Tools for creating your own Network Cables

Triad-X

Triad-X

Triad-X

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5 Feb 2004
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123
Location
Scotland
Hi there,

I was wondering what I'd need to create my own network cables for both home and work purposes (And maybe perhaps, telephone cables for work).

Basically, I've done this before at work a long time ago, but our previous IT guy took his stuff away when he left so, all that's left are some boxes of cable.

AFAIK, I need a Crimp Tool, Cat5 cable and the Ends (not sure what the correct name for these are). There's also some precise cutters for both...the cable and the inside copperwires (exposing the copper wire from the blue/orange/green/brown mini cables inside).

If I've left something out, I apologise. Could someone give me the correct name for these tools specified along with a good/affordable online retailer I could order these from?

Many thanks.
 
All you need is a crimp tool, cat5 cable and some RJ45 plugs (they're usually transparent).

It's really easy. I can do one end of a cable in about 2 or 3 minutes.

I can never remember the proper order of the colours so I just made up my own... RGB (red, green, blue) then there is the left over brown so I just put that last :p

You don't need any cable cutters nor do you need to expose the bare copper wires. The crimp tool will do everything you need and the RJ45 plugs have teeth which bite into the copper cable.
 
You've got it pretty much, crimper, cable, heads.

Most crimpers have cable cutters to get to the inner wires but you dont need to expose the cooper wires.

It doesnt have to be Cat5, I'd suggest Cat5e or Cat6 nowadays.

WOuldnt want to suggest where you can buy any stuff from as they'd be seen as a competitor.
 
Although Nathan E is technically right that you dont need to do it in the right order its good practise to use the standards incase anyone else ever needs to rewire one end.

Orange dashed, orange solid, green dashed, blue solid, blue dashed, green solid, brown dashed, brown solid.
 
Hmm, so technically, you can have the wires inserted to the Cat5 head in any order?

Also, I've used a cable tester of some sort which just tests both ends of a Cat5 cable...is there a specific name for one of them?
 
Yeah, cable tester! network cable tester, something along those lines.

As long as you keep the order the same at both ends it will work.
 
Triad-X said:
Hmm, so technically, you can have the wires inserted to the Cat5 head in any order?

Also, I've used a cable tester of some sort which just tests both ends of a Cat5 cable...is there a specific name for one of them?
Click to expand...

what ever order you put the cables in one side, make sure its the same at the other side for a patch cable.

or re order them as required for a cross over cable
 
You have to use the pairs as laid out in the standard otherwise it won't work over long distances.

Ethernet is based on the principle of differential signalling - a pair carries both a positive and inverted signal in 100meg networks - one pair for Tx one pair for Rx, it is vital to maintain the twist in the pair otherwise you lose the whole benefit - the idea being if both wires in the pair pick up interference, it will be the same then the differential amplifiers on the endpoints will discard the interference as it uses the difference between the wires. (There are better explanations to this) The bottom line is, follow the 568B or A standard (B is more common in data networks, but i have seen A now and then)
 
Orange stripe, orange, green stripe, blue, blue stripe, green, brown stripe, brown for straight through, always remember this :)
 
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