Question Why are my speeds capped at 100Mbps when going through wired ethernet in house ?

[sam2k51]

Hello,

I've recently moved into a new house (built in 2018) which has built in ethernet ports throughout the house. They were annoying not labelled but I've now figured out what port near my router relates to what port in other rooms.

I've recently tried plugging my game console in through the port in the lounge and then from the related port by my router and then into the router. I should be getting speeds of around 500Mbps (and I do get this when I test via WiFi) but the console only gets 100.

I've tested quite a few things, like plugging directly into the router and my speeds go up to 500, tested both cables also checked the ports themselves and they are both wired up as T568B and also checked all of the other ports in the house and they are only getting 100Mbps as well and I can't figure out why I'm getting a low speed.

Does anyone have any ideas what's causing it to be slow? Also please bear with me I'm new to a lot of this and I'm still learning!

 

[kanewolf]

Good point, do you know where is best to buy things like that (UK)? Looked on Amazon but looks like they only sell the whole plate rather than the ports.

Also will I be able to use a cat6 port for Cat5e cables?

Monoprice.com, but I am in the US so I can't speak for UK availability.
In the US most big-box home improvement stores have keystone jacks.
Yes, you can use a cat6 keystone with cat5e cabling.

 

[bill001g]

When you look for keystone look for ones that they call tool less. There is a special spring loaded punch down tool that is used. It pushes the wires in and cuts off the excess. These tools are not really expensive but since you likely will never use it again it is almost silly to buy one.

The keystones sold to home users tend to be the tool less kind. Most just have a plastic cover that when you snap it down it pushes the wires in. I have some that came with a small piece of plastic that looks like a small screw driver with a slot in the middle of the blade. You can actually use a small screw driver you just have to be careful not to push in the center and damage the small cutters that cut into the wire when it is pushed in.

You might just want to mess around with the ones you have to see how they function using a screw driver. Maybe you get lucky and get them to work. Twitter didn't like me but since the other post indicated it was connected wrong I suspect there are color bands where the wires did not match the color on the slot. You should be able to carefully pull out the wires one at a time that are in the wrong place cut off about 1/8 inch and put them in the proper location.

Keystone jacks are actually much easier for a beginner to get correct because you just match the colors and you can do 1 wire at a time. RJ45 plugs you must know the correct order and manage to get the end crimped on without any of the 8 wires moving on you.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

Oh okay I wasn't sure, quite new to all of this! How easy it is to rewire? And can I reuse the same port?

usually you can, just have to get a punch down tool you can get now these days at a home improvement/hardware store.

here is a video from a supplier I get cable from that will illustrate how to remove the wire and install it. I would cut back the wire and strip it so I have the wire twists even on the wire pairs. Also, be mindful of the orientation of the punch down tool, as the longer end of the blade goes on the outside to cut the wire.

 

[sam2k51]

usually you can, just have to get a punch down tool you can get now these days at a home improvement/hardware store.

here is a video from a supplier I get cable from that will illustrate how to remove the wire and install it. I would cut back the wire and strip it so I have the wire twists even on the wire pairs. Also, be mindful of the orientation of the punch down tool, as the longer end of the blade goes on the outside to cut the wire.

Thanks for the help! I will give it a go and report back.

I've just tried with my cable tester and it looks like wires 1 & 8 aren't connected properly.

 

[Moonstick2]

Good point, do you know where is best to buy things like that (UK)? Looked on Amazon but looks like they only sell the whole plate rather than the ports.

RS or Farnell I'd say. You're looking for something like this? (Asking, not saying I'm sure.)

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

RS or Farnell I'd say. You're looking for something like this? (Asking, not saying I'm sure.)

I would be surprised if they couldn't find keystone jacks locally.
But unless they are damaged, they are reusable.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

I've just tried with my cable tester and it looks like wires 1 & 8 aren't connected properly

That would cause it, but I would redo the whole connector because long wires untwisted at the jack is going to make it susceptible to network packet errors and outside interference.

 

[sam2k51]

That would cause it, but I would redo the whole connector because long wires untwisted at the jack is going to make it susceptible to network packet errors and outside interference.

Thanks for the help, I just need to get a punch down tool and then I can give it a go, the thing that's throwing me is that it looks like whoever installed this has put it in according to the colours on the jack, so I'm a bit confused about what I should do differently.

 

[Moonstick2]

I would be surprised if they couldn't find keystone jacks locally.
But unless they are damaged, they are reusable.

CEF maybe, they have a lot of stores.

But home-improvement places in the UK like Screwfix and Toolstation don't tend to carry a huge range of network stuff. I could only seem to find cables and full-faceplate sockets.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

Thanks for the help, I just need to get a punch down tool and then I can give it a go, the thing that's throwing me is that it looks like whoever installed this has put it in according to the colours on the jack, so I'm a bit confused about what I should do differently.

Keep the wires twisted when punching it down and the cable strip end less than 8 mm from the jack like its illustrated in the picture and the video. You see what happens when its punched down with wires untwisted, the wire doesn't strip clean and the jack blades for the pins don't seat onto the wire to make the electrical connection.

There is other types of keystone jacks called keystone jack couplers where you crimp a standard connector and plug it into the back of the keystone jack instead of having the telcom 110 punch down terminals.

I use the cat 6A shielded versions on my cat 8 links on my 10Gb network,
https://a.co/d/8AzOHBi
but the unsheilded plastic ones will work just fine for what you have for wiring.