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Leviton Wiring- Says Cat5 but no Connection?

post #1 of 12
Thread Starter 
Hey guys-
I live in a home with Cat5 wiring throughout (4 rooms have Cat5 jacks). The Cat5 cable from each port on the wall goes into a central Leviton system Box in the laundry room. Each Cat5 cable in the box goes into a PCB w/ white connectors for each individual wire (see attached pic). The PCB appears to be a HUB, but doesn't have RJ45 Jacks/ports- just individual wires from each Cat5 cable that slides into the connector.

The problem is when I hook up my Router to the RJ45 port in one of the rooms- and a laptop in another room- I don't get a connection. I'm positive it's not the problem of the laptop as I've tried multiple computers and connecting cables.

Each cable in the Leviton box has a orange+orange/white, Blue+Blue/white, green+green/white, and brown+brown/white.

I have a cable modem connecting to the router. From the router ONE of the ports plugs into the wall port. I then plug a laptop into a wall port somewhere else in the house and get nothing. I know the Modem/Router are working as I get internet when I connect directly to the router (which is what I'm using to post this here). It's a cable modem and gigabit router.

What am I missing?
Thanks guys!
LL

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post #2 of 12
Almost certain that the block that was installed is a phone block, not a "network" block. Which means all the wires to all drops are wired together in parallel.

You'll need to get a Leviton (so the mounting bracket holes line up with your box) network block and move the wires off the phone block.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCC...minisite=10027

Cheaper "hack" solution is to pull the particular room's wire off the phone block, and terminate it either with an RJ45 keystone or connector. Keystone would be better, then run a patch cord to your router.

Jeff
post #3 of 12
Thread Starter 
jautor-
Thanks for the reply. Yes, on the back of the PCB, all similar wires are in parallel. ie- all blue wires connect to eachother, all blue/white connect to each other, etc etc. I believe you're right- this is for phone line stuff.

If I'm not concerned about phone lines (I don't use land lines, just cell phone)- can I just install one of those Leviton Network boards, and be able to plug my router into ANY jack in the house, and get connection on ANY/ALL jacks in the house at that point? Essentially, I can network to any computer, get internet access, etc- no matter which port I plug the router or computers into? How much do those units cost?

I'm not sure what a keystone is... I'll try to google it and see. I'd hate to run a patch cord- the attic space is not the easiest to work in, plus drop the wire down the wall, etc etc. If I can just wire that unit into the box, that'd be the easiest solution for me- again, depending on price...
post #4 of 12
Thread Starter 
wait a sec- re-reading this here...

So I can yank the wires off the block... terminate them into a keystone/connector on the wire that goes to the room that contains the modem... and then directly connect it to the wires within the Leviton box for the rooms I need connected? In all reality- I only need to connect 1 room to another. I really don't need all the other rooms connected- just thought it'd be nice to have, but not NEEDED.

Is that possible? Do I need a patch cable to run in between, or JUST the connectors and hook those together?
post #5 of 12
Thread Starter 
let me clarify more here-

So I can take the cable from the room with the router/modem... disconnect it from the phone block- terminate it with a male connector... and then place a female connector on the cable that goes to the room that I want to receive the internet connection and that's it? Then just plug those 2 together right inside the Leviton box and be done? Or is it more complicated than that?
post #6 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by eyal8r View Post

let me clarify more here-

So I can take the cable from the room with the router/modem... disconnect it from the phone block- terminate it with a male connector... and then place a female connector on the cable that goes to the room that I want to receive the internet connection and that's it? Then just plug those 2 together right inside the Leviton box and be done? Or is it more complicated than that?

That will work. Would be better to replace the phone block with a network block, then use a short (6") patch cable to connect the room with the router to the room you want to use. That way, you can change it around later without more work... If you have AC power in that Leviton box, you could put a small Ethernet switch in there and connect all of the ports together.

The really quick and dirty way to connect the two rooms (without going through the keystone and RJ45), is to simply splice the wires together. Just match the colors, use some ScotchLok connectors (Home Depot), and keep the pairs twisted as much as possible. For simple Ethernet connections on short runs, this should be fine.

Jeff
post #7 of 12
Thread Starter 
I do have a AC Power in there. Are the switches expensive, or can I use just any old switch? And by switches, I assume you mean a router?
post #8 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by eyal8r View Post

I do have a AC Power in there. Are the switches expensive, or can I use just any old switch? And by switches, I assume you mean a router?

No, I mean a switch. Router (really a 'Residential Gateway') is a "switch plus firewall plus router plus DHCP and a bunch of other stuff". It *has* to be the first device in your network after your modem/dsl/cable. Normally you'd connect your device(s) to the built-in switch in the 'router'.

If you can't co-locate the router in your Leviton distribution box, the you just use a separate switch, placed in that box, to collect up all the devices and uplink (single cat5 line) to the room where your router lives.

And a 10/100 switch is dirt cheap. $10 or so. For example:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833166034


Jeff
post #9 of 12
Thread Starter 
Jeff-
Thanks for the help. I'm a little confused...

If I want to keep my modem & router in my living room... and then connect from the router to the wall port- which then goes to the box... do I put a switch INSIDE the box? ie- here's what I want-

Living Room--> Cable Modem --> Router --> Wall Port --> Leviton Box --> Switch --> Home Office Wall Port (or any other room that has a wall port).

Will that work? If I put the switch in the Leviton box itself- will that allow me to plug my cable modem + Router into any wall port in the house, and in turn, access internet/home network from any other port in the house?

I know I'd have to terminate each of those cables in the Leviton box so I can plug them into the switch...

I appreciate all the help!
post #10 of 12
Thread Starter 
Oh shoot- I see now. I'd have to make sure whichever room holds the modem/router is plugged into the port on the switch marked as 'uplink'.

Really, like I said before- all I REALLY need to do is connect the modem/router from the living room, to the port in my home office. If I can use a keystone/connector type thing inside the Leviton box to connect JUST THOSE TWO cables, I should be good to go.

Using a switch is nice, but not REQUIRED...

Is that correct?
post #11 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by eyal8r View Post

Oh shoot- I see now. I'd have to make sure whichever room holds the modem/router is plugged into the port on the switch marked as 'uplink'.

Really, like I said before- all I REALLY need to do is connect the modem/router from the living room, to the port in my home office. If I can use a keystone/connector type thing inside the Leviton box to connect JUST THOSE TWO cables, I should be good to go.

Using a switch is nice, but not REQUIRED...

Is that correct?

Yep, if your only goal for now is one room through the panel, keystone/RJ45 or splicing. Note if you don't have the tools for crimping RJ45's, the splice method will be much, much cheaper (like $3 total)...

Jeff
post #12 of 12
Thread Starter 
Sweet! Thank you! I'll give this a shot tomorrow!
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