You’ve no doubt heard the expression that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In the complex world of computer networks, that weak link can take many forms, including the cables used to string all a network’s components together and make the flow of data possible. If your organization has developed a network failure, you need to know how to recognize common cable problems. Here are a few possibilities worth troubleshooting.

Loss of conductivity - Thermal expansion and contraction can rob the copper inside your cables of their optimal conductivity. If you have cables running through a poorly-insulated ceiling or floor plenum, for instance, many seasons of extreme temperatures may have caused performance to degrade.

Crimped or squashed cable runs - The stranded wires inside a typical patch cable can sustain damage if you flatten them under a heavy weight or bend them tighter than four times the total diameter of the cable’s body. Replace these damaged cables and run their replacements in ways that will minimize strain. If you’re running fiber cable, take care not to bend it beyond its minimum turn radius.

Damaged connectors - Even with the strain relief so often built into Ethernet cables near their connectors, a connector can still become weakened and loose if you’re always plugging and unplugging it. You might also break the plastic tab that locks the cable securely in place, promoting connection loss.

Obsolete cable standards - How many decades ago was your original network cabling installed? If you’re running CAT 3 cable, for instance, that cable is only rated to handle data transfer speeds of 10 Mbps, a sadly inadequate level for today’s world of Gigabit-speed communications.

Need some help fixing your network cable problem? Contact our Austin business tech support team at Gravity Systems to get your network up and running again!