Ethernet wall jack isn't working, connecting to router directly does

[Nasric]

We just moved into our apartment (the apartment itself is brand new, we're the first tenants) and we're noticing that our ethernet wall jacks aren't working. If we run an ethernet cable down to the router on the bottom floor, we can get a connection, but connecting it via our individual wall jacks doesn't give us anything. The wall jack says CAT5E on the bottom, and we've confirmed that our cables are indeed CAT5E.

We opened up a panel on the bottom floor and found this:

The ends of the ethernet cables appear to be cut, and I'm not sure if that's meant to be that way or not. Do we need to call AT&T to fix this, or is it something that can be done on our end?

 

[SkyBill40]

The cables are not terminated or connected to a switch, thus all of the additional wall jacks are a dead end. Seeing it's an apartment, I'd contact your property management company and/or speak to the leasing office (if that's applicable).

 

[bill001g]

It looks like att connected a single cable to their box...looks like you have att fiber.... that runs down to the router.

I would see what the apartment building will do first. In the long run I suspect you will place your router in this box so you can hook the wan port directly to the att box. You would then plug all those ethernet cables into your router lan ports to provide service to the jacks. The not good news is that these boxes are not the optimum place for the wifi so you may end up having to place AP in the remote rooms if coverage is poor.

If the apartment building is in a good mood they should also put ends on the tv coax in case you ever would want to use it.

 

[jsmithepa]

Good news is, you got wirings.

Bad news is, this is not your place, you have no idea what those cables are intended to be used for. CAT5 cables are used for other than networking.

Since this place is new, I would ask management if they are done finishing the place up, and if they say yes, if I were you, I would do the wiring myself, the way I want to, starting with a single run, and after a month and nobody calls, well, carry on!

 

[anotherdrew]

I agree with everything ... but let me add ... Please, please, please get a cover for that electrical outlet. If any of that debris that I see in the bottom of the box was to fall into the electrical box and cause a short, it could cause a fire. Yes, this is unlikely, but why roll the dice when a cover is less than $1. I would point this out to the apartment complex too ... I bet every unit is like this.

 

[Nasric]

Hey there again. First off, thanks for responding so far. I've been talking to the apartment management and AT&T today, and I'm basically stuck waiting to see whether or not management can figure out what's going on with AT&T.

With that said, some of the responses here seem to indicate that this is something that I could potentially do myself. I'm wondering how I would go about doing that.

Again, here's a picture of the wall-mounted device:

And here's one of my modem itself - the yellow wire is going directly into an Ethernet jack in the wall:

 

[jsmithepa]

U didn't get the gist my my previous response.

Now that management knows you are concerned about his particular item, nothing to do but wait.

I have a feeling AT&T is gonna come back and tell you: Everything is been hooked up, you got Internet at the modem, we are done. If they are helpful (oftentimes they are not) they will ask, so what's the problem? Your response should be, "I still see unfinished cabling at the box, can't get Internet in every room, are you taking care of those? and if history will repeat itself, there are going be some back&forth, finger pointing between AT&T and complex's management. Hope ur patience.

While you are waiting for this, u may as well ask management how come you cannot hookup your TV in the other room with the coax outlet. Picture#1 clearly shows unfinished RG6 (cable TV) wires dangling.

 

[bill001g]

I would say for someone inexperienced in terminating cable I would use a patch panel. It will not cost any more if you consider the cost of the crimp tool to put ends on cables.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-8-Port-Cat-5E-Data-Expansion-Board-5530/206415745

This particular one may or may not fit the holes in the back of the panel. Good thing about home depot if it is nearby is you can return it and try to find another. It does not actually have to be put into the panel holes it just looks more professional.

You would put a wire from each room to a different port. This includes removing the blue wire going to the att box.

So to make it work exactly as you have it you would then put a short cable between the ONT and the cable you moved to the patch panel.

To make this really work you will need to move the modem into the box. You would plug a short cable directly between the ONT and the ONT port on the modem. You would then run cables between the yellow lan ports and all the new ports in your patch panel.