I have several Ethernet wall ports throughout my house, but one of them recently stopped working. The jack shifts backward into the wall when I try to plug in a cable, and the mounting piece no longer stays securely in place even with the faceplate attached. It worked normally before this started. What should I check or repair?
2 Answers
After securing the physical jack, check the other end of that cable. Ethernet outlets usually run back to a central location where the cables connect to a patch panel, modem, router, or network switch. Make sure this particular cable is plugged into the correct equipment and that the port has link lights. If the connection is still dead, test the cable with a basic Ethernet tester or have a technician re-terminate the jack.
The jack itself or its mounting bracket has probably come loose inside the wall. Remove the faceplate and gently pull the Ethernet jack forward so you can inspect whether the cable is still connected and whether the bracket or low-voltage wall box is damaged. Replace or secure the bracket, then reinstall the jack so it cannot push backward when a cable is inserted.
The black piece holding the jack moves into the wall whenever I push on it. It used to work, but now the jack retreats into the wall and the connection no longer works.