Ethernet wall port works, but also doesn't work.

[Asceis]

From my router I have a cat5e cable that runs through the attic to my room and then connects to a wall port. Whenever I plug in an ethernet cable into the port and then directly into my laptop, is does not connect. And the light on the router blinks orange instead of white, or just not at all. However, when I connect an Ethernet cable from the wall port to an Ethernet switch and then add another cable from the switch going to my laptop, it connects and works no problem. I don’t mind using the switch, but I can’t figure out why it works one way but not the other. Previously this was not an issue as I could connect directly from the wall port. Any thoughts or insight?

[Bruce]

just a guess, but maybe the ethernet cable in the wall, or the RJ45 wall jack itself, has been damaged - rodent, water, short, one pair has untwisted too much - that sort of thing.

and somehow??? adding the switch is ‘fixing’ it.

the cat5 cable has 8 wires, twisted into four pairs.
each pair is twisted differently to any of the other pairs, and that degree of twist is important.
of the 8 wires, only 3 are actually required to make a connection, the others were not needed when the standard was first released, but have since been used for PoE and other improvements.

I’m thinking your switch has some internal smarts and is fixing whatever issues it is finding for you.

[Asceis]

just a guess, but maybe the ethernet cable in the wall, or the RJ45 wall jack itself, has been damaged - rodent, water, short, one pair has untwisted too much - that sort of thing.

and somehow??? adding the switch is ‘fixing’ it.

the cat5 cable has 8 wires, twisted into four pairs.
each pair is twisted differently to any of the other pairs, and that degree of twist is important.
of the 8 wires, only 3 are actually required to make a connection, the others were not needed when the standard was first released, but have since been used for PoE and other improvements.

I’m thinking your switch has some internal smarts and is fixing whatever issues it is finding for you.

interesting, so I guess I’m better off just using the switch unless I want to get up in my attic or replace the actual wall jack. Maybe i’ll get around to it. thanks

[Bruce]

who ran the cable from the router, through the house, and to the destination and who terminated the cable into the back of the RJ45 socket?

that’s the attic end of the cable - what about the modem end? does this cable come out of the wall and straight into the modem, or is there another wall socket on that end as well?

what is make/model of the switch that is ‘fixing’ things?
if it’s a managed switch, it’ll have its own IP address and can be logged onto and have a menu structure that will show the number of packets it is receiving in error.

[Asceis]

The cable and wall jack were installed by previous owners so I have no idea.

At the modem end the cable just comes out of the wall and I have it plugged directly into the router. No socket.

The switch is a tp-link 5 port gigabit desktop switch, TL-SG105

[Bruce]

that’s an unmanaged switch so you can’t get into it’s logs and see if it has incoming bad packets.
not to worry.

since the modem end has the cable going straight from the wall to the modem, that would indicate a DIY install rather than a professional as they always put in a wall socket. so perhaps the RJ45 plug at the modem end, or the wall socket end punch-down plug have not followed the T568A or T568B standard, or whoever did it, did A on one end and B on the other, or when making the cable, he unwound too much of the twisted pair. who knows.

at least the TP-link is fixing it.

[Bruce]

@Asceis - still need help?

[Bruce]

no response