How do I make my own network cables?

[SithSolo1]

Ok, here's what I have:

2000Ft Cat5e
1 set of cheapo crimpers
some unknown about of RJ45 connectors
a bootleg tester
and no instructions.

I don't even know where to begin.
How do I cut it?
Strip it?
Which order do the wires go in?
Is there a tutorial out there somewhere?

I have crimped before but its been about 4 years since I last did it and I only made 5-6 cables.

Thanks for your time,
J

 

[Santa]

Here are two guides..

Link 1

Link 2

Pick a standard 568A or 568B and stick with it throughout all your wiring and you can't go wrong.

 

[Macro2]

As long as your wiring sequence is the same on both connectors it will work as a straight through. I'd go with the T-568B sequence

Cat 5e is limited to 100 meters but don't push it.

I'm not sure what a bootleg tester is but if you have trouble getting connection look at your el cheapo crimpers.

Your crimpers should have a guide for striping the right amount off each wire and the outer casing. Be gentle or you wiil cut right throught the wire. If you mess up cut it all off and start over.

Those wires are twisted for a reason. Leave them twisted right up as far as you can.

Mac

 

[JackMDS]

It is a good exercise, provided that at the end you get few good inexpensive commercially made cables.

Example:
Link: Ethernet CAT5 Patch Cables.

However if you insist going your ?merry? way, this is the best guide for the task.

Link: How to make CAT5

 

[Macro2]

RE:"It is a good exercise, provided that at the end you get few good inexpensive commercially made cables".

Well said. But let them try anyway.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

FWIW, it's not always possible to buy every cable you need, especially if you're wiring an office or a house. Learning to fabricate CAT-5 cables isn't rocket science, it's pretty easy with reasonably priced tools. Sure, you'll have some mis-steps, but I think some people think it's way more difficult than it really is.

 

[Macro2]

RE:"it's pretty easy with reasonably priced tools"

 

[ScottMac]

The mechanical process of crinmping ends on cables IS pretty easy. The issue is that there are a number of rules and standards that must be followed to ensure proper, full performance and reliability.

Most people don't know (and don't necessarily want to know or don't know that they don't know) what the rules and standards are, and make cables that are seriously out of spec. For a home user, who cares if they only get half the performance or if it's glitchey .... for a business, there's no excuse for not doing it properly ... they may think they're getting off cheap doing it themselves, but the performance loss and time wasted chasing intermittent problems more than exceeds the cost of having it done right the first time (including a certification scan).

"If the cable is funky, the network is junky"

The media is the absolute foundation of the network. If the media is bad or done poorly, it won't matter how wunnerful the equipment is, the overall network is gonna suck.

.02

Scott