I have a 48 port network switch in the loft.

I am having connectivity issues when I patch in an unused port on the
switch to a unused patch panel socket (which has just been wired up to a
new wall socket elsewhere in the house.

I have to wiggle both ends of the ethernet patch cable before I get a
stable ethernet connection.

Neither switch or the patch panel come with protect dust/dirt covers for
the RJ45 sockets

Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?

Am 18.09.2023 um 12:55:49 Uhr schrieb SH:

> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?

Can you use a kitchen towel with alcohol to clean it?
But be aware: Only do it soft, you might bend the contacts if you press
them too hard.

On 18/09/2023 13:17, Marco Moock wrote:
> Am 18.09.2023 um 12:55:49 Uhr schrieb SH:
>
>> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?
>
> Can you use a kitchen towel with alcohol to clean it?
> But be aware: Only do it soft, you might bend the contacts if you press
> them too hard.
>

My little finger is too big for the RJ45 ports!

SH wrote:

> I have a 48 port network switch in the loft.
>
> I am having connectivity issues when I patch in an unused port on the
> switch to a unused patch panel socket (which has just been wired up to a
> new wall socket elsewhere in the house.
>
> I have to wiggle both ends of the ethernet patch cable before I get a
> stable ethernet connection.
>
> Neither switch or the patch panel come with protect dust/dirt covers for
> the RJ45 sockets
>
> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?

IME it's rare to have bad contact on switches/patch panels, but as you
are, I'd suggest wiping with contact cleaner on a cotton bud, and maybe
use a cocktail stick to put a bit more 'spring' into the contact wires.

On Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:55:49 +0100, SH wrote:

> Neither switch or the patch panel come with protect dust/dirt covers for
> the RJ45 sockets
>
> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?

Once clean, get some spare plugs to blank the sockets...

SH <i.love@spam.com> wrote:
> I have a 48 port network switch in the loft.
>
> I am having connectivity issues when I patch in an unused port on the
> switch to a unused patch panel socket (which has just been wired up to a
> new wall socket elsewhere in the house.
>
> I have to wiggle both ends of the ethernet patch cable before I get a
> stable ethernet connection.
>
> Neither switch or the patch panel come with protect dust/dirt covers for
> the RJ45 sockets
>
> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?

My first thought is that it's much more likely that you have a
dodgy/intermittent cable.

Try a different cable into the socket and see if that is intermittent
too. If it isn't then you'll need to remove the old RJ45 plug from
the cable and put a new one on. ... or replace the cable completely of
courae but that may be a bit difficult.

Virtually all the bad UTP/RJ45 connections I have ever had have been
due to not quite perfect RJ45 plugs crimped onto cables.

--
Chris Green
·

On 18/09/2023 20:15, Chris Green wrote:
> SH <i.love@spam.com> wrote:
>> I have a 48 port network switch in the loft.
>>
>> I am having connectivity issues when I patch in an unused port on the
>> switch to a unused patch panel socket (which has just been wired up to a
>> new wall socket elsewhere in the house.
>>
>> I have to wiggle both ends of the ethernet patch cable before I get a
>> stable ethernet connection.
>>
>> Neither switch or the patch panel come with protect dust/dirt covers for
>> the RJ45 sockets
>>
>> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?
>
> My first thought is that it's much more likely that you have a
> dodgy/intermittent cable.
>
> Try a different cable into the socket and see if that is intermittent
> too. If it isn't then you'll need to remove the old RJ45 plug from
> the cable and put a new one on. ... or replace the cable completely of
> courae but that may be a bit difficult.
>
> Virtually all the bad UTP/RJ45 connections I have ever had have been
> due to not quite perfect RJ45 plugs crimped onto cables.
>
>

I did wonder about the patch cables....

I had opened severa new bags of 1m long patch cables which are branded
Pro Power and are supplied via Farnell CPC.

Are they a reputable brand or should I look for a better brand? What is
a better brand but (a) without breaking the bank and (b) are available
in different colours, Green = LAN, red = WAN, blue= Wi Fi, Yellow =
CCTV, Purple = DMZ, Orange = NAS, white = DNS and VPNs, Black = Telephony

SH <i.love@spam.com> wrote:
> I did wonder about the patch cables....
>
> I had opened severa new bags of 1m long patch cables which are branded
> Pro Power and are supplied via Farnell CPC.

Pro <whatever> (Pro Signal, Pro Power, Pro Elec, ...) are Farnell's house
brands (like Duratool and Multicomp). They are often rebranded Chinese
stuff: you won't get the supply chain traceability that some industries
need, and they aren't fancy, but they are generally fine as a budget option.

> Are they a reputable brand or should I look for a better brand? What is
> a better brand but (a) without breaking the bank and (b) are available
> in different colours, Green = LAN, red = WAN, blue= Wi Fi, Yellow =
> CCTV, Purple = DMZ, Orange = NAS, white = DNS and VPNs, Black = Telephony

I doubt you're doing anything complicated (10Gbits or more) so I'd have
thought they are fine. You can get away with a lot on a short cable anyway.

Theo

On 18/09/2023 12:55, SH wrote:
> I have a 48 port network switch in the loft.
>
> I am having connectivity issues when I patch in an unused port on the
> switch to a unused patch panel socket (which has just been wired up to a
> new wall socket elsewhere in the house.
>
> I have to wiggle both ends of the ethernet patch cable before I get a
> stable ethernet connection.
>
> Neither switch or the patch panel come with protect dust/dirt covers for
> the RJ45 sockets
>
> Whats the recommended way of cleaning these RJ45 sockets?

Apply some contact cleaner to the plug, and insert and remove a few times.

(and blow / vacuum out any spiders or other wildlife living in the
socket first!)

--
Cheers,

John.

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