checking the UTP cable wiring

[zoran]

Ive got UTP cable inside the walls, linking a wired network all over my house. For some reason, after some time my adsl connection stalls and in order to work again, i need to reset the modem/router or reboot it within its interface.
Having a problem in that wired network seems to be the case. How can i find out, perhaps by testing it if all connects fine or not? Frankly im not even sure that it could be the wired UTP cable that is creating the issue, but what else could it be and how can i start checking?
Im banging my head on the wall for this, so any help will be deeply appreciated!

 

[BorderingOn]

The most obvious culprit would seem to be the DSL modem itself. What makes you suspect the wiring instead? What is between the modem and the RJ45 jacks? Router, switch, etc.? Is everything home run?

I'd start by disconnecting everything from the modem and running a new length of UTP to the computer you use primarily, it that's feasible. How long does the problem take to manifest?

You can buy a simple continuity tester but a broken pin or wire probably would nor cause the problem you describe.

 

[zoran]

The most obvious culprit would seem to be the DSL modem itself. What makes you suspect the wiring instead? What is between the modem and the RJ45 jacks? Router, switch, etc.? Is everything home run?

I'd start by disconnecting everything from the modem and running a new length of UTP to the computer you use primarily, it that's feasible. How long does the problem take to manifest?

You can buy a simple continuity tester but a broken pin or wire probably would nor cause the problem you describe.

I have tested it with two modem/routers and the result is the same.
Its a modem router, so there is nothing in between.
All is home run yes.
It takes about something between 1-3 hours!
If it is a broken pin, then wouldn't the problem occur at specific times, even right at the beginning when i make the reboot? Just thinking out loud ;-)

 

[BorderingOn]

Ok, perhaps the DSL line itself. Since it's only a few hours, I'd probably start with a fresh cable connected directly to the modem. Then you'll know if the problem is your wiring or the phone line / service.

A UTP run with a broken pin will usually cause random flaps where it goes up and down, speed / duplex issues, CRC errors, and few other things. But probably not on some predictable interval. Cable that has been kinked or crimped can have performance problems but you need a cable analyzer to see this. Few hundred $$.

I suggest isolating the fault and going from there since there are numerous possibilities.

 

[zoran]

A UTP run with a broken pin will usually cause random flaps where it goes up and down, speed / duplex issues, CRC errors, and few other things.

What do you mean by random flaps? Duplex issues? Crc errors? What other few things? Sorry but apart from the fact that my English is inadequate maybe explaining me more about what you mean about "other things" i may recognise some of the symptoms.

Cable that has been kinked or crimped can have performance problems but you need a cable analyzer to see this. Few hundred $$.

Excuse me but what do kinked/crimped mean? A cable analyzer can see all of the cables used in a network? Are you talking about UTP cables?

I suggest isolating the fault and going from there since there are numerous possibilities.

How would you isolate it?

 

[Longer Lane]

What is not clear is if you can still access the modem. Let's assume the modem is accessible:

1. Check if someone in your family has connected a phone without ADSL filter - this can interrupt your signal
2. Check if the modem has dropped the connection, you might find more info in the logs

If you still want to check on the cabling, do the following

1. Get an Ethernet cable tester e.g. from Amazon. Less than $7.00
2. Check your noise levels on your DSL connection. Call your ISP to see what acceptable levels are. Also check that
3. Check if the Ethernet cabling is running close to electric cables. Sometimes interference can create problems

My $0.02

LL

 

[zoran]

Yes i can access the modem.
How can i check logs to see if there is any info regarding modem drop out
The Cable Tester link is broken, please send it again!
Many thanks for your interest LL ;-)

 

[Longer Lane]

Yes i can access the modem.
How can i check logs to see if there is any info regarding modem drop out
The Cable Tester link is broken, please send it again!
Many thanks for your interest LL ;-)

I urge you to check if any phones are plugged into the sockets directly. If so, put an adsl filter between the phone and socket.

Look in your modem's manual if you can access the logs.

I doubt there is something wrong with your cabling. Nevertheless, it's always good to test it. Google for 'Ethernet cable tester'

My $0.50

LL

 

[zoran]

I doubt there is something wrong with your cabling.

Why do you say this with great certainty, what gives you this feeling?

 

[satcomer]

I feel in the walls did you use shielded cables sense of electric wires in walls?

 

[Longer Lane]

Why do you say this with great certainty, what gives you this feeling?

With fault resolution, start at the dsl connection. I.e. modem. See if it dropped the connection. Then do as I said earlier, check re filters. Check network settings, DNS servers can sometimes be problematic (many just use Google's on 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4). Maybe there is interference on your phone cable, in which case you need to contact your phone company/DSL provider. I had cases where they would do work in the exchange and play around with the cables and leave the users in the doldrums.

I am assuming, that you have checked your internal settings.

Re internal cabling, it's good practice to test cabling for correct wiring before going live. You don't want to have cross-overs, etc. Now you have an excuse to get that ethernet cable tester.

 

[BorderingOn]

What do you mean by random flaps? Duplex issues? Crc errors? What other few things? Sorry but apart from the fact that my English is inadequate maybe explaining me more about what you mean about "other things" i may recognise some of the symptoms.

Excuse me but what do kinked/crimped mean? A cable analyzer can see all of the cables used in a network? Are you talking about UTP cables?

How would you isolate it?

Don't worry about the terminology. The point is there are many possibilities. Isolating the issue simply means ruling out some of the possibilities. We can rule out your internal wiring easily with my suggestion to connect a computer directly to the modem. Once we know where the issue is, we can go into more detail about what may be wrong.

 

[zoran]

After a lot of research it looks like it's either the telephones wire or the phone it self...I hope!

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I played this game with our local connectivity provider.

They used a wide variety of dodges to avoid coming out to fix the issue.

Ahh, but when they finally came out, what did they find?

Good question, and you perhaps won't believe it...

The buried wire was the ORIGINAL phone line, installed in the 70's or 80's. The wire developed a break in it. The local phone 'engineers' spiced the line, and mounted the splice in a box on another pole that was installed, apparently just to hold the splice. The local carrier started replacing their main hard wire runs with buried fiber years ago, and finally didn't need the copper wiring, so they started removing it and the support poles. The grunts that removed the wire and the poles found the splice on that pole, and just ripped it off the pole and threw it on the ground. Really... So we get DSL, and the service has to have 'bonded pairs', with some degree of uniformity between them. The 'modem' showed massive fails on one pair, and a few on the other. Our service was up and down like a grasshopper. Our VOIP was down so much our alarm system was alerting it several times a day.

But it gets worse.

The tech that finally came out was amazed that the line was working at all. He decides to 'walk the line', and finds the splice. There is NO record of the spice existing in any of their records. Hmm... The splice is found under several trees and other brush that had been cut out by the brush clearing crews the carrier pays to maintain the right-of-way. The spice is not weatherproof either. They pull a new line. It takes two weeks to get it buried. The problem abates, but is still there. The connection from here to the DSLAM is golden, and from there to the head end is golden. It's the card in the DSLAM. Well those cards are upwards of $60,000 each! It takes MONTHS of calling and emailing logs to get someone to FINALLY admit that the card is bad to, and another month before it's finally swapped. Guess what? Things are working well.

But I was given stories about the fluorescent lights in my basement causing the problem, the firewall I have causing the problem, the gauge of wire I had from the demark to the firewall causing the problem, power interference causing the problem... They tried every lame excuse for the issue, and it turned out to be 100% their issues, and their historical incompetence magnified over the years.

Yeah, if you can connect to the modem from the inside, yet can't connect to the outside world, I can say with a very high degree of certainty that it's outside issues that are causing the problem. Heck, the carrier even tried to charge me for a replacement modem, until the replacement rapidly showed the same symptoms. Carriers don't want to do anything that involves sending someone out to physically do anything. That is why AT&T is pushing DirecTV! No wires, no local techs, no expensive testing equipment. No happy customers either.