Ethernet socket in a new apartment- is it broken, or am I missing something?

Question

Question:
I just moved in to a new apartment a few days ago, and I'm having some problems with an ethernet socket in the wall. I'd like to know if the socket isn't working (which I've heard is rare) or I'm ignorant about how this is set up and I need to buy/adjust something.

Details:
There are 2 sockets in the apartment. The socket in the living room- which I will call socket 1- is a trooper and he works just fine. I plug an ethernet cord into my laptop or my PS3 and I have internet. I want to be able to plug my PS3 into socket 1 and my laptop into the second socket, now known as socket 2.
Socket 2 does not seem to work. Without any other devices on, I plug my laptop in to connect to socket 2 and the internet doesn't work (no green light from the cable, either). I've tried different cables- all work for socket 1 and none work for socket 2. My PS3 won't connect with socket 2 either. (By the way, it is not a phone line I'm mistaking for a socket. It is definitely an ethernet socket.)
There is no modem involved- IT folks said it's connected directly from socket to ethernet port. I kind of need two sockets- I'd like to be in the apartment without a bunch of wires stretching across hallways and rooms.

To Sum Up:
I was wondering if I should call maintenance, but I'm not sure if A) that's an issue they can fix or B) it's actually the socket and not just something I need to do. Could someone who has experience with ethernet and/or sockets not working let me know what they think?

Answer 1

It could be a dummy and not actually terminated onto the Cat5 cable, or not have a cable, or the cable could be disconnected, or the port on the hub could be blown. You could take off the cover plate and look for a proper connection at your end. Beyond that, you would have to call "maintenance" to find out what's at the OTHER end, if you don't have network test gear of your own.



You're right that you don't want "a bunch of wires stretching across hallways and rooms".

Answer 2

i think the problem is with the socket (2) and beyond (cabling etc)

why dont you use wifi instead.

Answer 3

call maintenance and ask them