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Need help w/ making a PC Power Switch extender

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Noctcrawler

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Here's the thread I started on another forum. Only one person was helping me there, then he just seemed to stop helping/replying. I got tired of waiting for him to reply to my last post; so I did a Google search for electronics forums, and found this place. Hope I can get more help here.

I tried attaching my computer's power switch to the end of a network cable, and the other end of the cable to the computer, but it wouldn't turn the computer on or off. And I tested the cable; it works fine. I'm guessing that the length of wire is too long, and that there's some kind of simple electronic component fix for this; but since I'm a complete electronics noob, I don't know what that would be. Hence, coming here to pick the brains of people who know more than I do. ;)

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How are you switching it? with the momentary switch that goes to the P.S.? which leaves the PC M.B. in the standby mode?
What do you mean by network cable?

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It's a momentary switch that runs to the MB.
**broken link removed**

The switch, depending upon the settings in Windows, will either turn the Comp off, put it in Hibernation Mode, or sleep mode.

And the network cable is a home-made Cat 5e patch cable. I have some RJ45 circuit board mountable sockets I was using to make the connections with.

BTW, my MB is the ASUS P5N-E SLI.

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I would doubt that the length of cable run would affect it, especially of twisted cable.
But what you could do is place a small PCT or cube relay at the computer end and switch it from the remote end, if necessary the relay circuit could be fed from the PC, either 5v or 12vdc coil.
Use a contact on the relay to locally switch the PC.
This would provide a very low impedance circuit that would not be affected by noise etc.
Place a reverse EMF diode across the coil and probabally a 25uf electrolytic across the 5 or 12v where you tap it off.
Al.

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How's this for the relay?, Is this overkill for the Diode? And if it is, then what should I use? What diode specs am I looking for?

What voltage rating should the capacitor be? 6, 25, or 50?

And can you elaborate on what "tapping off" means in regards to electronics? I'm thinking that it means something like "cutting" or "turning" off, but what would that end/connection look like on a schematic?
 
No circuit or additional components should be necessary if the electrical connections are sound. You said you tested this but didn't mention HOW you tested it.
 
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It should be a simple momentary switch with two wires.
I tried attaching my computer's power switch to the end of a network cable
Why are you using a network cable?
I have some RJ45 circuit board mountable sockets I was using to make the connections with.
It is posible you miswired the two wires needed. A pic of the setup mite help.
I'm guessing that the length of wire is too long
How long is it?
Andy
 
Any idea what the typical pull up resistance is on those PC header pins? That along with the resistance per foot (.0302 ohms per foot for 24AWG) will allow you to calculate the maximum run, which should be FAR beyond what you're using right now, I'm with 4pyros there is a good chance it's something wrong with the wiring or switch you're using.
 
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