Preparing Ordinary Network Cables

Components of an Ordinary Network Cable

An ordinary network cable consists of two ordinary RJ45 connectors and one category 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable. Figure 7-26 shows an ordinary network cable.

Figure 7-26 Ordinary network cable

Checking Tools and Materials

• Ensure that the necessary tools, including the diagonal pliers, blades (or knives), and the RJ45 crimping tool, are available.
• Ensure that the materials, including the RJ45 connectors, category 5 UTP cable, and the boots, are available.
• Ensure that the cable sheath is in proper condition. If the sheath around a part of the cable is convex, damaged, or uneven in thickness, cut that part from the cable.

Procedure

1. Use the diagonal pliers to cut the cable according to the required length.
2. Put the cable through the boot, and reserve at least 100 mm of the cable for installing the connector. Ensure that the boot is installed in the correct direction, as shown in Figure 7-27.
   Figure 7-27 Installing the boot of the RJ45 connector
   

3. Use a blade or knife to peel off 20 mm of the sheath, as shown in Figure 7-28. Do not damage the insulation of the wires.
   Figure 7-28 Peeling off the sheath
   

4. Arrange the four pairs of wires according to the color codes followed by pins of the RJ45 connector shown in Table 7-11. Figure 7-29 illustrates pins of the RJ45 connector (pay attention to the pin colors).
   Figure 7-29 Pins of the RJ45 connector
   

   In Table 7-11, end A and end B refer to both ends of a network cable.

   Table 7-11 Pair color codes

   Pin	Insulation Colors
   	Straight-Through Cable End A	Straight-Through Cable End B	Crossover Cable End A	Crossover Cable End B
   1	White and orange	White and orange	White and orange	White and green
   2	Orange	Orange	Orange	Green
   3	White and green	White and green	White and green	White and orange
   4	Blue	Blue	Blue	Blue
   5	White and blue	White and blue	White and blue	White and blue
   6	Green	Green	Green	Orange
   7	White and brown	White and brown	White and brown	White and brown
   8	Brown	Brown	Brown	Brown

5. Ensure that the wires are 13 to 15 mm long. Cut off the excess if the wires are longer than required, arrange them in the correct order, and then insert them into the RJ45 connector, as shown in Figure 7-30.
   Figure 7-30 Arranging the wires according to the color codes
   

6. Use the RJ45 crimping tool to crimp the connector. Ensure that the connector is put in the right position in the RJ45 crimping tool. After crimping, the metal cover on the connector must be lower than other area on the connector.
7. Use a network cable tester or a multimeter to test all the wires and ensure that they are connected properly.
8. Push the boot to cover the RJ45 connector, as shown in Figure 7-31.
   Figure 7-31 Pushing the boot to cover the RJ45 connector