Thread: CAT5 on/off switch

I would like to make a switch to turn on/off my network connection. I am thinking just a small hobby box with a toggle switch and two RJ45 plugs or two pigtails to go from my router to the cable modem.

Questions; how many of the 4 wires used in the CAT5 should I run through the switch. Would 1 be enough or 2 are better?

And, would I be seeing any noticable signal loss going through a standard SPST or DPST toggle switch?

I could get the same results by unplugging a cable but the switch would be easier.

Logic goes away if it is not the first or seemingly obvious answer to a problem.

Only 2 wires are used but you may screw up the cat 5 rating as it is kind of peculiar about some things. Keep your wires short untwisting only what you have to? Depends on your punch down but on most blue/whiteblue are the wires you will want to switch. If it works great, if not you learned what won't work.

If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, it’s a good bet somebody, put him up there.

You will get some noticeable signal loss if the strands of wire are long. If it is a short segment, hopefully it will be good enough. You are usually not supposed to unwrap the twisted pair (which is cat 3 utp and beyond) for more than an inch.

Hope this helps

Do u mean just your computer from the rest of the network or block others from using the network? In XP u can have the connections icon in the sys tray. When u want to disconnect from the network u can just disable or disconnect that nic to me that would be a lot easier and safer than trying to make a switch. Whats everyone else think?