How Do You Terminate Cat5 Cable?
- Thread starter D!ngo
- Start date
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
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technically, it doesn't really matter, as long as you have a pair in the middle, a pair straddling that middle pair, a pair on either side, and both ends are the same.
but the standard these days is: light orange, dark orange, light green, dark blue, light blue, dark green, light brown, dark brown.
been there, done that... ( a few thoudsand times now, i think)
but the standard these days is: light orange, dark orange, light green, dark blue, light blue, dark green, light brown, dark brown.
been there, done that... ( a few thoudsand times now, i think)
I've had good.luck with the keystone Jacks from monoprice and a good punch down tool (spring loaded). If you have multiple cables going to a single point use a patch panel
I don't think the keystone jacks would be feasible for me as I would have to do that to 32 ends(16x2). And they would be too bulky to go through the holes in the wall. And as far as I know, they only make them in female so I would need a bunch of patch cables to connect to the cameras...not to mention all those connections would open the door for some loose contacts.
When I had my analog put in few years ago I had cat6 cables run along with my rg59 siamese cables. I am now so glad that I made that decision when I did. It only cost me an extra couple of hundred bucks for 16 runs. Now I can just have to terminate the ends with the rj45 crimp connectors.
nayr
IPCT Contributor
At your central location use a Patch Panel bro, not keystone's.. http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Rackmount-Wallmount-48-Port/dp/B0072K1P8C
and PunchDown's are much more robust and reliable than crimp connections.. the weakest connection point in the link is going to be the crimp end you terminate at the cameras. pro's would rather use punchdown's on both ends and pre-fabricated cables for the device connections (though for IPC installs everyone crimps the camera end for good reasons).. dont get more solid connections than that. not to mention that its so much faster to roll out than crimping hundreds of ends.
a bunch of 1ft cat6 patch cables are cheap, and look proper when patched into your main switch.. can even color coordinate if you want to indicate PoE devices or various segments of vlans.
and PunchDown's are much more robust and reliable than crimp connections.. the weakest connection point in the link is going to be the crimp end you terminate at the cameras. pro's would rather use punchdown's on both ends and pre-fabricated cables for the device connections (though for IPC installs everyone crimps the camera end for good reasons).. dont get more solid connections than that. not to mention that its so much faster to roll out than crimping hundreds of ends.
a bunch of 1ft cat6 patch cables are cheap, and look proper when patched into your main switch.. can even color coordinate if you want to indicate PoE devices or various segments of vlans.
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I fiddled with a camera I installed a few years ago for hours the other day. It would just not work. Turned out the connector I put on there crapped out. If I have room I do a keystone on tbe camera end with a 6 inch patch cable
Then I do either multiple keystone or patch panel on dvr end. If it's just a couple cameras I do rj45 or keystone. I want something reliable so they don't have problems which means no calls to me. Nayr knows his stuff
Then I do either multiple keystone or patch panel on dvr end. If it's just a couple cameras I do rj45 or keystone. I want something reliable so they don't have problems which means no calls to me. Nayr knows his stuff
I would highly recommend that if you have the money you use Platinum Tools EZ-RJ45 connectors. They have holes to push the cables through and get a very tight fit, almost as good as a prefab cable. The tool is a little expensive (about $70) and the connectors are about 50 cents a piece, but they make life a lot easier. I agree with the other guys in that you should try to use keystone connectors wherever possible, it makes for a nice clean install. Check out this video on RJ45 connectors by Platinum Tools, even if you decide not to go with that brand it has some pointers that I never knew of....like using the outside jacket to separate the wires.
That's a very good alternative and a professional way of connections at the central point. I like that. I'll definitely consider that option. I like the fact that it'll make a more solid connection than crimping reducing any iffy contacts. Thanks @nayr.
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Thanks @pal251 and @biggie for the video. My experience with Keystone was a while back when I had to terminate some ethernet cables in the wall. It was tedious but maybe because I didn't have a punchdown tool. I remember my fingers were numb after awhile. The Platinum snap jack looks very interesting. All I need is a flush cutting tool as oppose to the more expensive crimp tool. I'm definitely reconsidering those now.
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I've never used the platinum snap jacks. The mono price ones are around a dollar so I have used those. I've probably used about 80 to 100 of them.
This is the punch down tool I have.http://www.amazon.com/Paladin-Tools-3571-SurePunch-Blade/dp/B0002XV3UG
This is the punch down tool I have.http://www.amazon.com/Paladin-Tools-3571-SurePunch-Blade/dp/B0002XV3UG
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I initially tried doing the keystones without a punch down tool and it resulted in failure every time. Once I got the punch down, I have not had an issue on the keystone end.
nayr
IPCT Contributor
oh yeah if you tried to do a punchdown w/out the tool no wonder your biased against them, lol that would suck
$10 punchdown tool will make just as good as connections as the best $70 crimp tool. They have a spring hammer in em, just like a center-punch... keep pushing til it goes off then rock it forward to snip the excess wire.. only thing to watch out for is where that cut off blade is pointing, make sure its pointed the right way, so you dont cut the lead.
Skip to about 2:50 to see the action.
$10 punchdown tool will make just as good as connections as the best $70 crimp tool. They have a spring hammer in em, just like a center-punch... keep pushing til it goes off then rock it forward to snip the excess wire.. only thing to watch out for is where that cut off blade is pointing, make sure its pointed the right way, so you dont cut the lead.
Skip to about 2:50 to see the action.
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bob2701
Getting comfortable
Just make sure you keep the twist right up to the connection. Like the way he has the bracket upside down. lol
Thanks guys,
I'm liking that panel more and more. I knew I shoulda invest in the punch down tool back then. Coulda save me a lot of anguish and many F-words. I checked Amazon and a nice one could be had for around $20 that has a couple of adjustment wheels.
I'm liking that panel more and more. I knew I shoulda invest in the punch down tool back then. Coulda save me a lot of anguish and many F-words. I checked Amazon and a nice one could be had for around $20 that has a couple of adjustment wheels.
Yup get the right tool to begin with, your time is worth it I am sure.
That cablesupply guy has somewhat useful information but he cracks me up on the videos with repeating "professional" all the time. I am sure I have seen some similar things with the last company that installed these cameras.
That cablesupply guy has somewhat useful information but he cracks me up on the videos with repeating "professional" all the time. I am sure I have seen some similar things with the last company that installed these cameras.