Question Cabling query

Apr 27, 2019
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I am moving from having TP Link Powerline in the house, due it being intermittently unreliable, to hardwiring between router and TV. Respective rooms are a distance apart with a couple of thick walls in between so wireless isn't an option. Am actually aiming to put second router, as a slave, in with TV so I effectively extend the WiFi there and have a number of Ethernet ports built in as well, but I want to make sure just going to TV works before trying this.
My first attempt didn't work (assume for the moment that all connections are sound though I accept that may not be the case), as I got 4 core CAT5e rather than 8 core. I connected each end of the extending cable to a RJ45 junction box, wiring to joints 1, 2, 3 and 6, then ran short cables at each end ie box to router and box to TV. When every thing is up and running correctly, it'll be cables from box to second router and second router to TV at one end.
My questions are:
  • Am I correct in saying that it's likely that the TV need to have 8 core running to it to work or should my first configeration have really worked?
  • I assume, in theory, running my 4 core cable to (eventually) the router should actually provide broadband, but then running an 8 core cable from router to TV may not work as it's not 8 core all the way?
  • As side issue, would it make any difference to anything if I ultimately did away with the boxes and had the cable going straight into the master router at one end and the slave at the other?
Thanks for any help
 
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The difference in cost is not much so it is not common to run 4 wire cables, it is the same work to get the cable run.

It should work you will just get 100mbps rather than gigabit. Like most cable things for beginning DIY it is really easy to make mistakes. First be sure each wire is firmly punched into the sockets. I will assume since you are being cheap on the cable you did not use a actual punch down tool. Be sure you have the wires correct not just the positions. There should be 2 pairs of wires in the cable you are using be sure one pair goes to position 1,2 and the other pair goes to 3,6. You must of course be sure both end match. When you use 4 pair cables there are standard color patterns you can use 2 pair cable many times uses other color wires but will work as long as you connect it correctly.

It should work as long as you really have cat5e cable. Be sure it is copper cable and is solid core wire rather than stranded, it takes different connectors on the ends for the different cable.
 
Apr 27, 2019
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Thanks bill001g. Just to clarify a couple of points: Using the two pair cable should work then, it just could give a lower speed? If that's the case, will issue be very noticeable if using for catch-up TV/Now TV type stuff as opposed to downloading films?
I appreciate both ends have to be wired the same(!), but you say it has to be a pair going to 1 and 2 and another pair to 3 and 6. Not sure what you mean by the emphasis of a 'pair', my thought would be having the same wiring at both ends is a must though it wouldn't matter which of the cables were used where. Am I wrong? My cable is Blue/Brown/Orange/Green ie no half white cable
For info, I wasn't being cheap on the cable, just schoolboy error on seeing it was for broadband and not spotting 8 wires would have been the preferred option.
(Am going to get cable tester from screwfix later to shorten time taken to identify any problems on connectors)
Thanks for any input
 
The key function that makes ethernet cable work is the pairs. There are 2 wires twisted together. It is the twists that make the pair of wires work. The common method is a solid wire and a white wire with the same color twisted.

I strongly suspect what you have is not ethernet cable especially if no pairs are twisted. It sound more like a cable used for telephone but phone cable commonly used black,red,yellow,green.

100mbps is faster than most people have for a internet connection so it will not have any impact. Even if you had faster internet I am not sure it would have much impact on a tv. A computer downloading some large game would download faster