Q&A for How to Test an Ethernet Cable

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If no lights are showing, is my cable tester broken?

Community Answer

Yes. Most likely, your tester isn't working.

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Is it possible that when using a tester, the cable checks as good, yet it does not work?

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Community Answer

Maybe. It is a possibility. The ethernet cable "could: work, but you never know until you try.

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Question

I have 8 lights showing but my laptop says "cable not connected", so no signal. What is the issue?

Community Answer

Try to reconnect the cable again. Doing this may resolve your issue.

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Question

If any of the light at both the ends are not lighted up, then which end crimping is wrong?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

There is no way to know that without seeing the cable. It could be either end, or both.

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Will these testers work with 'crossover' cables where each end has a different wire sequence (A & B)?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

Yes. If you put it on the "slow" mode (the S position on the switch), it will slowly cycle through the numbers. You can compare the numbers on the master and remote ends and see that they are lighting up with the corresponding pair. For example, when 1 is lit at one end, 3 should show at the other end. When 2 is lit, 6 would light up. 4, 5, 7, and 8 should light up at the same time at both ends.

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Question

Do I need to have a net connection in order to do this?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

No. The device described in the article operates independently of any network.

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What is the function of the "G" light?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

Shielded twisted pair (STP) has a metal sleeve inside the plastic jacket. It should be used with a metallic RJ45 connector to prevent ground loops. The "G" stands for "Ground", and indicates continuity between the connectors and the sleeve.

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Question

Is it normal if the lights on the main flash 1 to 8, but the remote flashes 8 to 1?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

No. It would indicate the connector at one end is upside-down. Compare both ends of the cable, with the contacts facing up, and see that the wires are in the same order. The brown pair should be last.

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Question

What is a crossover cable?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

It's a cable where some of the wires are placed opposite pins on each end, instead of the wires being in the same order on both ends. Older devices were hardwired to transmit on one pair of wires, and receive on another. If you wanted to connect two devices that were wired the same way, such as two computers, you needed a crossover cable. Most new devices can configure themselves to transmit and receive on certain pins, and do not need a crossover cable.

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Question

Can we use this test to check the correct address of the cables in a cabinet or is there another simpler test?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

If you mean to check IP addresses, no. This is purely an electrical test. If you mean to identify a cable run between a cabinet and a different room, then this will work. There's a faster, but more expensive, tool called a cable toner, that would be better if there are a large number of cables to identify.

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Question

I tested the ethernet port outlets in my home and I only get pins 1, 2, 3 and 6 lighting up (it's Cat5e wiring). Is there something wrong with this?

Arrogance

Top Answerer

There's nothing "wrong" with it. It used to be somewhat common to split an Ethernet cable to either carry signals for two computers, or for a computer and a phone line. There is probably a splitter or punchdown block between the ends you are testing. The main limitation of using a cable like this is that you won't be able to operate at Gigabit speeds. 100 Mbps requires only two pairs (four wires); 1000 Mbps requires all four pairs.

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