how to make good cat6 cables all the time

GFM

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Nice videos!

I have found lately that some of the cheap patch cables have the T568A configuration for some reason. Might be an e-bay thing... They work fine as long as both ends are the same I suppose. Do they work if you have 568A on one end and 568B on the other?

Check the wire gauge of the conductors if looking at cat6. Someone pointed out to me that cat6 should be 23guage, cat5 would be 24 gauge. I often see cables being sold as cat6 and specs show a gauge of 24. I did purchase a box of cable a while back that said cat6 and 24guage, I thought I got ripped off, but checked the writing on the jacket and it says 23ga. Also noted the cat5 connectors wouldn't fit on the cable, and it did have that separator, so I guess I was lucky. Caveat emptor I suppose.

I use mostly cat6 stp cable for the cameras, little trickier to do the connectors but not a big deal. Reason for using the shielded cable is that I have high power RF transmitters nearby that could induce currents in the ethernet cabling that could fry sensitive components. Also it helps keep RF noise from being emitted by the cabling, routers, network devices, etc. Most of you shouldn't require stp cable but if you are close to a transmitter (AM, FM, television, ham radio, or cell tower) you might consider it. It's more costly too.
 

mat200

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Nice videos!

I have found lately that some of the cheap patch cables have the T568A configuration for some reason. Might be an e-bay thing... They work fine as long as both ends are the same I suppose. Do they work if you have 568A on one end and 568B on the other?
..
Q: Do they work if you have 568A on one end and 568B on the other?
A: One on cable? NO.
 

TonyR

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Do they work if you have 568A on one end and 568B on the other?
That would be a 'cross-over' cable and if both Ethernet ports that the cable connects are auto MDI-X, then technically yes, but it's a better (and more common) practice to use the same spec on both ends, with T-568B being the most widely used in the U.S. of A.

Auto MDI-X has been in wide use on PC's, routers, switches and IP cameras for some time but I would never use that as a reason to NOT always use a straight-thru cable (B on both ends or A on both ends) to connect network components together.
 

GFM

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Ah yes... Auto MDI-X. But straight thru cable is certainly the way to do in almost all cases. Quite sure "B" is the standard up here too.
 

awsum140

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I started terminating ethernet cable back in the coax days, so I've done a "few" RJ45s since I was there when UTP for ethernet came along. My favorite tool for trimming is a pair of flush cutters. They leave the wires with a nice, square, cut on the ends that helps insure full insertion plus they cut very cleanly, no little piece of insulation to jamb as inserted into the RJ. If you buy a pair that holds or grabs the cut offs, no mess of flying short pieces of wire, either. They work very well for cutting the "X" spreader on CAT6, too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IBSFBW/?coliid=I35HXCR0UP5KPV&colid=3DJ96FH498CMH&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
 
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GFM

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Think I have the same tool in my network "stuff" toolbox. Wouldn't do an ethernet connection without it! :)
 

Midway

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A little something I posted a few days ago on another thread ==>> here. I've been using Monoprice's 2-piece (Insert with lip and RJ-45 male) for my CAT-6 lately. Like anything, the first couple are not easy, but then you get the hang of it.

I have even better luck by using the non-serrated, flat part of my needle nosed pliers to gently flatten the wires, one at a time, in one plane then rotate the pliers 90 degrees and flatten in another plane. They then lay closer to each other, go into the insert easier, and allow the insert to get closer to the outer jacket, all the way up to where each pair's twist begins.

Sure, it takes longer but it insures I get the benefit of CAT-6 by keeping the pairs twisted as much as possible and no re-do's.

View attachment 28539
I'll be starting an install for my house next week and am about to order bulk cable, tools etc. Do you have a link to the Monoprice 2-piece "suit"? The terminology on Monoprice isn't clear. What additional tools would I need for building my cables?

Much appreciated.
 

TonyR

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Parley

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I just helped a neighbor pull 9 Cat6 cables from Monoprice and we used the Klein pass through #6 RJ45 connectors and the Klein tool. No problems at all and no mistakes.
 

Todd Schmidt

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So if you use cat5e terminals with cat 6 wire will that cause problems or is it no big deal? I’ve been using cat5e terminals because I had a bunch laying around and didn’t feel like buying new Cat6 ones. Cables seem to be working fine.
 

inforlonghaul

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So if you use cat5e terminals with cat 6 wire will that cause problems or is it no big deal? I’ve been using cat5e terminals because I had a bunch laying around and didn’t feel like buying new Cat6 ones. Cables seem to be working fine.
Nothing wrong with using Cat5e RJ45's on your Cat6, but only downside is Cat5e connectors are rated a Gigabit speeds and Cat6 is at 10 gbps. So you're in a sense potentially bottle-necking the maximum speeds your cables will handle. But then again, what are the odds you're running a 10gbps network? Not likely if you're in a home setting.

I don't encourage using Cat5e connectors with Cat6 though, cause if you're going to go through the effort of using Cat6 cable, use Cat6 connectors too, but it's you'll be fine.
 

Todd Schmidt

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Nothing wrong with using Cat5e RJ45's on your Cat6, but only downside is Cat5e connectors are rated a Gigabit speeds and Cat6 is at 10 gbps. So you're in a sense potentially bottle-necking the maximum speeds your cables will handle. But then again, what are the odds you're running a 10gbps network? Not likely if you're in a home setting.

I don't encourage using Cat5e connectors with Cat6 though, cause if you're going to go through the effort of using Cat6 cable, use Cat6 connectors too, but it's you'll be fine.
guess I’ll grab some Cat6 terminals then. Easy enough to swap them out.
 

looney2ns

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I just helped a neighbor pull 9 Cat6 cables from Monoprice and we used the Klein pass through #6 RJ45 connectors and the Klein tool. No problems at all and no mistakes.
I agree, I just recently started using Klein setup, and it's great, especially for old eyes.
 

civic17

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I have the platinum tool EZ-RJ45 crimper and the ezrj45 cat6 connectors. Today I made a couple connectors for my cat6 cables but when I plug them into the dahua and hikvision connector it does not click into place. I thought maybe the crimped connector end with the wires flush cut were sticking out so i tried razer blade shaving them off but still couldn't click. I then took some old non ez rj45 cat5 connectors and this time it clicks into place.

Anyone else experienced this with ezrj45?
 

Parley

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Crimp one connector without the cable and plug it in and see what happens. Maybe you can see the problem.
 

GFM

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I've had connectors where the crimper would bend the little lock tab against the connector itself and not lock. With these I had just pulled the tab away a bit so it would spring away from the connector. Really cheap connectors seem to do this, maybe the plastic won't flex enough, and often the lock tabs on these connectors break off if plugged and unplugged often.
 

civic17

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^^ This indeed was the problem with my connectors. The crimper squished the tab down too much and bending it back upwards works now to click into place. Low quality connectors that were included with the Platinum crimper.
 

0658

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Civic 17, what brand connectors solved your problem? I have been using the Platinum EZ 6 connectors without issue.
 

TL1096r

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Straight (not staggered design) is easiest with rj45 connectors for me:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07451LPHR

Then I used a pass through crimping tool that cuts the wires off at the ends:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D3DXLH6

This was 100x easier for my old self vs the other options. I am sure there is probably some reason why some would need staggered vs straight but I wouldn't know - straight rj45 were just easier. Probably something to do with thickness of the wires but I was using cat6 23AWG and straight rj45 worked fine.
 
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