How to connect router to patch panel in new home

Question

I recently moved into a new home (new build).

Comcast installed my internet, but was of no help getting my ethernet working.

My builder told me the modem needs to be connected in here and then the router needs to be connected to the patch panel for the room I want to have ethernet access for.

I have connected the cable modem and router. Wifi works fine. I connected the ethernet cables from the port on the back of the router to the patch panel, but I get no lights on the router as you can see and I get no ethernet access.
Not sure what I am doing wrong? enter image description here

Adding new pictures.

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Answer 1

It looks like you've connected two of your router's LAN ports to two of your patch panel ports, making two of the Ethernet outlets in the house live - the back of the router isn't in the picture so can only assume. Since wifi is working, you must have the modem in the WAN / Internet port of the router so it isn't much of a leap.

Are your devices connected to the outlets corresponding to those two ports in the patch panel? Hopefully the outlets are labelled to indicate the patch panel port.

If you're in the right ports, you have to test the cable.

If you're not sure which outlets correspond with which patch panel ports, you have to identify the cables and map it all out.

Answer 2

I suspect this question belongs in a different Stackexchange, but then again maybe not :) - Welcome to Stack Exchange.

Firstly, and this is just a guess because each manufacturer does their own thing, the wiring in the 568A punchdown block looks like it may be wrong (swapped). You should, if a new build, call the contractor and ask them to confirm the wiring order to the specific patch panel they used.

Assuming your yellow cable is good, and this cable is connected to a room with an actual device plugged in, AND the yellow cable is plugged into a LANport on the router, you should be all set.

1. Check your cable, make sure it is a good cable.
2. Check the end point, try a different room and jack. Ensure the wires trace out right.
3. Call contractor or rewire the patch panel and RJ45 jacks as needed, if needed.

Here is the link to the product install guide for the punchdown block. It looks wired right. Are the wired tight? (Use a flashlight, look close, see if the sheathing of the wire has a blade cut through on it to ensure good electrical connectivity): https://icc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MSR-0411RevJ_DataModuleCAT5eCAT6_Installation_Instructions.pdf

Here is the wall jack end Datacomm product: https://datacommelectronics.com/products/keystone-inserts/category-5e-jacks/

Answer 3

As noted by @noybman you should test a computer directly with the router in order to rule out any router or cable modem problems. Once you get past that, you need to properly test the wiring. The link integrity light on the router will only tell you if everything is good - a complete connection starting with a good computer network adapter, cable from computer to jack, cable from jack to patch panel, cable from patch panel to a good port on the router. It doesn't tell you anything about any problems. That being said, if you are using reasonable quality patch panels and you know the router works with a computer directly then the problem is in the jack/cable/patch panel.

Here is a sample set of test equipment (first one that came up on Amazon, not a brand I have used myself, but representative of what I am talking about):

toner and cable tester

There are two types of testers that are useful:

• Tone Generator A tone generator produces a signal that is injected onto a cable using either an RJ12/RJ45 (i.e., phone or network cable) connector or alligator clips. You use another device (they normally come in a matched set) to listen for the tone. This helps you find which jack is connected to a particular location on a patch panel and helps to find broken or disconnected cables.

• Cable Tester A cable tester can test each of the individual 8 wires in an ethernet cable and let you know which wires are connected correctly, which ones are reversed or miswired and which ones are not connected at all.

I have seen plenty of professionals (including electricians) who do not install ethernet cabling correctly, often because they simply don't understand how it works. The mechanics are basically the same as telephone wiring, but the wires need to be paired and installed in a particular way (as labelled on the jacks and patch panels) or the connection simply won't work.

The last useful tool is a punch tool. This is great for new installations but also if you, for example, find a pair reversed you can pull it out easily but putting it back on so that it works is hard to do without a punch tool.