Packet Loss on Cat5e Outdoor cable. What could be the problem?

Allyall

Hi,

I have just completed crimping an ethernet Cable, Outdoor Cat5e. Have Cable tester plugged in both ends, and it all works fine. No loss/problems showing.

The cable was placed inside the plastic architrave around the roof , and then down along the garden fence, into an outdoor office.

When i run Ping tests on the PC, (Running XP), i am getting 100% no packet loss maybe 1 out of 10 times, The rest of the time i am getting 25% - 75% loss.

I have taken the cable out of the plastic architrave, thinking there may be an electrical cable in there, interfering with it, but i am still getting the same results.

What other issues could be causing this? The PC is working fine, plugged directly in to the router, and has been working fine on wireless.. I don't know what else could be causing the problem..

mathepac

How long is the cable run?

Does it pass an ESB consumer panel / switch board on its run?

Does the shed have a metal roof?

Is it shielded / protected in any way on its run outside?

Owen

Cable length is critical, but more importantly is screening/shielding. If it isn't shielded Cat5, you should put it inside some metal piping, and ground the metal piping itself.

PogMoThoin

Shielded cat5 is of no use unless you use the shielded rj45's and it's earthed either end by earthing the devices/routers it connects to

Allyall

mathepac wrote: »

How long is the cable run?

Does it pass an ESB consumer panel / switch board on its run? No i don't think so, but it did pass over a sensor light.. (not any more, i pulled it out.)

Does the shed have a metal roof? Not sure, maybe, but it is an outdoor office, and the cable enters at the base of the window at the very bottom. (Near the ground)

Is it shielded / protected in any way on its run outside? No. Except under the architrave.

Owen wrote: »

Cable length is critical, but more importantly is screening/shielding. If it isn't shielded Cat5, you should put it inside some metal piping, and ground the metal piping itself.

It runs for quite a bit, maybe 40/50 metres where would i get metal piping? It goes around a few bends.

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Shielded cat5 is of no use unless you use the shielded rj45's and it's earthed either end by earthing the devices/routers it connects to

How would i earth each end? Electric socket?

It's not shielded, it's UTP.

I've recrimped, and still getting problems.

Although now i know at least five reasons why.. :eek::o:rolleyes:

I didn't lay/install the cable myself, an electrician did, but i had to crimp it.

I'm just back from there now, was at it all day, and got nowhere, i'm back again in the morning. I didn't think it would be any hassle, or at least not this much..

Here is an Attempt at an image to show where the cable runs. There's an exit hole at the doors, then it goes over the door, around the roof, and alongside the fence, then drops to the ground, and enters into the office at the base of a window, near ground level.

RangeR

How is it attached to the fance? Stapled? :eek:
Are there kinks in it. :eek:
At the points where the cable turns corners [fence, walls, door etc], are they soft bends in the cable?

Ninja Edit FTW

thegen

If you have crimped a plug directly on to a solid conductor cable you will require a solid conductor plug. I would recommend that you terminate both ends into a Cat 5e outlet and use factory manufactured patch cords. Crimping directly onto solid conductor cable is not recommended.

TheGEN.

RangeR

Another point. Is your Cat5e stranded or single core? Single core should really only be used for infrastructure rather than fly leads.

I say, should, but it's not a requirement.

Allyall

RangeR wrote: »

How is it attached to the fance? Stapled? :eek:
Are there kinks in it. :eek:
At the points where the cable turns corners [fence, walls, door etc], are they soft bends in the cable?

Ninja Edit FTW

No, he tucked it into the fence. I couldn't find any kinks in it, and yep, soft bends at every corner. Four all together i think.

Also it's Solid Core Cat5.

@thegen
Do you reckon, Wall outlet on either end would be better then Directly connecting from Router to PC?

thegen

@thegen
Do you reckon, Wall outlet on either end would be better then Directly connecting from Router to PC?[/QUOTE]

Absolutely, solid conductor cable is not designed to be crimped. Have you done a light test on it or is it a full cat5e test you did?

Allyall

A light test.

thegen

Allyall wrote: »

A light test.

All this is telling you is there is continuity on the cable. It will not tell you if it is terminated correctly. Do you know anyone with a Cat 5e/6 tester? Where are you based?

Alun

How do you have it wired? Any split pairs by any chance?

Allyall

thegen wrote: »

All this is telling you is there is continuity on the cable. It will not tell you if it is terminated correctly. Do you know anyone with a Cat 5e/6 tester? Where are you based?

I am doing this in Portmarnock, I might have a friend i can contact, hopefully he would have it.

Alun wrote: »

How do you have it wired? Any split pairs by any chance?

I have it wired the same as these diagrams (568-A)

http://wiringwizard.com/primer/cables/cat5/

I initally did have it just as

Orange/White Orange, Blue/White Blue, Brown/White Brown, Green/White Green

mickotoole

Can you trace the full run of the cable?
My guess is that the electrician probably joined the cable with gaffer tape if/when he cut it running the cable. Just my 2c

Allyall

Yeah, can trace the full cable, no Gaffer tape.

PogMoThoin

Allyall wrote: »

I am doing this in Portmarnock, I might have a friend i can contact, hopefully he would have it.



I have it wired the same as these diagrams (568-A)

http://wiringwizard.com/primer/cables/cat5/

I initally did have it just as

Orange/White Orange, Blue/White Blue, Brown/White Brown, Green/White Green

It's always T568-B you use, these days A is only used in the opposite end of a crossover. All patch panels and equipment will be B. I know it wouldn't really matter as long as both ends are the same but it is incorrect to use A. Just for future reference.

Any chance there's a duplex mismatch, where one of your devices is set to full duplex and the other fails to autonegotiate the duplex setting and defaults to half duplex? This will cause packet loss. it's best to leave both on auto

dimensiondk

yeah man u have that wired wrong.
as stated above u should be using "B" standard over here (unless doing russound or out-of-spec cat5 runs)

should be pinned like this;

1. orange&white,
2. orange,
3. green&white,
4. blue,
5. blue&white,
6. green
7. brown&white
8. brown

sockets are a good idea if you have to bits you need (sockets, modules, stamper, etc)

good luck!