PC and Ethernet Switch not connecting to router via a particular ethernet cable, but Mac Mini does.

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alan120184

Commendable
Feb 9, 2017
2
0
1,510
I have about 20m or so of ethernet cable running around the outside of my house, from the router to my office (concrete floors make it difficult to run it underground). It's worked fine with my Mac Mini for about 2 years, but now I've just bought a new Windows 10 PC and it doesn't connect to that at all. I also tried hooking it up to an ethernet switch and that doesn't connect to it either. In both cases it flashes green once and that's it.

The ethernet ports on the PC or switch don't seem to be broken, if I connect to the router using power line adaptors it works fine although the speed is about 1/6 the speed of the direct connection (presumably due to the router being on a different circuit to the PC, if I put it in room on the same circuit the speed is fine).

I'm using a Cat 5e cable, if it's likely that this is the cause then I can replace it with a Cat 6 cable, but I would prefer to know if that's a likely cause before removing the old cable and tacking a new one around the house.

On the Mac Mini (2011) I'm using the built in ethernet port.

On the PC I have this:
Intel 82579LM Gigabit ethernet connection.

If anyone has any insight into why it works on one device and not others that would be great.
 
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bill001g

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Aug 9, 2012
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Without a extremely expensive cable tester it will be hard to say for sure.

The most common failures are on the ends. They can become just slightly loose just making enough contact for some device and not others. reterminating the ends fixes many issues.

In most cases the wire itself never goes bad but in your case since it is outdoors and the cable you are using likely is not rated for outdoors you could have damage. Most times sun will damage the exterior of the cable and let water enter. You eventually get a partial short between some of the connectors.

If you are going to replace the cable I would consider outdoor rated cable. Then again if it is not real hard to replace you would likely save money even if you replaced it every 2 years. Simple house paint will protect most indoor ethernet cable from the sun. Now if the cable is in contact with the ground then you almost have to have special cable, the soil in some areas can eat the plastic of normal ethernet in a couple months.

You do not need cat6 cable cat5e will be fine just be sure it is pure copper with wire size 22-24 awg.
 
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alan120184

Commendable
Feb 9, 2017
2
0
1,510
Thanks Bill. It's possible it is the ends causing the problem, as I put them on myself and so may not have done a great job of it. I'll try changing both ends over before anything else.

Thanks for the other info too! The cable is tacked onto the side of the house, so no issues with soil but you make a good point about possible sun damage.
 
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