Still crimping RJ45 plugs??

[Donald]

Below is an article on how best to terminate bulk CAT5E or CAT6 or above cable. And it's not the RJ45 plugs I have been using. (I use the Platnium Tools shielded RJ45 passthru plugs).

It's hard to determine if your network cable is causing you any problems without a expensive meter.

Example: 200 feet of CAT6 cable. RJ45 plug crimped on each end. Unifi switches show 1Gbs connection. Sounds fine right?

Fluke LinkIQ shows the connection only passes at 10Mbs.

So the switches handle errors that might occur. But likely would get better throughput if it passed the Fluke LinkIQ at 1Gbs.

I intend to try upgrading to field termination and see what the Fluke says.

https://www.truecable.com/blogs/cab...solid-copper-ethernet-cable-a-really-bad-idea

 

[BMW Dom]

They were properly crimped, and not passing 1 Gbps? Now, I'm questioning everything

 

[blufeb95]

In general it's not worth terminating patch cables, buy premade patches and only field terminate cable at punchdown jacks.

 

[Donald]

They were properly crimped, and not passing 1 Gbps? Now, I'm questioning everything

My point is unless you have an expensive meter you cannot tell.

I cannot say the cable is not damaged. I believe the RJ45 plug were properly crimped.

 

[OVERKILL]

Below is an article on how best to terminate bulk CAT5E or CAT6 or above cable. And it's not the RJ45 plugs I have been using. (I use the Platnium Tools shielded RJ45 passthru plugs).

It's hard to determine if your network cable is causing you any problems without a expensive meter.

Example: 200 feet of CAT6 cable. RJ45 plug crimped on each end. Unifi switches show 1Gbs connection. Sounds fine right?

Fluke LinkIQ shows the connection only passes at 10Mbs.

So the switches handle errors that might occur. But likely would get better throughput if it passed the Fluke LinkIQ at 1Gbs.

I intend to try upgrading to field termination and see what the Fluke says.

https://www.truecable.com/blogs/cab...solid-copper-ethernet-cable-a-really-bad-idea

Pretty easy to see on the switch if there are errors being corrected or not. I wouldn't take the meter's word as Gospel either (that's not saying it is not an excellent product, it is, but you have to take the Mbit readings for what they are), test the cable with a switch and client, saturate it, check for errors, it may or may not back-up what the meter is telling you.

That said, the general gist of the article is right, you aren't "supposed" to use RJ45 connectors on solid cable (even if it works fine). The right application is between patches, be them keystone or panel. Male RJ45 jacks are installed on stranded cable by machines.

I like to think of the meters as a screening and troubleshooting tool. If you are having problems with a run, put the meter on it, if it confirms that there's something off, well, you know it's unlikely to be the equipment and more likely the cable or its terminations, and vice-versa.

 

[brianl703]

Pretty easy to see on the switch if there are errors being corrected or not.

My experience has been that if there are errors being corrected by the switch, there are a lot of them and it quite noticeably slows down the network, to the point where it doesn't work at all.

Otherwise, when I've checked, I see no errors. Doesn't matter how long the link has been up, the error count remains at zero.

So it seems you either get a bunch of errors and really a slow or non-working network, or no errors at all.

I have never seen "some" errors along with a "somewhat slow" network.

 

[mk378]

I've always used closed-end plugs. The article points out that the crimped connection is not moisture resistant, and that's definitely a problem in outdoor use. Open-end plugs have an additional way for moisture to enter, only a couple of mm from the connection.

 

[OVERKILL]

My experience has been that if there are errors being corrected by the switch, there are a lot of them and it quite noticeably slows down the network, to the point where it doesn't work at all.

Otherwise, when I've checked, I see no errors. Doesn't matter how long the link has been up, the error count remains at zero.

So it seems you either get a bunch of errors and really a slow or non-working network, or no errors at all.

I have never seen "some" errors along with a "somewhat slow" network.

Yes, that mostly mirrors my experience. I've seen a few errors on an interface that has been up for a few years and no complaints, but we are talking like 20-200 kind of thing in that period of time. An interface with problems racks up an obscene number of them in a short period of time and the impact is quite noticeable.

 

[Wolf359]

My point is unless you have an expensive meter you cannot tell.

I cannot say the cable is not damaged. I believe the RJ45 plug were properly crimped.

I gave up trying to make RJ45 cables back in the 90s. There's no savings when all it takes is one bad cable to cause lots of problems. And yeah, the regular cheap meters aren't worth it, never bothered buying the ones that went for thousands because the patch made machine cables were always decent and I learned to have a decent supply on hand so I never had to make any. They go bad anyway from people who move things around on their own or roll over them with their chair.

 

[OVERKILL]

Just going to add a couple of snaps from my switch at home here. 1st is the uplink, which is GigE w/medical grade Belden CAT6a cable:

Then, we have the CAT5e run to my wireless access point. There's about 50ft of cable maybe? PoE, home terminated with the open-ended jacks we are discussing here:

Of course the access point cable isn't moved or manipulated in any way, it was plugged in and left.

I also have a 100Mbit link using indoor CAT5e run outdoors (it was supposed to be temporary until I got some outdoor cable, have not got around to replacing it yet) also terminated using these same jacks. Run is about 150ft I guess? Of course the connector at the camera is in a weatherproof junction to protect the cable.

 

[Donald]

Just going to add a couple of snaps from my switch at home here. 1st is the uplink, which is GigE w/medical grade Belden CAT6a cable:
View attachment 106955

Then, we have the CAT5e run to my wireless access point. There's about 50ft of cable maybe? PoE, home terminated with the open-ended jacks we are discussing here:
View attachment 106956

Of course the access point cable isn't moved or manipulated in any way, it was plugged in and left.

I also have a 100Mbit link using indoor CAT5e run outdoors (it was supposed to be temporary until I got some outdoor cable, have not got around to replacing it yet) also terminated using these same jacks. Run is about 150ft I guess? Of course the connector at the camera is in a weatherproof junction to protect the cable.
View attachment 106957

What would I look for in a Unifi display of a switch to switch connection that was getting some errors but dealing with them? I do not see fields like error packets or retransmission packets.

 

[OVERKILL]

What would I look for in a Unifi display of a switch to switch connection that was getting some errors but dealing with them? I do not see fields like error packets or retransmission packets.

@Rand is far more familiar with Ubiquiti stuff than I am, I'm primarily a Cisco guy (with a bit of Juniper), but I would assume that you'd have a "port status" section that should show you similar information to what I posted above.

I can get similar information via CLI from any Cisco IOS switch just doing sh int.

 

[Rand]

What would I look for in a Unifi display of a switch to switch connection that was getting some errors but dealing with them? I do not see fields like error packets or retransmission packets.

I havent had to do that yet but I think you have to check the log files.(with SSH?) Google should put you on the right path for how to do that.
try "unifi switch error log" or something to that effect into google.

 

[Donald]

I havent had to do that yet but I think you have to check the log files.(with SSH?) Google should put you on the right path for how to do that.
try "unifi switch error log" or something to that effect into google.

Ok thanks. But I wish it would be accessible via the Unifi phone app as I am remote most of the time. Not looking to open up anything to be able to SSH into a switch.

 

[OVERKILL]

Ok thanks. But I wish it would be accessible via the Unifi phone app as I am remote most of the time. Not looking to open up anything to be able to SSH into a switch.

I would suggest you switch to Meraki, but the subscription costs just to get access to more detail probably wouldn't work with this facility, based on my understanding of its finances.

 

[Rand]

Ok thanks. But I wish it would be accessible via the Unifi phone app as I am remote most of the time. Not looking to open up anything to be able to SSH into a switch.

you cant do it from the phone app afaik

You can see this from the local console.. but still might not be helpful to you.

 

[jhellwig]

From the point of view of an electrician making odd length patch cable or going Right to the switch when there is no rack or room for one or the switch is just sitting on a shelf. The open ended ones are awesome. I do use Panduit jacks that take the green tool to pop them together whenever possible. I have an Ideal cable tester to flash switch lights and make sure all the wires are connected.

I don’t run into any situations where I have to have the highest speeds possible. I still use a lot of 10mbps(or whatever the lowest of the 10/100/1000 is) equipment.

 

[Donald]

I received a box of the truCable field termination plugs. One thing I like is they are wired by pair.

Yes the assembly is larger than a normal RJ45 plug you crimp. Obviously the part with the gold contacts you insert is the same size.

I think the main advantage is the part of the plug that pierces the insulation and makes contact with the solid wire is superior on a field termination plug than on a RJ45 plug you crimp. (I am only talking about crimps done by hand, not by a machine at a factory).

 

[Wheel]

I see problems with self made cables consistently at work. We end up with techs using the wrong rj45 ends for the cable, untwisting pairs, making split pairs and many other simple mistakes. The process to do it right is straightforward, but people rush it. TDRs have come down in price considerably, and I would argue that buying and using one first is almost cheaper than the time taken by a return call the first time, and you may be even the second time you use it. It certainly isn't cost effective to be making patch cables.