LAN and Telecom Cabling Homemade cat5 cable using existing phone line fails.

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Subject Author Date
Homemade cat5 cable using existing phone line fails. Sam Nickaby 03-11-06
Posted by Sam Nickaby on March 11, 2006, 5:41 am
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I made my own Ethernet cable to extend our DSL connections to
25 feet. I used a cat5 male connector on each end. I use two ordinary
phone line cords. After I lined them up identically like what cat5 cables
are supposed to I then solder and assemble the cords. I then check the
resistance on all eight terminals. They all check fine.

The problem is when I plug one end of the cable to DSL modem the other
to the PC the cable fails to work. I keep getting "network cable unplug" and
"network cable plug" consistently until I unplug the cable. Does this
mean that the cat5 won't accept the ordinary phone cables?

Thanks







Posted by David Schwartz on March 11, 2006, 6:11 am
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>I made my own Ethernet cable to extend our DSL connections to
> 25 feet. I used a cat5 male connector on each end. I use two ordinary
> phone line cords. After I lined them up identically like what cat5 cables
> are supposed to I then solder and assemble the cords. I then check the
> resistance on all eight terminals. They all check fine.
>
> The problem is when I plug one end of the cable to DSL modem the other
> to the PC the cable fails to work. I keep getting "network cable unplug"
> and
> "network cable plug" consistently until I unplug the cable. Does this
> mean that the cat5 won't accept the ordinary phone cables?
>
> Thanks

To make a cat patch cord, you need to use cat 5 cable.

DS



Posted by Peter Kolbe on March 11, 2006, 6:15 am
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Pins 1 and 2 must be on one twisted pair
Pins 3 and 6 must be on another twisted pair

If you do not have pairs that are twisted together all the way through the
cable, then you cannot use it.

If they are not grouped specifically on the pairs, then there will be
crosstalk, etc.

Peter

>I made my own Ethernet cable to extend our DSL connections to
> 25 feet. I used a cat5 male connector on each end. I use two ordinary
> phone line cords. After I lined them up identically like what cat5 cables
> are supposed to I then solder and assemble the cords. I then check the
>



Posted by Robert Redelmeier on March 11, 2006, 10:14 am
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> I use two ordinary phone line cords.

This is usually flat silver satin. No-where close to Cat5.
Strictly speaking, Cat5 describes an end-to-end link quality
that should be certified. When components are marked "Cat5",
it means that the mfr believes that they can be used to make a
link that will pass Cat5 testing _iff_ you do everything right.


> After I lined them up identically like what cat5 cables are
> supposed to I then solder and assemble the cords. I then check
> the resistance on all eight terminals. They all check fine.

Low resistance straight thru is not enough. Ethernet uses
differential signals which must travel on balanced twisted pairs
to avoid corruption. Electrons may be color blind, but they know
who their dance [twist] partners are.

-- Robert


Posted by Roy on March 11, 2006, 11:21 am
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Sam Nickaby wrote:
> I made my own Ethernet cable to extend our DSL connections to
> 25 feet. I used a cat5 male connector on each end. I use two ordinary
> phone line cords. After I lined them up identically like what cat5 cables
> are supposed to I then solder and assemble the cords. I then check the
> resistance on all eight terminals. They all check fine.
>
> The problem is when I plug one end of the cable to DSL modem the other
> to the PC the cable fails to work. I keep getting "network cable unplug" and
> "network cable plug" consistently until I unplug the cable. Does this
> mean that the cat5 won't accept the ordinary phone cables?
>
> Thanks
>
>


Your cable is not CAT5 since it doesn't have the right number of twists
but then again you don't need CAT5. Your DSL modem probably runs at
10Mbps which calls for CAT3 cable. CAT3 has less twists and most telco
cable meets the criteria. The cable you have may be below that but it
might not matter for a the short run. YMMV

The link light would come on in any case so you have something else
wrong. Your modem may require a cross over cable or you don't have it
wired correctly (pin1 to pin1). You actually only needed two pair 1-2
and 3-6.

Correct that problem and then try your cable. If you don't get errors,
you are just fine

Roy

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