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Forum Discussion
Ethernet jack damaged?
Every now and then i am getting drops on my wired connection. Every 30 minutes or so, it drops for a split second and comes back. I checked my router and see this prong on the ethernet cord like this. Anyone know a fix or repair guide?
Retired_Member
Looked at your picture. There is no way we can say with any level of certainty whether the WAN port on the router is permanently damaged.
What to do next.. take a small pick, paper clip or fishhook and try to move the contact back into place in the channel or socket. Hopefully its just been "jammed" or is caught and stuck in the position it is now. You have nothing to lose trying this. if it returns to a normal position and does so again after a ethernet cable is pluggen in and removed, you have probably dodged a bullet. Hopefully the port functions normally. If it doesn't return to normal, or doesn't work there is likely hidden damage and >> its time for a new router period.
Unless you want to take out a soldering iron and chance other performance issues... The cost to repair something like this exceeds what it would cost to replace. Good luck, we hope you'll be successful.
7 Replies
> [...] I checked my router and see this prong on the ethernet cord
> like this. [...]
Which port is that? To what is it connected? It certainly looks
damaged, but I wouldn't bet that it is causing a problem at 30-minute
intervals.
> [...] Anyone know a fix or repair guide?
Your choices (short of replacing the board or router) are to try to
reform the damaged wire in the connector, or to replace the whole
damaged connector (which, I'd guess, is soldered in). Replacing the
connector would involve opening the box, and voiding whatever warranty
you have.Retired_Member
Looked at your picture. There is no way we can say with any level of certainty whether the WAN port on the router is permanently damaged.
What to do next.. take a small pick, paper clip or fishhook and try to move the contact back into place in the channel or socket. Hopefully its just been "jammed" or is caught and stuck in the position it is now. You have nothing to lose trying this. if it returns to a normal position and does so again after a ethernet cable is pluggen in and removed, you have probably dodged a bullet. Hopefully the port functions normally. If it doesn't return to normal, or doesn't work there is likely hidden damage and >> its time for a new router period.
Unless you want to take out a soldering iron and chance other performance issues... The cost to repair something like this exceeds what it would cost to replace. Good luck, we hope you'll be successful.
Looks like somebody has forced in an RJ11 or the like phone plug before, or an RJ45 connector was partially defect.
Is the left contact broken or just bended? If just bended, you might want to try to bend it down again using a very thin tool.Looks like 1/2 the TX signal... and unless you moved the cable after it had connected, even if deformed, I can't see how that would be the 'every 30 minute' problem? Either it is connected or not?
If this IS under RMA Warranty you might be able to get NG to exchange it (but they may not claiming it was misuse or user error/damage)? If out of warranty before doing anything drastic I'd TEST the connection.
First I'd change device ports... that is to see if the drop is port specific, you didn't state you did this?
If it is port specific I'd then open the box and using a continuity tester test from one end of the cable pin 1 to the inside of the router pin 1. If it is contineous, jiggle the jack at the router and see if it breaks connection? If it does, consider the choices of either trying to reshape it until you get a solid connection or replace the female socket (some local shops might repair it even for a fee).
Even if you find it doesn't break the connection I guess there is a possibility that is can under load and cause some resistance in the connect that does drop it until it 'cools' and can connect again?
Of course alternatively if you really need that port I guess you could put an unmanaged 4 port switch into another port and connect devices to that?
