Network device

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We have a network jack at a remote location to the I.T. dept that is only occasionally used. This jack also occasionally has problems like being drown once, unplugged from the switch accidentally, etc. The problem is that it is never a good situation for us when we plug into the jack and it does not work right now. Currently we have to go out there the day before and test the jack. That is a huge waste of time, most of the time. I tell you that story to ask you this question. Is there a small, inexpensive device that I can plug into the jack and leave that will reply to a ping? I would like to leave the device plugged in and then just send a ping to it to test the line instead of driving all the way out there.

Thanks

[nitroshift]

A router maybe?

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I assume you mean something like a little D-Link or Linksys router. That is possible, but power is somewhat of an issue as well since it is about 20ft away. Thanks for the reply. Any other suggestions?

[TomcaT]

Would this be any use?

http://www.trianglecables.com/256777.html

[Stoic Joker]

I assume you mean something like a little D-Link or Linksys router. That is possible, but power is somewhat of an issue as well since it is about 20ft away. Thanks for the reply. Any other suggestions?

While not cheap, there are some PoE (Power over Ethernet) routers that can be used with a power injector on the switch end of the drop.

If you want something pingable, its gota be powered.

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I agree and understand that the device has to be powered to be ping able. That may be something that we just have to do, and if that is the case then so be it.

I looked briefly at the "Nefinder" in the link and it looks like it might actually work provided that the packet it puts out it route able through the switch. I would have to look into it further to actually see how it would work but the price might be the real killer for us. I am sure we could find other uses for it so that may be a selling point for me.

I posted this topic on another forum and a guy replied with what I though was a pretty good idea. He said that since you really only use 2 pair of wires in a regular cat 5e cable then make a special end that just loops around and uses the other 2 pair. On the switch side you would have to make a special Y cable where 2 pair go to the jack and the other 2 pair come from the jack and go to a device. You are basically doubling the length of the cable. He said put a Hub, but a hub is not ping able. I was thinking about something like a print server or even better, we have some old Jornada PDA's that have an RJ45 dongle so we could just use it.

Crazy or Genius?

Thanks for all the input.