how to wire up cat5?

Soldato
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hi, buying some cat5e cable and RJ45 plugs + that punch down tool you need tomorrow.

Is there any easy guides etc out there to help me understand how to wire them up. Will be using them from router to computers. From network switch to ps3, wireless music player etc.

Just seems loads of different variations on how to wire them up. So was looking for a simple 'wiring for dummies' approach.



Thanks.
 
I am still confused. I was under the impression from reading on here and elsewhere. We only use 2 wires. Or am I wrong with that then.
 
I am still confused. I was under the impression from reading on here and elsewhere. We only use 2 wires. Or am I wrong with that then.

You might well be confused with DSL wiring over cat5 which will only use a single pair (2 wires)

Cabling RJ45 onto CAT5 should be done with all 4 pairs (8 wires) on the B scheme.
 
Hi, just been to the shop and got a Krone tool (punchdown IDC tool) and some Rj45 plugs and boots.

got home and have now realised I dont need the punchdown tool, I need a RJ45 crimp tool. DOH !!!! what a donkey..


Just looking around on line for some now. Any good places to look etc?

seem to range from £3 upwards.
 
Just using it for a few odd jobs, get any one. If you are using it dozens of times per day, for months on end, get a ratchet crimp tool.
 
I used to use a flat head screwdriver to push each pin down into the conductor. It needs a good material thickness to purchase on the pin. I crimped several plugs like this before I appropriated a ratchet tool.

If you are only likely to do one or two plugs then go cheap.

Saying that though that tool linked above looks competent for 8p/8c as well as other plugs so might be useful. Only £3 though. If you can wait then it looks good enough.
 
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Right got all my stuff now. Including 30M of Cat5e from OCUK which I am going to cut of one of the plugs to help feed it through holes in the house etc.

What are the wall sockets called that I need. So the RJ45 from device/switch plug into?

I am routing it from one corner of the lounge (next to router/BT Master socket) up through (hopefully) the old TV aerial run in the wall into the loft (as no longer need TV Coax wire) down into the spare bedroom and then down back into the lounge in another area, where my PS3, HTPC and Squeezebox is.


Am I best of running 2 lengths of Cat5e as need output/socket for desktop PC in spare bedroom. Or can I just stick a switch in there if I wanted and then continue to run it back down to other part of the lounge from that switch.

Just looking for best option. As not done all this before.

Thank you.
 
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RJ45 Click-in Module in a standard faceplate with matched backbox. Many configuration options, you can run double faceplates and run 2 RJ45 modules, or RJ11/RJ45 side by side etc. You likely want a single faceplate for a single RJ45 module but it depends how you are going to do this.

If you want another live point back down in the lounge you should run 2 lengths of cable from 2 RJ45 modules at the source router/switch and terminate them at the appropriate points.

A switch in the spare room would work but it's a bit of a messy way of doing it for the sake of saving a length of cable.

The BEST way of doing it is running 3 cables from each location back to a patch panel in the loft, this gives the MOST flexibility going forward (I.E you move your router) but it might be a bit overkill for your needs, also presents additional cost :D

You could do the same but instead of using a patch panel terminate each cable into an RJ45 module and house in a quad faceplate + blanking plate. You can then put your switch in the loft and connect everything up there.
 
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A 'hardwired' solution would look like this:

magick_hardwire.jpg


A centralised switch method:

magick_switch.jpg
 
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Thank you for your replies, certainly helped me. Ideally I'd love to move the router from being next to BT master socket & put at other end of lounge, that would make live so much easier ten fold!
Would save all this cabling woes.

BUT, I have been told that using a long modem cable ( from BT master socket which I've fitted a adsl nation faceplate, which gives me a phone & adsl socket) is not a good idea.

Shame as would love router & all other gear together.


Is there any truth in that, don't wish to loose internet speed.
 
You can safely extend a fair distance assuming you are filtering at the BT master socket, which by the sounds of it you are with an ADSL Nation faceplate. I extend about 15 metres and have no loss of signal quality - train at the same speed plugged into my master socket as I do extended.

You can run an extension with proper 'BT style' 5mm cable or just plain old CAT5. It becomes a little more complicated but it's more than feasible.

ALA:

magick_switch2.jpg
 
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