another patch cable, the same problem persists with my desktop so I still have to use that old cable. I did set up WPA2-AES with my netbook and all my devices work (360, desktop, netbook, PSP so the setup issue is irrelevant.
 
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