Terminating CAT5e Ethernet Cable - Male

This is a simple tutorial brought to you by Lance.

NOTE: I JUST NOTICED THE PICTURES LINKS ARE BROKEN I WILL FIX SOON!

Preliminary

Difficulty

    Easy to Moderate

Man Hours

    20 to 30 Minutes

Safety Precautions

    Sharp edges present
    Pinch points

Tools, Parts, Materials, Test Equipment

Materials

    [010] RJ45 Connector, Male

Tools

    [014] Cutter, Wire 4 In. Diagonal
    [011] Strippers Wire 1187
    [012] Crimper, Paladin 8000 Series
    [013] Crimper, Paladin Die 2687

Miscellaneous

    CAT5e Cable
    CAT5e Connector Boot

Preliminary

a. Gather all required tools and materials.

b. Clear a workspace.

Note: This is for a standard cable not a crossover cable. A crossover cable is terminated on one end to the T568B standard and the opposite end is T568A.

Prep the Cable

Prep the cable

a. Remove the outer jacket using a specialized stripper or carefully with a sharp blade. (blue, yellow, red etc)

Cut the jacket back about one inch.

Remove cut jacket

Place boot on wire (not required)

b. Organize the wires

Untwist the wires (only as far back to the jacket if you go further you could reduce quality).

Arrange according to the T568B standard.

Cut the wires about a half inch in length from the jacket (you can place the connector next to the wires to get a better idea where to cut).

Terminate the Cable

Terminate the cable

c. Place male connector on cable

With the male connector tab facing down place the connector on the cable.

Ensure the connector is seated properly.

Ensure the wires are arranged properly and haven't shifted during installation.

d. Crimp the male connector

With cable in the connector place the connector into the crimper.

verify the jacket hasn't moved.

Crimp the connector on the jacket.

Place boot over the connector.

Test the Cable

Test the cable

a. Test using a continuity tester if desired (or plug one end to a router and the other to a computer for a simple function test).

Video Tutorial

Video