networking help

[studentspark]

Small office had cat 5 cable ran for future use but not connected at either end.

Today I terminated the wall out lets and crimped rj45 on other end for connection to a switch.

That was the end of my knowledge, I did play around trying to get the wired network to work, but with no joy.

Im not sure the gear they have in place is correct, so would like some guidance on what is needed to run a small network

The company want to install time clocks to monitor staff in - out for payroll.

The time clocks need to be connected to the internet, they need to be connected by a cable (not wireless)

It is this connection from the wall plate to the router I am unsure about

From the wall plate he cable re emerges in another room where they have a Netgear Gs524T 24 port switch

Plugged into this switch is a apple time capsule, which I believe is controlling the wireless network.

The switch has no direct link to the router

Connecting a cable from the router to the switch disconnects the wireless network.

I wonder if someone could give me the basic structure needed from wall plate to connection to the router for wired internet connection

Thanks

 

[Iggifer]

First off I wouldn't connect the cat 5 directly to the switch

I would use a patch panel and terminate the cat5 into the back of that, then a patch lead into the switch. This is the correct way to do it.

How is the switch then connected to the internet? Via the time capsule? Or is it not connected at all?

I would be connecting the router to the switch, and then the Time Capsule to the switch, and setting the time capsule to bridge mode, so it literally only works as a wireless AP (there are much cheaper and better wireless AP's out there for this purpose, Time Capsule is definitely a home device)

 

[studentspark]

Thanks

I am unsure about the connection from the switch to the router, or if there is one.
The switch has 24 ports, the time capsule is plugged into port 1
Disconnecting this takes down the wireless network

A few other connections are in place, i have no idea what they do

Sorry not giving you much to go on, but could you use any port from the switch to the router, and is this just a straight connection?

 

[studentspark]

Thanks

I am unsure about the connection from the switch to the router.
The switch has 24 ports, the time capsule is plugged into port 1
Disconnecting this takes down the wireless network

A few other connections are in place, i have no idea what they do

Sorry not giving you much to go on, but could you use any port from the switch to the router, and is this just a straight connection?

 

[Spark123]

Are there any lights lit on the netgear switch on the port you are connecting to?
What sort of cable is it? Is it multistrand or single strand?
How did you wire it?

 

[Iggifer]

if it's a decent switch, it shouldn't matter, it should be able to work it out.

it doesn't sound like a particularly big business, so is likely an unmanaged switch (good news)

I would go back and have a look, you (obviously) need a connection from the router to the switch to connect the time recorder to the internet

If there is no connection from the router to the switch, create one, with a straight-through, not crossover cable, and see where that gets you.

Also set that Time Capsule to bridge mode - you will need AirPort Utility - there may be a PC / Mac already on the network you can use to administer it, if not, and you have an iPhone/iPad there is a free app from apple to do it. Either way, administer the TC, click on Network, where it says Router Mode, choose 'Off (Bridge Mode)'

It sounds like they may be connecting the router to the TC to the switch, with both the TC and router serving DHCP, which could be causing issues

If I were you I would also recommend they get a 24-port patch panel rather than crimping direct on the (presumably solid core cat5) Is it a rack-mount or desktop switch?

 

[Iggifer]

From the wall plate he cable re emerges in another room where they have a Netgear Gs524T 24 port switch

Totally missed the router model number!

http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GS524T manual.pdf

have a quick skim if you havent already

 

[studentspark]

Spark 123

Yes ports light up when corresponding wall plate jack is connected up

Single strand

T-568B was the connection method.

I think I will leave this one to the network people, I was just having a go at getting it up and running

Thanks for advice[/b]

 

[Lectrician]

If the switch and router are not connected, and assuming all PC's still have internet access, I would suggest it sounds like there may be a Microsoft Small Business Server connected.

The usual method of connecting a SBS Server is with two LAN cards - one to the internal LAN network (the 24 port switch) and one to the WAN, usually via an ADSL modem or router.

The SBS then acts as a firewall router and protects all connected clients. The SBS also carries out all the DHCP etc.

You will find the LAN and WAN sides have seperate subnets.

Best to leave to the IT guys, as they will likely need to configure static internal IP's and port forwarding for the cloclcard machine anyway.

 

[SimonH2]

Putting plugs directly on the cable is "OK-ish" - not ideal but OK if done right. But, you do need the right plugs. I've done it myself a few times where it's been the right option - typically where the expectation is that things will be plugged in and never moved again except for maintenance.

Most commonly, the plugs have two prongs on each contact which press through the stranded core when you crimp it on. Plugs for solid core cable are different - the prongs (and there may be three of them) are offset so that they go either side of the solid copper wire instead of through it (which breaks it).

At to the rest of the network, if you don't have IT guys you can ask, then you'll need to do a sketch showing what is connected to what. Start with the incoming internet service (whether that's ADSL, cable, microwave, whatever), and work your way along the chain until you get to the stuff hanging off the switch. For routers, and I think the Time Capsule, you also need to identify which port the connection goes to.

 

[studentspark]

Thanks for the replies.

Its all a bit out of my comfort zone this, I really interested to learn, but not on the job as it were. Im happy to just start off on the cable runs.

What do you use to check the integrity of any cables you make

I got a cheap tester like this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/philex-network-cable-tester/93219

works ok for testing cables end to end

What do you suggest to use for testing from a wall socket, to a rj45 connector in different rooms, would using a small patch cable from the remote device into the wall socket work, Ive been testing continuity by twisting the pairs together and testing at the other end, but this wont give a final connected up test

Also the RJ 45 connectors seem not to want to click in to the wall sockets some times, do you get different types

 

[SimonH2]

Its all a bit out of my comfort zone this, I really interested to learn, but not on the job as it were.

Yes, that's always a "fun" way to do it.

What do you use to check the integrity of any cables you make

I got a cheap tester like this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/philex-network-cable-tester/93219

works ok for testing cables end to end

What do you suggest to use for testing from a wall socket, to a rj45 connector in different rooms

You just need one or two short patch cables (just a short cable with a plug on each end, and normally made with stranded cable). Then if you are testing with a socket at one or both ends, the patch cable converts that to a plug for your tester.

That tester will only tell you if pin 1 is connected to pin 1 etc - which is a good start. It won't tell you if (say) pin2 isn't using a wire from the same pair as pin 1 - which is a "split pair" and will prevent the network connection working reliably (or at all) on all but the shortest connections.

Also the RJ 45 connectors seem not to want to click in to the wall sockets some times, do you get different types

Do they have "boots" on ? These often impede inserting the plug into the socket. Apart form that, there is some variation, and some sockets can be "tighter" than others.

 

[Monkeh]

Also the RJ 45 connectors seem not to want to click in to the wall sockets some times, do you get different types

Assuming you mean it won't latch in place, the crimper (okay, this probably mostly applies to the cheaper types, including mine) will probably have flattened the tab down. You can bend it back up with a small screwdriver and it'll catch properly.