Running CaT6 help please

Loobieburt

I’ve recently added a games room in my garden, run 80m of cat6 cable to a router.

But the internet doesn’t seem strong enough, cables ok as I tested via Ethernet socket on pc but router won’t detect any internet. Changed router same problem.
Anyone recommend a cable booster? And would it need to be halfway down the garden?
many thanks

Neil_Jones

What does "doesn't seem strong enough" actually mean?

If the router doesn't "detect any internet", that normally means you haven't configured the router.  If its a third party one (ie not one that a provider has sent you), it needs configuring.

Cable booster would make sod all difference.  Network cable is good for at least 100m.

Mickey666

We need to know EXACTLY what you've got connected to what, including the telephone line.

[Deleted User]

Loobieburt said:

I’ve recently added a games room in my garden, run 80m of cat6 cable to a router.

But the internet doesn’t seem strong enough, cables ok as I tested via Ethernet socket on pc but router won’t detect any internet. Changed router same problem.
Anyone recommend a cable booster? And would it need to be halfway down the garden?
many thanks

So you have 2 routers? I assume from your post your primary router is in the house and you say you have a second router in the games room? If so, that is your problem, you only need one router, you just need a switch and/or wifi access point in your games room instead of a router.

You can re-purpose a router as a switch / access point but you need to reconfigure it. Can you confirm whether you have done that?

Loobieburt

hi thanks hi thanks for your replies.
I have a Sky “router” in the house with 4 ports.
ive connected the cat6 cable to one of those ports and run the cable down the garden. I’ve connected my laptop and have internet albeit a lot slower than I expected. Testing near the house with a cable I get faster speeds.
when fitting the ip link to the games room I do not get any internet. 

So I guessed I needed to boost it?

pbartlett

could be your cable is low spec and a higher spec more expensive cable would work better

otherwise, as you say, you need an ethernet signal booster. google to find them

[Deleted User]

Loobieburt said:

hi thanks hi thanks for your replies.
I have a Sky “router” in the house with 4 ports.
ive connected the cat6 cable to one of those ports and run the cable down the garden. I’ve connected my laptop and have internet albeit a lot slower than I expected. Testing near the house with a cable I get faster speeds.
when fitting the ip link to the games room I do not get any internet. 

So I guessed I needed to boost it?

Possibly need to boost but I need to understand a bit more. At 80 metres you are within specification for the Cat 6 which should work up to 100 metres in ideal conditions but those conditions might not be ideal in a typical set up.

1. Is it a top quality cable - absolutely needs to be for 80 metres?
2. Is it shielded or unshielded cable?
3. What is the AWG - ie wire gauge for the cable - ideally 23?
4. Is it solid or stranded cable?
5. Did you buy it pre-made to 80 metres that length or made it yourself?
6. What link speed does the ethernet adaptor report when you plug in the laptop? (not a speed test - link speed found by going in adaptor properties)
7. Exactly what device is the cable plugged into in the games room?
8. Does it run in a fairly straight line (kinks and turns affect it) and does it run alongside or near any other devices or power cables that could interfere with it?

To use a booster you'll need to run PoE (Power over ethernet) from the source to power the booster that would probably sit halfway along the cable but before I say yes to that, can you answer the above questions please?

Mickey666

What speeds are we talking about at the sky box in the house?
TM6 asks some good questions, though 1 & 2 are not that important up to 100Mbps because even Cat5e will support that speed over 100m.  
Question 4 is definitely relevant - a poorly made cable can drop the speed if one of the 'pairs' cannot be used, in which case the Ethernet interfaces at each end will 'negotiate' a lower speed.  Has it been confirmed that all 4 pairs of the cable are properly wired and working?  Ideally need a network Cable Tester for this (£20 well spent if you do a lot of this sort of thing).

I don't think a booster should be required for this configuration.  I've run PoE CCTV cameras over 150m of Cat5e with no problem.  There must be something else going on.

Also, what does "when fitting the ip link to the games room I do not get any internet. " mean exactly?  What is "the ip link"?

Loobieburt

Hi thank you all for your replies.
tallmansix - it’s a friends house so I know some of the answers.
The cat6 came from his work so I am unsure of the awg. It is not screened.
I fitted the plugs either end and tested the continuity using the rj45 tester either end. All pairs are connected.
I tested the broadband speeds in the house using the broadband checker and in the games room where the speeds had dropped. I can go back and check the Ethernet report if it helps.
the cable doesn’t have any kinks in.
I ordered a ip link Wi-fi “hub?” For the games room which does not detect any internet. I’ve replaced it so know it’s no faulty.
hope this all helps. Many thanks again

[Deleted User]

Loobieburt said:

I ordered a ip link Wi-fi “hub?” For the games room which does not detect any internet. I’ve replaced it so know it’s no faulty.

Thanks for the added information, putting the cable aside for the moment because you have confirmed connectivity with a laptop (albeit slow), I want to sort the issue with the "ip Link Wifi Hub".

1. I've Googled for an "ip link Wifi hub" but can't find anything - maybe you mean a TP-Link Wifi hub? Model number would be really useful.

2. When you say the "Wifi Hub" in the games room does not detect any internet - that really confuses me. A switch / wifi access point in a network where you already have a router (ie the Sky hub) doesn't even know or care if the internet is connected, it simply sends network traffic between devices on the network.

3. So I think this is the problem - you've bought another "router" and for a setup like this, only 1 router will work. If you've put a router in the games room then it will not function properly unless you reconfigure it not to be a router.

Can you tell me exactly what device this "ip link wifi hub" is please?

If indeed it is a router as I suspect, then that's fine, but you just need to reconfigure it to act as a switch / wifi access point and I can walk you through that - you need will need to give it a different IP address, switch off DHCP and also change the DNS range on the Sky router - I'll give you full details of this if I can get the model number of the "ip link wifi hub" device please?

Loobieburt

TP-Link Archer C50 AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Cable Router