Premade Ethernet cables aren’t always the proper length or don’t always make good business sense for your particular situation. In these cases, you can make your own cabling to fit the project at hand, but you should proceed with caution. Look below to explore safety tips for making Cat5e Ethernet cables.
What Do You Need?
You’ll want to get Cat5e cabling in bulk, along with an RJ-45 crimping tool and bulk RJ-45 crimpable connectors specifically for Cat5e. Except for variances in cable length and the exterior package, bulk Ethernet cables do not contain connections, allowing you to adapt them as needed. The tool will help you cut into the isolated line, and the connectors will allow you to plug them into routers and other devices.
What Kind of Cables Are You Able To Craft?
You can make two types of Ethernet cables on your own. Straight through Ethernet connections, commonly known as ‘patch cables,’ are the most ubiquitous type of cable used for practically all applications. Crossover Ethernet connections link two computers or devices without passing via a router, switch, or hub.
How To Make Your Cabling
Your crimping tool features a razor that, with experience, will accomplish the job. Cut roughly one inch through the plastic sheath from the tip of the cut cable. Unravel the wires and match them up by color. Squeeze the wires between your thumb and index finger and straighten them out, bearing in mind that the sequence of their colors is critical.
Make a straight incision across the eight wires with scissors to trim them to half an inch from your opening in the sleeve to the wire’s edge. Insert all eight unstripped colored wires into the connection with care. Take note of where the plastic sleeve is relative to the connector and how each wire fits into the end.
Once you’re sure you’ve safely done this, insert the connector into the RJ-45 crimper using a delicate touch and tighten the grips in place. The connector’s copper splicing should puncture each wire. Once it’s locked into place, it’s ready for use.
Safety Tips
Here are a few essential safety tips for making Cat5e Ethernet cables. First, you need to ensure that your plastic sleeve is entirely inside your connector. You’ll need to make sure the wires are the right length and make contact with the end of the connector as well.
When you’re done, you’ll want to test if they work by using an Ethernet cable tester. You should also never touch exposed wiring when it’s plugged in.
When you’re ready to create customized cabling, CableWholesale offers high-quality bulk cat5e cables and accessories for an optimized setup. Feel free to contact us with any questions about our products.
