Homemade cat5 cable using existing phone line fails.

>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?
>

I'll feed the troll.

You don't want to know what I think you did.

Buy a long patch cord or call a professional or a better amateur.

Carl Navarro

Posted by petrus bitbyter on March 11, 2006, 12:19 pm

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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
>

Did the equipment run when using an original (shorter) cat5 cable? Did you
use the right pairs twisted? The colors of the ordinairy telco cable you
used may differ from the cat5 ones, you know. What about your soldering
skills? You measured for conductivity, did you also check for short circuit?
(BTW, all CAT5 connectors I'm aware of are crimp types, where did you get
these solderable things from? How do they look like?) Where did you get the
information of the cat5 cable? Be aware that real cat5 cable has a higher
quality and price that ordinary telco. The quality of your home industry
product may not be good enough.

petrus bitbyter

Posted by DecaturTxCowboy on March 11, 2006, 12:36 pm

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At the risk of someone saying this thread is pathetic, I'll post an
answer as there are some good points to consider.

Sam Nickaby wrote:

> I made my own Ethernet cable to extend our DSL connections to
> 25 feet.

From what you are describing, it appears you have a simple DSL to
computer hookup. Instead of extending the ethernet connection from the
modem to the computer, why not simply place the modem next to the
computer and extend the silver satin phone line to the modem.

> I used a cat5 male connector on each end. I use two ordinary
> phone line cords.

As other guys have said, silver satin line cord won't work. Untwisted
cable has no cross-talk immunity.

> After I lined them up identically like what cat5 cables
> are supposed to I then solder and assemble the cords.

Typically CAT5 ethernet cable are straight-through, but
DSL modem-to-computer cables are usually cross-over.

> I keep getting "network cable unplug" and
> "network cable plug" consistently until I unplug the cable.

Those error messages usually indicate intermittent loss of copper
continuity, even thought you are showing good continuity when you test
the cables, they may not work when plugged in. My line of thinking is
that you might be using modular plugs designed for solid conductor and
silver satin is stranded wire. Although is more problematic the other
way around - using a stranded wire modular connector with solid wire.

The error message "Local Area Connection is now connected. This
connection has limited or no connectivity" usually means you have an IP
issue, but there can be two reasons for this. You computer's TCP/IP
properties are set for dynamic IP, but your network is static IP *OR*
you simply can't connect due to a cable problem.

You may even get a message saying "Local Area Connection is now
connected. Speed: 100.0 Mbps" when in fact its not working as that
message only indicates you have copper continuity. I've seen this after
someone stapled 50 feet of CAT5 to the baseboard. No error messages, but
it just didn't work..period.

BTW...just for grins, I just made up a 20 foot silver satin cord with
568B modular ends for stranded cable. It said "Local Area Connection is
now connected. Speed: 100.0 Mbps", but I couldn't even ping the two
computers.

> Does this
> mean that the cat5 won't accept the ordinary phone cables?

Move the modem next to the computer and redo you ends with RJ-11 plugs.

Posted by Rich Grise on March 11, 2006, 2:14 pm

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On Sat, 11 Mar 2006 10:41:24 +0000, 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

I've used cat 3 (ordinary flat telephone extension cable) for a 100' run,
with cat 5 (RJ-45) connectors at each end - but I had to pay attention
to which pins I hooked up:

http://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/ethernetcables.html

I suspect you have a simple miswire, or I don't understand the question.

Good Luck!
Rich

Posted by Doug McIntyre on March 11, 2006, 5:31 pm

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>I've used cat 3 (ordinary flat telephone extension cable) for a 100' run,
>with cat 5 (RJ-45) connectors at each end - but I had to pay attention
>to which pins I hooked up:

Flat telephone cable (silver satin) isn't Cat-3 cable. It would be
known as voice-grade, rated good for maybe 5kHz. Cat-3 cable is round,
looks just like cat-5 normally, just not as many twists per inch.

It also depends alot on speed too. You can get away with alot for 10-Base-T.
With todays stuff being all 100-Base-TX or 1000-Base-T, the specs are
*alot* tighter.

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