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Question

First Time Terminating Cables

Jan 30, 2015 9:45AM PST

I have a bunch of new in wall wiring

I am trying to set up my network and home theater.

I started by terminating a Cat6 cable on both ends using the 568B pattern - I was pretty careful about the color order - afterwards I connect the cable on both ends to TX/RX boxes for use in conveying HDMI signals via the HDBaseT protocol. This worked fine. I have a cable box in a closet and my TV in the family room.

then I wanted to set up my Wifi router in the family room - so I unplugged the TV stuff and plugged the new cable into my closet Comcast router/AP , plugged in my laptop at the other end (later I will install a wifi access point instead of the laptop ). Nothing - no connection

so I simplified things - I took a pair of laptops - connected them via a know working cable - tried file sharing, works. then moved the laptops to the ends of my in wall cable - nothing.

I thought maybe I got the color/pin order wrong so I redid the terminations - same results - HDBaseT works fine - TCP/IP between the laptops not, and then when I test the laptops using a known patch cable - fine...

any advice ?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Share pictures of your work.
Jan 30, 2015 10:08AM PST
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Images
Feb 1, 2015 5:37AM PST

update - I was able to get my Ethernet and HDBaseT working (separately) on Cat5e over the same run
the main difference I saw is that I was able to pull the wire into the connector a lot closer to the point where I trimmed the outer insulter with the 5e

I am using platinum tools EZ connectors where you put all 8 wires thru the connector and the crimping tool cuts off the excess as you crimp.

here's some images of the cables that worked with HDBaseT (first when I terminated both ends, and second after I cut off the ends and re-did them), both times the Cat6 did not work for ethernet/Internet but did work for HDBaseT

here are the 2 current ends and one of those which I re-did

http://imgur.com/NnfxAMd

http://imgur.com/1MTD3Xr

http://imgur.com/anXjchU

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Time for continuity tests.
Feb 1, 2015 5:47AM PST

Another thing. I run into installs that they stapled the cable into place. They had to re-pull a lot of the runs.
Bob

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PS. This image looks bad.
Feb 1, 2015 5:49AM PST
http://i.imgur.com/NnfxAMd.jpg

To me it looks like the crimper didn't push the contact down and cut through and connect.

Almost all crimpers have you close the handles to the stops.
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update
Feb 2, 2015 4:25AM PST

I can try recrimping the heads, but my point was that HDBaseT worked both times over these wires so
it seems to me that if HDBaseT uses all 8 lines, then they should be connected - I'm wondering if somehow HDBaseT is more resiliant than Ethernet protocol.

The main difference I see between my 5e termnationa and Cat6 is that the Cat6 has a central 4 way insulator/separater which is hard to trim and may make the wires a little longer before they disappear into the outer cable insulation - not sure if I'm expressing myself clearly here

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1. The pairs look OK here.
Feb 2, 2015 4:27AM PST

2. Time to get out an OHM Meter and check for continuity and side to side shorting.

I didn't read how long the runs were but 100BT can go 100 meters with ease.
Bob

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Answer
Any chance you have a DVM with ohmmeter?
Jan 31, 2015 1:20AM PST

You can do a continuity check. I made a lot of bad cables my first few tries. One thing to remember to do is square off the ends of the wires before inserting them into the plug or some may not make it to the very end. If you look at the terminal side that slips into the keystone, you should see 8 shiny copper wires butting up to the plastic. If even one is missing, you may have a wire that wasn't inserted far enough to be crimped into place.

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response
Feb 1, 2015 5:41AM PST

I do have a DVM - a cheap one from radio shack - the type with big pins on the ends of black/red wires - I don't think it would be useful to test these small wires

I used platinum's EZ connectors where the wires actually are pulled though the plug and flush cut when crimped

The ends look very good to me

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I'd grab that DVM
Feb 2, 2015 10:06PM PST

You may need to be creative on how to get the leads to contact the plug's connections. Alligator clips and sewing needles are a crude way to do this. Or, if you have a spare keystone, you can create a loopback jack easy enough. I'm not familiar with those connectors as I only use two types. One does have something of a small wire loom that inserts into the jack once the wiring is separated and trimmed but I find these to be a pain. I could suspect the crimping to be incomplete. I saw your pictures but not the tool you used. Mine is a ratcheting type that won't release until the tool bottoms out and feels no more resistance from the jack. My first was a cheapie and I had a lot of re-dos. This one hasn't missed.