Network Tools and Cabling

Network Tools RJ means "Registered Jack" This is a plastic connector that looks like a large telephone-style connector. Used as terminator to the UTP cable. CAT 5 RJ-45 Connector

UTP Cable

Crimping Tool Used to crimp or connect a connector to the end of a cable.

UTP Cable Tester used to find the right cable connection in a large bundle of identical looking cables.

Straight-Through A straight-through network cable is just what the name implies, a cable that passes data straight through from one end to another. It is used for a variety of connections. (e.g. connecting a computer to a hub or switch, connecting a computer to a cable/ISDN/DSL modem, and linking switches and hubs together.)

Cross-over A cross-over cable is used to connect two computers via their NICs, without using a hub or switch. (Note: You can only connect two computers at one time, connecting three or more will require a hub or switch). It is used also to connect switch to switch or router to router or router to switch.

Straight – Through Color Straight – through Connection 1 White with Orange 1 2 Orange 2 3 White with Green 3 4 Blue 4 5 White with Blue 5 6 Green 6 7 White with Brown 7 8 Brown 8

Cross-Over Cross-over Connection 1 White with Orange 1 White with Green 2 Orange 2 Green 3 White with Green 3 White with Orange 4 Blue 4 5 White with Blue 5 6 Green 6 Orange 7 White with Brown 7 8 Brown 8

Tip Note: that pins 4, 5, 7, and 8 or the blue and brown pairs are not used in either standard. These pins and wires are not used or required to implement 100BASE-TX duplexing--they are just plain wasted.

Steps Cut a piece of Cat 5 as long as you need. When you cut, remember the old saying: “Measure twice, cut once”. Make sure the cut on each end is clean and straight.

Steps Strip about an inch of the insulation off the cable. Cut it back nice and square. It is extremely important that you only cut the plastic insulation/jacket and not the wire. Damaging one of the 8 wires, even if you just nick it or partially cut it, will ruin your cable.

Steps Untwist the wires. There are 4 pairs of multi-colored wires inside. Sort the pairs by color, as follows: blue/blue-white, orange/orange-white, green/green-white, brown/brown-white.

Steps Now align the wires in the following order from left to right. (see the figure) The order is important since there is a wiring standard defined by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) WHITEORANGEWHITEORANGE ORANGEORANGE WHITEGREENWHITEGREEN BLUEBLUE WHITEBLUEWHITEBLUE GREENGREEN WHITEBROWNWHITEBROWN BROWNBROWN

Steps Get the wires lined up and nice and straight. Then clip off the top millimeter so that they are all the same length and stick out about half an inch from the insulated part.

Steps Insert the RJ-45 properly into the wire.

Tips: The best way to insert the cable into the RJ-45 connector is this: Hold an RJ-45 connector so that the plastic release clip is facing away from you, and the opening of the wires is pointing down. Squeezing the cable so that the jacket does not move on the wires, insert the sorted and aligned wires carefully into the RJ-45 connector partway. Now push the jacket as far as it will go into the connector.

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