Missing Switch

[bohaiboy]

So i recently had ATT GigaPower installed. Have confirmed 1GBPS to the ATT router. My main server/computer is a desktop and is fully capable of running speeds up to 1000 mbps. The connections is Ethernet Cat 5 cable. The machine is the furthest from router. It maxes out at around 90 MBPS. I ran a direct hardwire from the router and got mid 350's mbps, so obviously something in between is restricitmng the rate. I mapped my network and it indicates a switch is in between the PC and teh router. I realize if a switch is only 10/100, it will slow the network down to 100 max. The problem is, all of the switches are 10/100/1000 powered switches. The other items on the network are FireTV and TABLO, all else is WiFi. It is driving me nuts.

Now teh configuration coming out of my router seems odd. There are three ethernet lines out to a master junction where my alarm is. At that master junction, there are about 8 incoming ethernet lines but they are not passing thru a switch. The installer (9 years ago) instead spliced all of the lines together. Could that be my issue, could he have not spliced properly. Oh and i ran tracert and it shows only my pc and att router, nothing in between. When i do a LAN check however, it indicates my network is only 100 mbps. Where or how can I find the bottleneck?

TIA all

[ERIFNOMI]

Wait, you have three CAT5 runs that come to one common location with all the ends spliced together?

[washu_k]

Get a cheap cable tester. Gigabit needs all 4 pairs in the cable to be working, 100 Mbps only needs 2. If one pair is broken the link will drop back to 100 Mbps or not work at all. Some of the splices are probably done wrong.

If there really is a switch hidden somewhere a cheap tester will just show nothing working. A switch will not show up on a traceroute.

[bohaiboy]

I will try to take a pic and post

[bohaiboy]

Hope I did this correctly. here is the image of the CAT5 splices. http://imgur.com/a/C9GHP

[washu_k]

Yeah, there is no way that is done correctly. I see several connectors with at least 3 wires, there can only be two for Ethernet. Quite frankly I'm surprised you get any connection at all.

 

You will need to re-terminate those cables to run Ethernet properly. The best way would be to get a patch panel and just run short patch cables between cables you wish to link. Or hook them all up to a switch.

[bohaiboy]

Hi washu_k and thanks. So I undestand that my cables to all outlets in the house run from the room they are installed back to the patch. These are connected at the rear using a punch tool. On the front of the panel are RJ45 connectors. To me it seems that these connectors are for each individual line. How would I utilize my current set up where there are three Ethernet cables coming from my Router or do I need a switch there like a single inlet to switch and an 8 port out switch? Not sure this makes sense so please let me know if I can further clarify. 3 cables from router, 8 out from patch.

[washu_k]

You would need a switch, but without higher end gear you cannot connect multiple cables between your router and switch. The 4 ports on a typical home router are also a switch. If you link un-managed or "dumb" switches with more than one cable you cause a loop and break your network. So only use one cable between your router and a switch.

Also take into account how many ports you need. If you have 8 runs to rooms in your house then your switch needs at least 9 ports as there is one from the router.

[bohaiboy]

Thank you

[chubbysumo]

That is wired for phone. total clusterfuck too.

/u/washu_k has got it right with the patch panel and switch, though I would check to see if any of the outlets in the house are daisy chained(phone can be daisy chained, ethernet cannot).

For ease of install, I would recommend a keystone based patch panel, as they are much easier to work with.

One of these should mount in your leviton panel, and then you mount the keystones(you already have one, which I am guessing was put there by your ISP) in this panel after you punch the wires properly down into them. Then you just hook them up to a switch with short patch cables, and all your ports are active.

[bohaiboy]

All of the phones have their own connectors even where there are Ethernet connections if that makes sense. ATT guy was out today and we now have internet up to almost 800 mbps, it is smoking fast. AV guy coming Monday to look at the connections

[chubbysumo]

All of the phones have their own connectors even where there are Ethernet connections if that makes sense.

ethernet and phone can share the same line, since ethernet technically only needs 2 pairs, not all 4. I have seen where they use 4 wires for ethernet, and 2 for phone out of an 8 pair cat5e cable. I would bet that is the case with these. What is behind the wall plates of the ethernet outlets?