Cat5Guys® — Identifying Cat5 lines (1 Viewer)

[glvsav37]

I moved into a new office and it was already wired with cat5 but in the server closet they just cut the wires and left the bunch hanging.
How do I go about identifying which lines are which so I can fix and hook them up to a new rack?
Is there a tool or something that I can stick in the jack in the wall and wand the other end for power?

 

[Hawks64]

What a nightmare. They do make RJ45 tone testers, as well as cable testers. Why not just re-do them all and reconnect them?

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

I moved into a new office and it was already wired with cat5 but in the server closet they just cut the wires and left the bunch hanging.
How do I go about identifying which lines are which so I can fix and hook them up to a new rack?
Is there a tool or something that I can stick in the jack in the wall and wand the other end for power?

Yes, it's called a cat5 toner. You should be able to get one from home depot or similar

 

[Runkle]

I had to wire up some stuff in my house, picked up a tester from Home Depot cheap. I'm sure there's a better one out there depending on how much work you need it to do.

Klein Tools LAN Explorer Data Cable Tester with Remote VDV526-100 - The Home Depot

Provide an essential update to your appliances with the selection of this Klein Tools LAN Explorer Data Cable Tester with Remote.

www.homedepot.com

It separates, you plug each end into each end of the cable and it'll light up if the connection is good.

 

[glvsav37]

What a nightmare. They do make RJ45 tone testers, as well as cable testers. Why not just re-do them all and reconnect them?

tell me about it. But I've already done enough in this office, if i can keep whats already there as is....I dont want to be fishing lines through walls if I dont have to. thats why I was hoping there was a tool, like an ones to test electric current that I can just pop on and match up.

 

[glvsav37]

Yes, it's called a cat5 toner. You should be able to get one from home depot or similar

I had to wire up some stuff in my house, picked up a tester from Home Depot cheap. I'm sure there's a better one out there depending on how much work you need it to do.

Klein Tools LAN Explorer Data Cable Tester with Remote VDV526-100 - The Home Depot

Provide an essential update to your appliances with the selection of this Klein Tools LAN Explorer Data Cable Tester with Remote.

www.homedepot.com

It separates, you plug each end into each end of the cable and it'll light up if the connection is good.

thank you!

 

[Rustoleum]

How many wires we talking here? 4,8,50?

I’ve done plenty of DIY wiring. Paying a company to send in a guy with his toner, his label maker, his punch tool, and a new patch panel to punch it back down is well worth it.

I mean, unless you want to wake up mumbling orange-white, orange, green-white, blue, blue-white, green, brown-white, brown for a few weeks….

 

[Osaurus]

I use this

Fluke Networks FIBERLERT-125... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KZV7V2J?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

and this if terminated

TEMPO PA1574 RJ45 Network Cable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085JTGK6W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Osaurus]

What a nightmare. They do make RJ45 tone testers, as well as cable testers. Why not just re-do them all and reconnect them?

tell me about it. But I've already done enough in this office, if i can keep whats already there as is....I dont want to be fishing lines through walls if I dont have to. thats why I was hoping there was a tool, like an ones to test electric current that I can just pop on and match up.

If you have existing lines in place and they’re not original (meaning installed after construction), fishing new lines using existing ones is pretty easy imo.

 

[Rustoleum]

Also, if you don’t want to put them all back into service, a toner wand will keep you from having to punch back all the wires.

Also also, what kind of animal rips out the patch panels?!?

Also also also: you want Cat 6 anyway.

 

[The Z Machine]

The Tracer (tm)

 

[Rustoleum]

The Tracer (tm)

Is that the new CBS drama about the dude who rolls around in a camper finding crossed pairs?

 

[The Z Machine]

The Tracer (tm)

Is that the new CBS drama about the dude who rolls around in a camper finding crossed pairs?

Lol.

"I've seen this patch panel before. The way the twisted pairs line up... its uncanny."