Can't get Ethernet connection in wall outlets

[Indijones]

I moved in to a duplex house that has Ethernet wall jacks in all the rooms and a terminal box (DataComm Command Center II, http://www.datacommelectronics.com/HCC-Multi-Family/Home-Command-Center-II) in the laundry room. I have Xfinity internet, and been able to get the coax cable signal to a coax wall outlet in one of the rooms after playing with the coax cables and the splitter in the terminal box. My Netgear ac 1750 Modem-Router combo is working just fine, and have wifi all around the house. The problem is that none of the Ethernet wall outlets have connectivity when I run a LAN cable from the router to the nearby Ethernet wall outlet. I connected my laptop in every other LAN outlets but couldn't get any signals. What I would very much like to do is to place the router in the laundry room, and get Ethernet to at least the master bed and living. Since the coax signal is OK, I can get the wifi while placing the router in the laundry. But I want to use the terminal to distribute the Ethernet LAN connection to my desired rooms, at least. I connected the LAN cable from the router to the Ethernet port of the terminal box but that didn't work. I would appreciate if anyone could advise me on how to start the troubleshooting. I wanted to post some pics but couldn't find any option to do that. FYI, I have very limited knowledge of internet troubleshooting with the cabling, and don't have any cable testers other than a multimeter used for electrical troubleshooting. Thanks in advance.

 

[bill001g]

The wires in the wall jacks are likely not connected to anything. You need some electronics in your main termination box to connect them. This is normally a switch but you can use the lan ports on your router if your router wireless is ok there. It should be a matter of plugging cables from your router to the connection that goes to each room.

I suspect very strongly...especially if the device really is the one you linked...that the connections to the rooms are not data jacks they are phone jacks.

If you do not see lan jacks one to each room in your main panel then you have lots of work to do. First pull a jack from the walls in one of the rooms and make sure all 8 wires are connected and it follows one of the standard 568a or 568b color patterns. You then need to get corresponding connections in you main panel. You will need to remove all the wires from the datacomm device

You can then either put rj45 plugs on the ends and plug them directly into your router...mostly this will depend if you have enough cable. Or you can buy a small rj45 patch panel and connect the wires to the back of that and use short patch cable to connect to your router. You need to follow the same color pattern used in the wall jacks.

 

[Indijones]

Thanks for you response. You're right about the DataComm device. It only gives phone connections, not Ethernet. I have checked some of the wall outlets and found that they are set up as Ethernet connectors. I'll follow your advice and check each connections individually. I was wondering if there's any wall mount junction box that provides both Ethernet and coax connections as an alternative to the DataComm device.

 

[bill001g]

I have seen so many brands in various houses I am not sure if there is even a most popular one. Even the home improvement stores sell fairly basic ones.

Your largest constraint is going to be how much slack you have in the wires. If they cut them short it is going to be much more effort than if they have lots of extra wire. The very simplest way to solve this if you have the slack is to pull the wires out of the punch downs cut off a 1/2 inch or so and crimp on a rj45 plug. Then you plug those directly into a small switch. Not as professional looking but tends to be cheaper.

 

[Indijones]

I was wondering if this will help me to distribute Ethernet and over-the-air TV signals around the house. I don't need the phone lines. http://www.icc.com/p/833/mini-net-media-center-combo-voicedatavideo

 

[bill001g]

Should work. A patch panel for ethernet is pretty simplistic. The nice thing about that one is the wires and the jacks are on the same side.

 

[Indijones]

Thanks. I'll order one soon.