Cat5e Ethernet ports in apartment do not work

From what I can tell from the photos, the Cable isn't wired up.
It is setup for Telephone and not Internet.
All cables must be connected.
You should take the cover plate off as well, so you can see what is wired up and what isn't.
Take photos and upload

As above, this isn't wired for Ethernet. With Ethernet, each cable run needs to be terminated individually so they can be plugged into a router or switch. In your box, the cat5 cables are connected to a telephone punch-down block and only the middle two pairs are connected. 100Base-TX uses the outer two pairs and 1GBase-T uses all four.

Not wired for any sort of LAN. I wouldn't be surprised if only the inner four pins on the RJ45 jacks are wired.

First pic shows cables are wired for alarm.

On this picture, the green cable appears to be wired for networking. In the wiring box, the green wires are unterminated. You'll have to either correctly crimp RJ45 connectors onto them or install an RJ45 patch panel to punch them into so you can use patch cables to hook things up to a router/switch.

The blue one is connected fully.
Basically I would do this...
Get yourself a Cable Tester and an RJ45 crimper for making connections
remove the cables from whatever that is they are connected to, put on a rj45, run a test by plugging the tester in and a cable in the other end, you can see which one is working and that should help, will take time, but easy enough to do with some patience

Be aware, if ur in the U.S., landlords have the right to come in yearly to do inspection.

Actually, in the US, the landlord is required to inspect annually, if only for checking functionality of the smoke detectors.

Rewiring your ethernet wiring?
Do it correctly, no problem.
A hackjob with big holes in the wall, or a fire hazard? Problem.

As long as you are aware. Hate to have all that work asked to be ripped out, and pay for the "damage."

There is a saying, "I bought a house because I want to nail my pictures anywhere I damn please."

SimplyVJ,

I know this is about 4 months old now but I stumbled upon it while researching methods for an idea I had that I want to implement if I can. I digress...

As you’ve received from others, the solution(s) here are fairly straightforward. It’s funny, back in June, just before you posted your question, we moved into a new apartment building that is supposedly state of the art, wired up for automation/IoT, gigabit LAN in each home, etc.

When I moved in, only one of the 12 cat5e jacks worked. (That should have been my first red flash regarding their supposed ‘state of the art’ claims yet using cat5e...Cat6, meh, ok. Cat 7 or 8, or technically, fiber throughout plus the Cat cable, that’s state of the art.)

Anyway, what I discovered was nearly the exact issue you had. They had one jack wired up with all 4 pairs and the rest - I almost had a heart attack - were blue & white/blue to blue & white/blue spliced with a wire nut. I about lost it.

Anyway, thankfully, I know how to do this stuff so I corrected it.

One thing that I find confusing with what I saw - and what I see in your enclosure - they used a coaxial splitter while the combo module the used for the phones has a coaxial splitter built in. In a small enclosure you need ever centimeter you can get and they stupidly wasted space and incorporated unneeded hardware.

Anyway, you received many good answers. I’m not sure if you are 100% complete with doing the correcting of this.

Please feel free to PM or contact me and I’ll help and I can send you images of what I did for my own apartment and the ‘how to’.

Two suggestions:

First, and this is more of a really REALLY old school - technically won’t cause as big an issue as it could - type of detail. But I was taught - and I still do it and I teach others this too - on any run of cable, for you, cat5e, whatever connection protocol or method you use on one end should be the same on the other. Thus, at your wall jacks, the cat5e is ‘punched’ to a keystone; therefore, the other end in your enclosure should be punched down as it’s connection type rather than having rj45 crimped in the enclosure and punched to a keystone in the jack. Always mirror your terminations. (Yes, you can do it with rj45 on one end and punched on the other. It’s just not technically ‘right’).

The wisest course is the mount a panel in your enclosure - google ‘8 port structured enclosure data module’ - if you find a 16 port, great, otherwise you’ll need 2 of them. These modules have those 110 punch strips like that module used for the phones and alarm and then have a corresponding data/rj45 jack adjacent to each 110 punch. These are slightly different than a traditional patch panel in that these are made specifically for enclosure based mounting for structured wiring.

Then you’ll need to trace - if you haven’t yet - every run of cat5e and label each end of the run plus create a labeling ID method for the wall plates like: D1, D2, V1, V2, C1, C2, for data, voice and coaxial/cable respectively.

For the enclosure end of the cat5e runs, find whichever one you labeled as D1 and punch it to the correct 110 for the 1st rj45 jack on the module. Continue with D2, D3 and so on until you’ve put all 6 cat5e DATA runs to that module.

On the second module, punch V(oice)1 to the 110 for that module and again continue with V2, V3, etc. (you could also do T1, T2 etc. for telephone but V is more standardized.)

Next, decide if you’re going to keep and use that module - which I suggest due to its alarm use - and run your coaxial to its splitter so you can ditch the extra. (Additionally, you could get a module similar to the data module but that’s designed better/smaller and for the same use with the alarm etc. and ditch that bulky module; in this case you’d use the splitter that’s in there and mount that in a corner of the enclosure.)

*Keep PLENTY of mountable zip ties handy and I like to use that circular paper in a metal ring key tags as my labels for every wire as they are easily zip tied to every cable.*

At your wall jacks, go ahead and punch all 4 pairs to BOTH keystones. Regardless of whether one is for voice or not. An rj45 with all 4 pairs punched can actually even have a RJ11 telephone cord plugged in to it and when using just voice, the other pairs are just not used. BUT you’ve given your self room for expansion and a little future proofing.

Back at your enclosure, whether you keep the existing module or get a new voice distribution module, punch your ‘hot’ (active) voice line to the correct ‘input’ 110 strips.

The rest of the 110s are just outputs.

Personally, i would get a 3rd if those 8 port ‘data’ modules and mount it directly below the module you punched your voice cat5e to.

Now, whether you keep the existing module or you get a new voice and alarm module that matches the form factor of the data boards, it doesn’t matter.

In either scenario, you will have punched you hot dial tone carrying cat5e to the 110 inputs for voice and alarm management. (Note, despite voice only needing half the pairs, I suggest still punch them all down on the input according to the 110 colors so that each copper has a better terminating point and, again, it not only is a more professional look, it’s future proofing.)

Finally, whether it’s from the existing one or a new voice/alarm module, after you punch the 110 inputs, you’ll now run a short piece of cat5e that you punch to every 110 output from the voice module and then terminate it by punching it, in the same order (the first 110 out put to the first 110 input, then second, third, etc.), to that third 8 port ‘data module’.

You’ll now have one 8 port board with your planned data lines punched to it, one 8 port module with your voice runs punched to it, one voice/alarm distribution module that is receiving the service and, finally, that has its outputs punched to the third 8 port ‘data’ module. If you look at it now, you have your voice/alarm going into the module and then out from it & ending in the third 8 port module. Now you need to get the dial tone out to the jacks. So, look on amazon for a 25 pack of 6” or 8” Cat5e shielded patch cables. You’ll take 8 of them and plug one end into all 8 jacks on the third 8 port module and the other end into all 8 jacks on the 8 port module that has your ‘voice out to rooms’ runs of cat5e punched to it. Do it in order. Port 1 to Port 1, etc.

Now, whatever you do with your phone services, get multiple phone numbers/lines, a backup dsl connection, WHATEVER...every voice jack in every room throughout the apartment now has those very phone service running to & from & over those runs.

The last part is the data. Your enclosure appears to small to mount your router inside of it. So, mount your router just outside of it, as close as you can but also adjacent to a spot that you can easily have between 1 and 8 cat5e cables run to the inside of the panel and still close the cover without issue.

**Note: if you have an 8+1 WiFi router then your all set. If not or if you just want to minimize the number of patch cables that you run from the router back to the inside of the enclosure, you’ll need to get a basic gigabit switch. They are inexpensive. Get an 8+1 (8 LAN & 1 separate uplink) or a 10+ port switch (but as small as you can - to start with and you’ll mount it in the opposite corner of - and as close as possible to - that 8 port module that your data lines are punched down to; position it in a way that you can use your short patch cables to connect 8 ports on the switch to those 8 data ports on the module.

THEN run one longer piece - but still as short as possible - cat5e cable from one port on the switch and out to LAN port 1 on the router you’ve mounted adjacent to your enclosure.

The only remaining step is to then take the cat5e that is carrying the active internet service from your isp and plug that into your routers WAN/Uplink.

At that point, every data jack in the home now has service running to it. If you need more than 1 port in a room, get a small 4 port gigabit switch and hide it behind furniture or tv or something.

**PLUS: if there is a room that does not need voice service but does need data and even a second data port, all you have to do is go to your enclosure, unplug the patch cable from the appropriate jack(s) on the voice boards and (on the 2nd board, the one that has your ‘voice lines’ out to every room) plug a patch cable into the contract jack in that module and the other end into that gigabit switch. VOILA, you just ran a second data line to one of your rooms.

That scalability and flexibility is always there for you BECAUASE you made sure to punch down every pair from every line to every keystone and every 110 on the modules. That is what gives you the hot swap capability of making changes as the need develops.

However the best parts of this set up are that:

1) Everything, even the router, is out of sight.

1A) you’re in an apartment so, assuming it’s not in a converted warehouse or some building with a type of construction that will destroy WiFi signals, leaving your router mounted in a closet by the enclosure will be fine. Apartments are small enough - at least on average - to still have PLENTY of WiFi coverage while using the out of sight mounting.

1B) IF not or IF you want to increase it for a specialized set up, then, in the room farthest from the router, just simply plug in a repeater to the data jack and you’ll have blanketed coverage.

2) EVERYTHING is together now and has a professional and finished look. It’s labeled, etc. so it’s easy to troubleshoot, etc. there is only one place to look as it contains 99.9% of the possible problem areas (unless a keystone jack punchdown becomes loose or a rodent chews a wire in wall. Both of which there is no way around).

3) Your Router is still in control and managing your network as you see fit. It is the DHCP server and IT manages your QoS, 4K streaming, etc. plus you can go anywhere in the home and get the same abilities and features because the router is sending it everywhere inside your LAN/WLAN. No need for a router to be in a certain room.

4) You can log in and manage your router and network from any connected device - but it’s better to use a wired device if you’re doing firmware work - to manage settings are do whatever you want.

5) Despite this being an apartment and not a home you own, you’ve still been able to build in some future proofing and room for expansion as technologies emerge or evolve that would change what your needs are.
——
Bryan

P.S. Again just PM me with questions or whatever.

P.P.S: if you have a cat5e coming into your enclosure that does NOT require a modem, there is another step I suggest.

• Since you only have 6 - currently - data jacks throughout the apartment, on that first 8 port data module where you punch the 6 runs to the first 6 110s, take the input Internet cat5e cable, cut off the rj45 connector, strip 1/2” sheathing away and punch the 4 pairs down to the 110 strip for jack number 8 on that first 8 port data module.

• THEN, run a patch cable from jack 8 to the WAN/Uplink on your router.

• This way, you’re following the rule of mirroring your termination methods on both ends of a run as, in an apartment building, it’s 99.99% likely that at the end of your incoming run, it is stripped and punched to a board of some sort.

**IF your apartment building setup requires an actual modem in your apartment, then mount this under, next to ir above your router near the enclosure. Have the modem connect as needed and then run the patch cable from its rj45 to the WAN/Uplink on the router and DO NOT cut/strip/punch in that instance.


Good luck.

Also, this is easily undone & returned to the state you found the apartment in if you wanted to.

But, no landlord will care about this other than to say ‘wow thanks’.

My leasing company didn’t realize how badly they were ripped off by the company they hired to install the runs & enclosures etc. They thought that it was done right & was set to work in a way somewhat similar to what I set it up to do.

I showed them my enclosure when I was done. They were shocked, impressed, appreciative and pissed at the other people.

In fact, they gave us free rent for 6 months and then 50% off the rent amount as long as I live here for life, in writing.

This was in exchange for me accepting a role as the contracted company that has me going apartment to apartment t in a 382 unit building (Times 3 buildings) and I oversee my own employed team that is one by one doing what I outlined in every apartment.

So, I think they were happy with me.

So this wasn't "free rent", but rather payment for services from your company, which does professional grade network installs.

A far stretch from a typical resident who presents with "I found the junction box in a closet".

I had no ‘company’ to
Officially do this though. I just personally know how to do this stuff.

When I found the hideousness of how it had been done, I took it upon myself to fix it and do what I have always done wherever I live and properly deploy a structured media/network/wiring solution.

It’s never been a career for me.

When they saw it and offered that deal, I decided to accept the offer but I wanted to accomplish that in a certain way.

The details of the way the transactions are set up wasn’t germaine to what I was tell the OP to do. However, since you brought it up...

I didn’t want just the ‘you don’t pay X”, etc.

What I wanted - albeit it’s primarily/mostly ‘on paper’ - was for them to pay me equal to their offer every month. Due to way to many injuries to warrant lodging here, I am almost 100% disabled. I can barely walk most days and just recently started losing the ability to tie my shoes. I can’t physically do this stuff like I used to. So, to get the benefits of the arrangement, I established a new corporation (rather than a sole-prop), with EIN, the leasing company cyst that company a check every month, the corporation pays a set ‘per apartment’ fee to my subcontractors, then cuts a small check to me as CEO/Pres/Chairman for a salary, a small check to my wife for being my secretary, a check to the leasing company as a portion of the rent since it’s my office space too and then my wife and I cut a check for the remainder of the rent from the income we get from the corporations payroll to us which is from the leasing company.

After paying the subcontractors and the minuscule bills the corporation had like unemployment insurance, etc. (it’s. Tiny corporation. The amounts are tiny) what we get and then return via rent paid to the building ends up with us only paying about 8.75% ish more that what the agreement was for. It works out as a huge advantage and benefit for tax and other reasons financially.

So, it wasn’t a prudent topic, but there you go. That’s the breakdown.

YES I am a REGULAR RENTAL RESIDENCE dweller. NOT a professional cable installer or anything of the sort.

You read into it all incorrectly.

Plus, regardless, it doesn’t change the fact that my suggestions were STILL the RIGHT way to go about his home/apartment network and structured enclosure. That is undeniable.

Whether or not he is lucky with his la doors like I was is another matter entirely.

But, as for the enclosure and the cat5e runs, coaxial runs, the management and distribution of his video, data, voice, alarm, etc., what I laid out for him is the best solution that I can think of. It’s exactly what I would and have always done. Even when I was just ‘Joe Renter’ and working as a VPof Operstions/COC of a Furniture company and not a professional caller or LAN deployer.