Please help with loose RJ45 connections

[wyssin]

Can someone suggest a brand of ethernet cables that have slightly larger than average connectors?

I have a laptop whose RJ45 port has become very finicky. The connection it makes with most ethernet cables is too loose to allow a reliable network signal. It got to the point a few months ago that I gave up the port for dead and have been using only wireless networking.

However, during a recent overseas trip I couldn't get any reliable wireless signals in a hotel room, so I resorted to trying one of the hotel's cat6 cables out of desperation. It worked flawlessly. I noticed that the connector on the cable was a bit thicker than most connectors I've encountered. I need to find something similar.

 

[Harvey]

It sounds like the contacts of your RJ45 connector have become worn, displaced, dirty. This doesn't sound like a problem that would be fixed by a thicker cable. However, the major difference between CAT5 and CAT6 is that CAT6 delivers better signal integrity and noise immunity over CAT 5 so even if your RJ45 connector is marginal, it still worked through the hotel's CAT6 installation.

The only easy fix I can think of that MAY work would be to try cleaning the contacts of your laptop's RJ45 connector. You can try using a good electrical contact cleaner or alcohol. In an emergency, I've also had some success with WD-40, but you'll want to clean up any residue from that.

Be careful not to bend, break or displace any of the contacts when you do this. Be extra careful if you try to use a Q-tip because the fibers can get hooked around the contacts and bend or break them.

Look closely at the contacts to see if any of them appears to be bent backwards (away from the mating contacts), which would reduce contact pressure, or off to the side or even broken short. If the connector is damaged, the only reliable fix would be to replace it.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

 

[imagoon]

Can someone suggest a brand of ethernet cables that have slightly larger than average connectors?

I have a laptop whose RJ45 port has become very finicky. The connection it makes with most ethernet cables is too loose to allow a reliable network signal. It got to the point a few months ago that I gave up the port for dead and have been using only wireless networking.

However, during a recent overseas trip I couldn't get any reliable wireless signals in a hotel room, so I resorted to trying one of the hotel's cat6 cables out of desperation. It worked flawlessly. I noticed that the connector on the cable was a bit thicker than most connectors I've encountered. I need to find something similar.

I have used a dentist's pick to fix the wires in the RJ45 jack before. Specifically on out of warranty and soon to be replaced laptops.

 

[Harvey]

I have used a dentist's pick to fix the wires in the RJ45 jack before. Specifically on out of warranty and soon to be replaced laptops.

A dentist's pick may not be enough. I recommended contact cleaner or alcohol because some kind of solvent could remove any built up coating, including airborne sticky or oily material or oxides due to exposure to smog or other contaminants.

 

[imagoon]

A dentist's pick may not be enough. I recommended contact cleaner or alcohol because some kind of solvent could remove any built up coating, including airborne sticky or oily material or oxides due to exposure to smog or other contaminants.

Guess it could help. However most of the ones I dealt with had issues making decent contact with the cable due to the wires in the jack not being tight enough. Cleaning can't hurt either as long as the wires are not flexed.

 

[Harvey]

Guess it could help. However most of the ones I dealt with had issues making decent contact with the cable due to the wires in the jack not being tight enough. Cleaning can't hurt either as long as the wires are not flexed.

Exactly. You're right that the outer edges of the connector on his laptop could be worn away, resulting in a loose fit which could make for bad contacts. However, I design studio audio equipment, and I've found that a coating of smog particulate can behave like a semiconductor junction, even on gold contacts, and there are always other miscellaneous airborne substances, such as tree sap, smoke, cooking oils, etc. that could cause the problem.

The bottom line is, as long as he's careful about cleaning the contacts, it couldn't hurt, and it may fix the problem.

 

[JackMDS]

If the RJ-45 ports are loose nothing will provide countable solution.

Get yourself a USB to Ethernet card for the next time that you are "forced" to use wire.

Example - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812225035

 

[soholingo]

To get a better contact you may try pulling up on the clasp that holds the rj-45 in the port. A lot of these "snagless" cables don't let the clasp go up high enough to force the jack to be snug. If you are using a snagless cable, then slide the plastic hood back, and pry the clasp up a bit more. You will be surprised at how sound the connection can become.

Jay

 

[wyssin]

If the RJ-45 ports are loose nothing will provide countable solution.

Get yourself a USB to Ethernet card for the next time that you are "forced" to use wire.

Example - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812225035

I actually tried to find one of them during the trip. Unsuccessfully.

(Granted, a slow connection is better than no connection at all, but how much do the USB-ethernet adapters slow down the network stream?)