10BaseT Half Duplex Switch?

Is there a cheap switch I can put in the middle of an existing run of
Cat5 cable that will force it to 10BaseT Half Duplex, and repeat the
signal?

I've got a 300-foot (plus or minus) cat5 link running between a wifi
router and a client computer, with a junction at the halfway point
(two cat5 wall jacks with a jumper cable between them). It'll link up
at 100BaseT, but won't pass data.

I've got the link running by forcing the client computer to 10BaseT
HD, but I'd like to repeat the signal at the halfway point...

[I know it would be "best" to replace the wiring with (say) a fiber
link, but the wires are already in place, and no-one's going to pay to
replace them...]

--
William Smith
ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com

In article <h96dg0loltk8n3m3kqos50sqnq767bc6k9@4ax.com>,
<William P.N. Smith> wrote:
>Is there a cheap switch I can put in the middle of an existing run of
>Cat5 cable that will force it to 10BaseT Half Duplex, and repeat the
>signal?
>
>I've got a 300-foot (plus or minus) cat5 link running between a wifi
>router and a client computer, with a junction at the halfway point
>(two cat5 wall jacks with a jumper cable between them). It'll link up
>at 100BaseT, but won't pass data.
>
>I've got the link running by forcing the client computer to 10BaseT
>HD, but I'd like to repeat the signal at the halfway point...
>
>[I know it would be "best" to replace the wiring with (say) a fiber
>link, but the wires are already in place, and no-one's going to pay to
>replace them...]
>
>--
>William Smith
>ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com


ebay

--
Al Dykes
-----------
adykes at p a n i x . c o m

William P.N. Smith wrote:

> Is there a cheap switch I can put in the middle of an existing run of
> Cat5 cable that will force it to 10BaseT Half Duplex, and repeat the
> signal?
>
> I've got a 300-foot (plus or minus) cat5 link running between a wifi
> router and a client computer, with a junction at the halfway point
> (two cat5 wall jacks with a jumper cable between them). It'll link up
> at 100BaseT, but won't pass data.
>
> I've got the link running by forcing the client computer to 10BaseT
> HD, but I'd like to repeat the signal at the halfway point...
>
> [I know it would be "best" to replace the wiring with (say) a fiber
> link, but the wires are already in place, and no-one's going to pay to
> replace them...]

If it's a 300 _foot_ run and 100TX is not working, then fix the blasted
cable. 100TX is designed to run over 100 _meters_ or 328 feet of CAT5E.
If it's not doing it something's busted.

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"J. Clarke" <jclarke@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:ce6qa608ir@news4.newsguy.com...
> William P.N. Smith wrote:
>
> > Is there a cheap switch I can put in the middle of an existing run of
> > Cat5 cable that will force it to 10BaseT Half Duplex, and repeat the
> > signal?

You want a 10 Base-T repeater (or a switch with 10M only ports if you dont
mind full duplex).

Easiest way is to but something reliable 2nd hand - an old 3Com or Synoptics
/ Bay hub would be my choice.

Alternatively, you can still get 10M hubs from the likes of Netgear....
> >
> > I've got a 300-foot (plus or minus) cat5 link running between a wifi
> > router and a client computer, with a junction at the halfway point
> > (two cat5 wall jacks with a jumper cable between them). It'll link up
> > at 100BaseT, but won't pass data.
> >
> > I've got the link running by forcing the client computer to 10BaseT
> > HD, but I'd like to repeat the signal at the halfway point...
> >
> > [I know it would be "best" to replace the wiring with (say) a fiber
> > link, but the wires are already in place, and no-one's going to pay to
> > replace them...]
>
> If it's a 300 _foot_ run and 100TX is not working, then fix the blasted
> cable. 100TX is designed to run over 100 _meters_ or 328 feet of CAT5E.
> If it's not doing it something's busted.
>
> --
> --John
> Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
--
Regards

Stephen Hope - return address needs fewer xxs

<William P.N. Smith> wrote in message
news:h96dg0loltk8n3m3kqos50sqnq767bc6k9@4ax.com...
> Is there a cheap switch I can put in the middle of an existing run of
> Cat5 cable that will force it to 10BaseT Half Duplex, and repeat the
> signal?
>
> I've got a 300-foot (plus or minus) cat5 link running between a wifi
> router and a client computer, with a junction at the halfway point
> (two cat5 wall jacks with a jumper cable between them). It'll link up
> at 100BaseT, but won't pass data.
>
> I've got the link running by forcing the client computer to 10BaseT
> HD, but I'd like to repeat the signal at the halfway point...
>
> [I know it would be "best" to replace the wiring with (say) a fiber
> link, but the wires are already in place, and no-one's going to pay to
> replace them...]
>
> --
> William Smith
> ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com

This sounds like a classic case of a split pair. Fast Ethernet should work
fine of 100 meters (328 feet) of Cat 5.

Which pinnout did you use T568A or T568B? Fast Ethernet uses two of the four
pair. If the pairs are not properly terminate it will often work at 10 Mbps
but not 100 Mbps. Reterminate to cable correctly and it should work fine.

/Tom

"Tom Schmidt" <Tomnews@tschmidt.invalid> wrote:
>This sounds like a classic case of a split pair. Fast Ethernet should work
>fine of 100 meters (328 feet) of Cat 5.

Yeah, I thought I was real careful, have to check the connections
again and see what I can find. The client computer blew up, and the
local supplier wants a buck a megabyte for memory, so I'm going to
have to get back to this project. 8*}

Thanks!

--
William Smith
ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com

William wrote:
> Is there a cheap switch I can put in the middle of an
> existing run of Cat5 cable that will force it to 10BaseT
> Half Duplex, and repeat the signal?

Sure. A standard cheap (now obsolescent) 10baseT _hub_.

> I've got a 300-foot (plus or minus) cat5 link running between a
> wifi router and a client computer, with a junction at the halfway
> point (two cat5 wall jacks with a jumper cable between them).
> It'll link up at 100BaseT, but won't pass data.

Won't pass data where? Do you have a good http / telnet
connection to the router? If so, they WiFi may be hosed.

> I've got the link running by forcing the client computer
> to 10BaseT HD, but I'd like to repeat the signal at the
> halfway point...

Sounds like a split pair as already mentioned.

-- Robert