UTP vs. STP: UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) is standard for homes/offices. STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) is for industrial environments or areas with heavy electromagnetic interference (EMI)—it requires shielded RJ45 connectors and extra grounding steps.
Wire Gauge: Most Ethernet cables use 24AWG (American Wire Gauge) wires, which fit standard RJ45 plugs. Avoid 26AWG or 28AWG for DIY crimping—they’re thinner and harder to secure properly.
Jacket Material: PVC is cost-effective for indoor use; LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) is safer for schools, hospitals, or enclosed spaces (it emits less smoke/toxic fumes if burned).
Cat Compatibility: Use Cat5e plugs for Cat5e cable, Cat6 plugs for Cat6—mixing types (e.g., Cat5e plugs on Cat6 cable) will limit performance to Cat5e speeds.
UTP vs. STP: Shielded plugs have a metal shell to connect to the cable’s shield—using UTP plugs on STP cable negates the shielding’s benefits.
Gold Plating: Plugs with 50µ” gold plating last longer (resist corrosion) and maintain better conductivity than unplated or 15µ” plated options—worth the small extra cost for frequently used cables.
Multifunctional Crimpers: Combine a crimper, wire stripper, and cable cutter in one tool. Ideal for beginners (fewer tools to manage) and casual use.
Dedicated Crimpers: Designed solely for crimping RJ45 plugs. They offer more precise pressure control, making them better for frequent crimping or Cat6/Cat7 cables.
Adjustable pressure settings (to avoid over-crimping, which breaks plugs, or under-crimping, which causes loose connections).
Compatibility with both 8P8C (RJ45) and 4P4C (RJ11) plugs (for versatility).
A built-in “stop” to ensure the plug is inserted correctly before crimping.
Adjustable depth settings (to match Cat5e/Cat6 jacket thickness).
A safety guard to prevent cuts to your fingers.
Continuity: Ensures each wire is connected to the right pin in the plug.
Short Circuits: Detects if two wires are touching (which causes signal interference).
Open Circuits: Finds wires that aren’t properly crimped (leading to no connectivity).
Cable Cutter: For clean, straight cuts when trimming the cable to length (a sharp pair of scissors works too, but a cutter ensures precision).
Marker or Label Tape: To mark which end of the cable goes to which device (e.g., “Router → Living Room TV”)—helpful for troubleshooting later.
Tweezers: For adjusting misaligned wires before inserting them into the plug (especially useful for small hands or tight spaces).
1.Determine how long your cable needs to be. Add 2–3 inches to your measurement to account for stripping and trimming the wires—this prevents the cable from being too short after crimping.
2.Use a cable cutter or sharp scissors to make a clean, straight cut through the cable. Avoid bending or twisting the cable while cutting—this can damage the inner wires.
1.Adjust your wire stripper to the correct depth (usually marked for Cat5e/Cat6). For Cat5e, the jacket is about 0.06 inches thick—set the stripper to cut through the jacket without nicking the wires inside.
2.Place the cable into the stripper’s jaws, 2.5–3 cm (1–1.2 inches) from the end. Squeeze the stripper firmly and twist it 1–2 times around the cable—this cuts the jacket.
3.Pull the stripper away from the end of the cable to remove the jacket. You should see four twisted wire pairs (orange-white/orange, green-white/green, blue-white/blue, brown-white/brown) inside, with no damage to the wire insulation.
1.Gently pull the four wire pairs apart to separate them. Be careful not to untwist the wires more than necessary—each pair is twisted to reduce crosstalk (signal interference between pairs). For Cat5e, you only need to untwist 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 inches) of each pair—any more will degrade performance.
2.Flatten the wires slightly between your fingers to straighten them. This makes it easier to align them into the correct order for the wiring standard.
T568B: Preferred for home, office, and most commercial networks (it’s the ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 standard).
T568A: Used in older AT&T networks or for crossover cables (see Step 8).
1.White-Orange
2.Orange
3.White-Green
4.Blue
5.White-Blue
6.Green
7.White-Brown
8.Brown
1.Hold the aligned wires firmly between your thumb and forefinger. Check that the outer jacket extends 0.5–1 cm (0.2–0.4 inches) past the end of the aligned wires—this ensures the jacket is inside the RJ45 plug, protecting the wires from pulling.
2.Use a cable cutter to trim the ends of the wires so they’re even. The trimmed length should be 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 inches) from the end of the jacket—this is just enough to reach the top of the RJ45 plug.
1.Hold the RJ45 plug with the gold contacts facing up and the open end (where the wires go) facing you.
2.Carefully insert the aligned wires into the plug. Push firmly until:
The outer jacket is inside the plug (you should see it through the plug’s clear plastic).
Each wire reaches the top of the plug (you can see the copper ends touching the gold contacts).
3.Double-check the wire order through the plug’s plastic—if any wire is out of place, pull the wires out and realign them. Fixing this now saves you from a non-functional cable later.
1.Insert the loaded plug into your crimping tool’s RJ45 slot. Make sure the plug is pushed all the way in—most tools have a stop that prevents you from inserting it too far.
2.Squeeze the crimper’s handles as hard as possible (use both hands for leverage). Hold the pressure for 2–3 seconds to ensure the plug’s contacts are fully pressed into the wires.
3.Release the handles and pull the plug out of the tool. Inspect the plug:
The gold contacts should be flat (not bent) and fully embedded in the wires.
The plug’s plastic tab (the part that clicks into a port) should be intact (not broken).
Use: Connect a device to a network hub (e.g., computer to router, TV to switch).
How: Use the same wiring standard (T568B) on both ends. This ensures the “transmit” pins on one end connect to the “receive” pins on the other.
Use: Connect two similar devices directly (e.g., computer to computer, router to router) without a hub.
How: Use T568A on one end and T568B on the other. This swaps the transmit and receive pins manually.
1.Plug one end of the cable into the tester’s “Master” port (labeled “M” or “Master”).
2.Plug the other end into the tester’s “Remote” port (labeled “R” or “Remote”).
3.Turn on the tester. It will send a signal through each wire and light up LEDs corresponding to the pin numbers (1–8).
Lights flash in order (1→2→3→4→5→6→7→8): The cable is working correctly.
A light is off: The corresponding wire is not connected (open circuit). This usually means the wire didn’t reach the plug’s contacts—cut off the plug and re-crimp.
Two lights flash at the same time: Short circuit (two wires are touching). Check for exposed copper or misaligned wires, then re-crimp.
Lights flash out of order: Wrong wiring standard (e.g., T568A on one end, T568B on the other when you wanted straight-through). Re-crimp the second end with the correct standard.
Preserve Twists: Untwist wires no more than 1 cm (0.4 inches)—more than that increases crosstalk, limiting speed to Cat5e levels.
Shielded Plugs: For STP Cat6a/Cat7, use shielded RJ45 plugs and connect the cable’s shield to the plug’s metal shell (this grounds the shield and blocks EMI).
Extra Pressure: Cat6 wires are thicker than Cat5e, so use a dedicated crimper with adjustable pressure to ensure contacts penetrate the insulation.
Over-Stripping: Stripping more than 3 cm of jacket leaves wires exposed to damage—stick to 2.5–3 cm.
Wire Misalignment: Always check the wire order through the plug’s plastic before crimping. A single misaligned wire (e.g., swapping green and blue) breaks the cable.
Under-Crimping: If the plug’s contacts aren’t pressed fully into the wires, the connection will be loose and intermittent. Squeeze the crimper as hard as possible.
Avoid Frequent Plugging/Unplugging: Each time you plug/unplug the cable, the plug’s contacts wear down. For devices that stay connected (e.g., a desktop), leave the cable plugged in.
Protect the Jacket: Use cable ties to secure the cable near the plug—this prevents pulling on the plug, which can loosen the wires inside.
Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) Wires: OFC has better conductivity than copper-clad aluminum (CCA), reducing signal loss and heat buildup.
Fluke-Tested: Cables tested with Fluke equipment meet ANSI/TIA standards for speed and crosstalk—look for this certification (e.g., FOCC’s Cat5e/Cat6 cables are Fluke-tested).
Durable Jacket: PVC jackets work for most indoor use, but LSZH is safer for enclosed spaces. For outdoor use, choose UV-resistant jackets to prevent sun damage.
Gold Plating: 50µ” gold plating resists corrosion and ensures consistent conductivity for 500+ mating cycles.
High-Impact Plastic: Plugs made of nylon or polycarbonate won’t break if dropped or stepped on.
Multifunctional Crimper: FOCC’s network tool kit includes a multifunctional crimper, stripper, and tester—perfect for beginners.
Replaceable Blades: For frequent use, choose a stripper with replaceable blades (they dull over time, leading to uneven cuts).
