testing rj11 cables

Random

i have random rj11 cables hooked up all over the house. over doors, under carpets, under floor boards. they all come to a central point and then also split off at different points.

overall its a bit of a mess but i dont really fancy running a ton more cabling around to multiple rooms again.

id like to test each end of them. so i can find out where each cable starts and ends etc. is there a handy way to do this without having to hook them up to a live phone line?

any suggestions? am i missing the obvious here?

You can get cable testers for RJ11/RJ45 that will light up if the cables are correctly wired. If you're handy with electronics you could also try hooking up a battery on one side of the cable and a LED on the other.

Gadgetman496

You can simply use a multi meter set to continuity (touch both prongs together and you'll hear a beeping sound).

If your cables are not terminated?

Join two of the coloured wires together at one end and and check the same coloured wires ant the other end with your meter (one of each of the meter probes on each of the 2 wires, when it beeps you've got the right cable.

If your cables are terminated?

Same procedure as above only you use a bent paper clip on one end to short out the two designated wires and on the other end you use the meter probs if they fit or 2 straight paper clips if not.

DieselPowered

Suggestion above are good ones, you can also look at a Tone and Probe Kit, they are less then €50 and could come in handy for tracing other cables too.