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RezCon: Residential Connectivity
 

Common Troubleshooting Problems

Below are some common problems and solutions to those problems.

  • Cable Problems
  • Jack Problems
  • Network Card Problems

Cable Problems

One of the most common problems that occurs is improper or broken cables. The following is an outline of steps you should take to determine if the cable is the problem.

Step 1: Make sure it's the right cable


Although both similiar in appearence and nature, a telephone cable and a network cable are two entirely different types of cable. Because of their similarities, however, often times a telephone cable is used instead of a network cable when attempting to connect a computer to the network. A telephone cable is normally much more narrow than a network cable, and the plug on the end is much smaller. Another way to tell a difference is to look closely at the plug at the end. A telephone cable will have only four gold contacts (and four wires inside), while a network cable will have eight. Below are some pictures showing the differences.

Notice that a standard network cable has eight gold contacts on the end.

Here is a comparison between a network cable with eight gold contacts, and a telephone cable with four gold contacts. Also notice that the network cable is much thicker than the telephone cable.

Another possible issue may be if the network cable is a "crossover" cable. This is a type of network cable that, although identical on the outside to a regular cable, is wired differently on the inside and will not work properly in the Residence Halls. There is no simple way to determine if the cable is a crossover cable, but since crossover cables are rare, you would most likely know if you had one.

Step 2: Check the cable for damage
Like many things in life, network cables come in varying levels of physical sturdyness. Some are rugged and can handle harsh conditions, while others are weak and fragile and can easily break. If your cable has stopped working, you may wish to check it for damage. To do this, take the entire length of the cable and examine it with both your fingers and eyes. Run your fingers along it to determine if there are any indentations or cuts, and use your eyes to make sure you didn't miss any if they're there. What looks to be a minor cut or indentation could have actually damaged some of the wires inside, preventing a connection from taking place. Also try and prevent excessive bending to lessen the chances of damage to the wires inside.

Step 3: Test the cable somewhere else.
If you are still not sure whether it's the cable or not, test it someplace else; it could actually turn out to be the network jack or your computer that is at fault. Ask a friend or roommate if you can try plugging your cable into their computer and wall jack and see if it works. If it does, then odds are it's not the cable and is something else. If it doesn't, then it probably is the cable and you will have to replace it.

Jack Problems

Most of the time, a network connectivity issue is usually the fault of the computer and its software. However, there are rare occasions where it is actually the jack which is at fault. RezCon, however, does not directly fix jack issues; we instead forward the issues onto TNS (or Telecommunications and Network Services). For this reason, we prefer if steps are taken to insure that it is the jack, and not some other external factor, that is actually at fault.

Make sure you're using the right cable.
This is covered in the section above, but a common problem is that residents have the wrong cable plugged in to the jack.

Make sure you're using the right jack.
Another common problem is that, often, residents do not have their cable plugged into the correct jack, and then believe it to be the jack at fault when, in reality, they simply need to switch jacks. Below are pictures of each hall's jacks as well as the correct jack that your cable should be plugged into.

Test the jack with other equipment.
Often, what appears to be a problem with the jack, may infact be a problem with the equipment being used. To determine if this is the case, ask a friend or roommate to hook their computer and cable up to the jack to see if they have the same problem. If they don't, then there is a good chance the problem lies with your computer or cable. If they do, however, then there is a good chance the problem may lie with the jack, in which case, RezCon should be called.