Cat6 and switches

[jarod]

My workplace is going WIFI. After an entire 2 days spending just to lay out the cables (cat6). Now when i connect the Cat6 cable from and to different switches, the lights on the switches indicating connection doesn't come on. It came on for a few minutes then it is dead..

Tried testing using a cable tester, and it is dead too. Tried clamping the head connector (RJ45) like 5 times and still doesn't work

My question is that, i am using 1 24P switch (DES1024D) and 1 8P switch (DES1008D). When using cat6, the connection doesn't come on like described above. My understanding is that, these 2 switch are like for cat5 capacity. So now i am using cat6, will the switch now work and will there be a speed limitation since i am using a downgraded switch. Should i get a gigabit switch

Another question would be since i am connecting 2 switches, my IT person tells me i need to do crossover cables but further research says, the 2 switches has automatic crossover..

Thanks for any help

[johnwill]

First off, I hope you realize that CAT6 has slightly different size conductors, and you should be using CAT6 specific connectors. http://www.computercablestore.com/RJ...catID1062.aspx

I don't think the switches are the issue, CAT5/CAT5e/CAT6 are fully compatible with any common switch. Obviously, the switches being 10/100 switches, that's as fast as they'll transfer traffic. FWIW, I've freely mixed CAT5e/CAT6 and common switches in many installations, there should be no issue.

If either of the switches has auto-MDX ports, your IT person is wrong, straight cables will do fine.

I have to suspect the cable connector installation if a standard patch cable acts normally when you connect the two switches together. If you haven't tried that, that's the first test to do.