#ETHERNET CONNECTOR HOW TO#

Flatten the wires out as much as possible, since they'll need to be very straight for proper insertion into the connector. Separate the 4 twisted wire pairs from each other, and then unwind each pair, so that you end up with 8 individual wires. Using a Crimping Tool, trim the end of the cable you're terminating, to ensure that the ends of the conducting wires are even.īeing careful not to damage the inner conducting wires, strip off approximately 1 inch of the cable's jacket, using a modular crimping tool or a UTP cable stripper. Rely on our step-by-step guide to take you through your project.

#ETHERNET CONNECTOR HOW TO#

NOTE – The maximum cable length of CAT-5, CAT-5e or CAT-6 Ethernet cable is 328 feet or 100 metres.If you'll be installing or maintaining a Local Area Network (LAN), one of the most important things for you to know is how to terminate Cat5, Cat5e or Cat6 network cables with RJ45 connectors. An inexpensive Ethernet cable tester does this quite well. Make sure to test the cables before installing them. For a crossover cable, the other end will have a different colour order as shown by the crossover picture above. When you remove the cable from the crimper, that end is ready to use.įor a standard ‘straight through’ cable, repeat all steps and wire colour order on the other end of the cable. There’s also a locking tab that holds the blue plastic sleeve in place for a tight compression fit. The copper splicing tabs on the connector will pierce into each of the eight wires. Carefully place the connector into the Ethernet crimper and cinch down on the handles tightly.

Note how the wires do not go all the way to the end of the connector.Ĭrimping the cable. The wires should extend only half an inch from the blue cut sleeve. Note how the blue plastic sleeve is not inside the connector where it can be locked into place. Also note how the wires go all the way to the end.Ī view from the top. Note the position of the blue plastic sleeve. Use scissors to make a straight cut across the eight wires to shorten them to half an inch (1.3 cm) from the cut sleeve to the end of the wires.Ĭarefully push all eight unstripped coloured wires into the connector. The colour order is important to get correct. Pinch the wires between your fingers and straighten them out as shown. The crimping tool has a razor blade that will do the trick with practice. This configuration allows for longer wire runs.Ĭrossover Ethernet cables directly connect one computer or device to another without going through a router, switch, or hub.Ĭut into the plastic sheath about one inch (2.5 cm) from the end of the cut cable. Note how the green pair is not side-by-side, like the other pairs. It’s highly recommended you duplicate the colour order as shown on the left. Straight through Ethernet cables are the standard cable used for almost all purposes, and are often called ‘patch cables’. There are two kinds of Ethernet cables you can make: straight through and crossover.

The two kinds of Ethernet cables you can make How to Make an Ethernet Cable – What You’ll Needīulk Ethernet Cable – Category 5e or CAT5e (You may also use Category 6 or CAT6 cabling, which has higher performance specifications and is about 20% more expensive than CAT5e.)īulk RJ45 Crimpable Connectors for CAT-5e or Bulk RJ45 Crimpable Connectors for CAT-6 Making Ethernet cables is easy with a box of bulk Category 5e Ethernet cables and RJ-45 connectors that are attached to the cut ends of your preferred cable length. Ethernet cables can be quite expensive and pre-made lengths are not always the length you need.

Ethernet connector