Question CAT5 splitter works on first plug in only

[AinSeattle]

Configuration:

CAT5 100’ cable goes from modem/router in one building underground to inside a separate office with the Cat5 splitter inside the wall.

Short CAT5 network cable goes from splitter to wall plate on North wall.

Longer CAT5 network cable goes from splitter thru the attic to a wall plate on South wall.

All cable ends are crimped connectors.

Additional clarification:

Two standard network cables from output on splitter. One is white. One is yellow.

Plug both cables into splitter. Plug white cable into laptop. Network works. Remove white cable from laptop. Plug in yellow cable. Now get unable to connect error.

Unplug both cables. Plug both into splitter. Plug in yellow cable. Network works. Remove yellow cable and plug in white cable to laptop. Now get unable to connect error.

Question:

I only want the same single computer on each end of the office at a time but have to be able to move from one end of the building to the other without wi-fi. Wi-fi is definitely not an option.

Why isn’t the plug and play or configuration updating/reading the newly plugged in network cable the second time around?

 

[Ralston18]

You need a switch at the end of the CAT 5 100' cable.

Not a splitter.

Otherwise two devices are trying to use the same router port and IP address.

Cable color is moot.

 

[USAFRet]

A "splitter" such as this?
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Connector-Adapter-Wuedozue-Ethernet/dp/B07FCLLD1H

That cannot work, ever, no matter how much you play with it or what cables you connect to it.

If you wish to share that one cable between two different devices, you need an actual switch.
Such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A128S24

 

[AinSeattle]

Same laptop is getting moved to each wall. At that point, shouldn't the router be issuing a new IP address each time the laptop is plugged into the network?

Thanks so very much for the quick answer Ralston18!

 

[AinSeattle]

Driving into town tomorrow to get a switch. Thanks for the help.

 

[jsmithepa]

Splitters are kludges that should only be employed when u are on Apollo 13 and find out the air couplers are designed round on one end and square on the other and there is no Radio Shack nearby 😀 Ethernet switches are the correct way and what ya know, not expensive.

 

[alceryes]

It's possible to split one CAT5 cable into two 100Mb connections if you don't need Gb speed. Cable length, quality, and connectors come into play here and you would be splitting BOTH ends so you'd need two ports on the router/switch source side and couplers and extra network cables on the far end. The same four colored cables in the connectors, in the same order, at opposite ends. Pins 1, 2, 3, and 6.

A cheap switch is the far better option though. 😃

 

[kanewolf]

It's possible to split one CAT5 cable into two 100Mb connections if you don't need Gb speed. Cable length, quality, and connectors come into play here and you would be splitting BOTH ends so you'd need two ports on the router/switch source side and couplers and extra network cables on the far end. The same four colored cables in the connectors, in the same order, at opposite ends. Pins 1, 2, 3, and 6.

A cheap switch is the far better option though. 😃

You can do that. But you need a "splitter" on each end. One to combine two 100Mbit ports and one to split them back out. A single ethernet port to a splitter will give you one 100Mbit port.

 

[alceryes]

You can do that. But you need a "splitter" on each end. One to combine two 100Mbit ports and one to split them back out. A single ethernet port to a splitter will give you one 100Mbit port.

Why would he need a splitter on each end?
On the source end he would plug the, now two, CAT5 connectors into two open ports on the router. On the other end he would plug the, now two, CAT 5 connectors into two couplers. This will give him two ports to plug into and use as he sees fit.

 

[kanewolf]

Why would he need a splitter on each end?
On the source end he would plug the, now two, CAT5 connectors into two open ports on the router. On the other end he would plug the, now two, CAT 5 connectors into two couplers. This will give him two ports to plug into and use as he sees fit.

You have a "splitter" by stripping the cable and separating two pairs and terminating them. Then doing the same with the other two. The physical splitter accomplishes the same thing with standard cable terminations. Standard cables, no special terminations required.

 

[alceryes]

Ahhh, you're referring to the 'pigtails' created on either end as a splitter.

 

[kanewolf]

Ahhh, you're referring to the 'pigtails' created on either end as a splitter.

Actually I was referring to the original device linked in this thread. If you use one as a combiner at the switch end, and one at the far end, then you can carry the two 100Mbit streams on the single cable with all standard cabling.