Cableing Question

[HeavyWeight]

I have been work for this company for four months now. I have fixed most of the client PC got the older ones up to date. But now I need to tackle the network and I just have some questions. The wiring 7 years old its cat5 and some cat5e from what I can tell but the people they had install it did a really bad job running it. Over lights and other things and instead of running the right length cable they put extensions. I am going to be Bowring a HP-fluke tester to see what I have to start with. But how much does bad cables slow down a network??? When I test it what should I be looking for??? I have used the tester twice but we were using all Hubble connectors. I will be setting it up to test basic cat5 and basic connectors.

 

[Sympology]

Bad cabling will cause all manner of problems on a network. As a rule, the faster the network and the longer the cable run, the more bad cabling will affect you.
Use the Fluke to test for open pairs, crossed cables and low link pulses (although Nortel gear gives you this on a 1m cable!).
If the site has decent managed switches as opposed to hubs orr unmanaged switches, look for excessive closisions, frame errors etc.

Stu..

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[HeavyWeight]

Thanks for the Info. Right now we have 3com 48port super stacker and a net gear 24 port 10/100 switch unmanaged. I was looking into managed switches but the cost so high for the switches 48port 3-5,000.