creating a cat 5 cable or rj45 cable

We should  have a good idea about different cat 5 cables, methods, color codes, connectors and other tools. 

CAT 5 Cable

CAT 5 or Category 5 cable is a twisted pair cable. It can transmit data at 10 to 100Mbps speeds and is suitable for most varieties of Ethernet over twisted pair. Cat 5 is also used to carry other signals such as telephony and video. There are shielded and unshielded Cat 5 cables. Cat 5 has a maximum length of 100m, exceeding this length without the aid of bridge or other network device could cause network issues. There is also a Category 5 Enhanced (CAT 5e) cable which can transmit data up to 1000Mbps speed.

You can see that there are 4 pairs of twisted wires with different colors. There are two color standards that you have to know before create any Ethernet cable using CAT cables. They are T-568A and T-568B.

T-568B White/Orange (Transmit +) Orange (Transmit -) White/Green (Receive +) Blue White/Blue Green (Receive -) White/Brown Brown

T-568A White/Green (Receive +) Green (Receive -) White/Orange (Transmit +) Blue White/Blue Orange (Transmit -) White/Brown Brown

Straight Through Cable and Cross Over Cable.

Let’s identify the difference between Straight through cable and Cross over cable. We use Straight through cable to connect MAC device to Non-Mac device and cross over cable to connect MAC device to MAC device or Non-MAC device to Non-MAC device. PCs, Laptops, Serves, Routers are some examples for MAC devices. Non-MAC devices are switches and Hubs. In a straight through cable both ends are in same color code. It means it can be T-568A Straight-Through Ethernet Cable or T-568B Straight-Through Ethernet Cable. (Both ends can be in type A or in type B).

RJ 45 Connector

In each end there is a special connector called RJ 45. Due to that sometimes Ethernet cables are known as RJ45 cables. The "RJ" in RJ 45 stands for "Registered Jack," since it is a standardized networking interface. The "45" simply refers to the number of the interface standard. RJ45 connector has eight pins. The wires we identified above are connected to these pins, according to the color standards.

Crimping Tool and Stripper

To connect those wires with these pins, we need to use a tool called crimping tool. To remove the rubber coating we have to use a tool called cable stripper. 

Network Cable Tester

After we created the cable we need to test it to identify whether it is working or not, for that we use a tool called Network Cable Tester. If you are testing a straight through cable the lights on tester will glow as 1 with 1, 2 with 2 likewise you can test all the eight wires. If you are testing cross over cable lights will glow as 1 with 3, 2 with 6, 3 with 1, 4 with 4, 5 with 5, 6 with 2, 7 with 7 and 8 with 8. The reason to happen this is that both ends are in different color codes in a cross over cable and tester is trying to send a signal trough each wire. E.g.:- if No 1 is White-orange wire (type B) in other end (type A) that white-orange wire is in no 3. Then the lights will glow as 1 with 3.

How to Create a Straight Through Cable

I have created a T-568B straight through cable.

Step 1:- Take a CAT 5 cable and measure 1.5 inches from an end. Then remove the rubber coating of that measured area by using a cable stripper or with a crimping tool as shown in below.  

Step 2:- Separate twisted pairs of wires as shown in below. Then untwist those wires one by one and place them in order (T-568B standard). 

Step 3:- Measure an inch (1) beginning from the end of coloured wires and cut it off using the crimping tool as shown in below.

Step 4:- Insert the remaining part of the coloured wires to the RJ 45 connector from back side of it. (Pins of RJ 45 connector should face to you)

Step 5:- Before crimp you need to make sure the colour order is correct and all the wires meet the end of the connector. 

Step 6:- Place the RJ 45 connector on right place of the crimping tool and give a slight presser to the cable towards the connector and hold like that to make sure the wires meet the end of connector. Now squeeze the handles of the crimping tool. You will hear a little sound like “tick”, it means you have crimped the connector.

Step 7:- Check again about the colour order. If it is right, you can do same steps to the other end of the cable (same colour order T-568B)

Step 8:- After both ends are connected to the RJ 45 connectors you have to test the cable using network cable tester. In an above paragraph I have explained the way of testing a cable. Through that way you can test it. (1 with 1, 2 with 2 likewise)