RJ45

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sparkypenguin

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Hi all,

Hoping for a little bit help.
I am installing a wired home network in my house and I have used some cat5e and some cat6 cable I got for free.
Some of it is shielded and some not purely because that it was I had.
I am a the point where I am about to start fitting the RJ45 connectors and need some advice.

As the system is a mismash of shielded and unshielded can I just use unshielded connectors?
Are all connectors compatible with both cat5E and cat6 and any other cat?
Are pass through connectors easier to fit than standard and any reasons not to use them?
Should I be using strain relief boots or are they a waste of money?

Any help much appreciated.

Kind regards,
Mark.
 
you can use normal connectors just can’t benefit from the screen cable.

relief boots I would use, not expensive by any means, also can be used to I’d cables if using different coloured ones for each cable.
 
pass through connectors do make it easier to wire the plugs as it is easy to confirm that the cables are in the right sequence and the normal connectors can be a right pita to get the conductors in correctly
 
cable intended for fixed installations tends to not have plugs fitted as it usually gets terminated to a patch panel or the back of a wall socket, then a patch cable from socket to computer/tv/x box etc. and at the panel end patch cables from a router or network switch
 
Thanks for all of your answers (y)


secureiam said:
you can use normal connectors just can’t benefit from the screen cable.

relief boots I would use, not expensive by any means, also can be used to I’d cables if using different coloured ones for each cable.
Click to expand...

I've now discovered that all of my cable is actually shielded.
Some of it has one overall shield covering all 8 wires whilst some has individual twisted pair shielding.
So is it worth going down the shielded route for all components?
I think it may be as some of my cabling does run parallel to mains cabling as this was done before I found out that it was not ideal.


Sureitsoff? said:
pass through connectors do make it easier to wire the plugs as it is easy to confirm that the cables are in the right sequence and the normal connectors can be a right pita to get the conductors in correctly
Click to expand...

Are these easier to use than the ones that have a part that you put the cables into first then insert that part into the plug?
Also some of my cable is sold core whist some is multicore?
And are all brands of plugs pretty much equal? For example I can get 100 off ebay for around £10.00 or should I go for more expensive ones?


Diver Fred said:
Buy yourself a 2-part tester kit. Search LAN cable tester kit. Some even come with tools. Best 12 quid worth you'll spend.
Click to expand...

I've got that on my list of things to buy.
CPC have it for only £3.54.
I was also going to buy a good (CPC £23.11) rather than cheap crimper (ebay £12).
Is there much difference in performance?
 
sparkypenguin said:
I've now discovered that all of my cable is actually shielded.
Some of it has one overall shield covering all 8 wires whilst some has individual twisted pair shielding.
So is it worth going down the shielded route for all components?
I think it may be as some of my cabling does run parallel to mains cabling as this was done before I found out that it was not ideal.
Click to expand...
You're unlikely to see any issues with mains interference even with unshielded, individually shielded and cat6 in general is more of a faff to terminate so you're starting on hard a little bit.

sparkypenguin said:
Are these easier to use than the ones that have a part that you put the cables into first then insert that part into the plug?
Also some of my cable is sold core whist some is multicore?
And are all brands of plugs pretty much equal? For example I can get 100 off ebay for around £10.00 or should I go for more expensive ones?
Click to expand...
RJ45 plugs are slightly different for multicore/solidcore cable. Solid core would normally be terminated into a panel or socket module and multicore is for patchleads.

Not sure what you mean by part that you put the cables into first, are you talking about socket modules rather than rj45 plugs? The multi part one can be a real faff and our installer doesn't like 'em. Passthrough rj45 plugs are quite new fangled but it's very easy to have a conductor not pushed all the way home on "normal" plugs if you're not used to doing it.
sparkypenguin said:
I've got that on my list of things to buy.
CPC have it for only £3.54.
I was also going to buy a good (CPC £23.11) rather than cheap crimper (ebay £12).
Is there much difference in performance?
Click to expand...
The nicer ones tend to have a ratchet so you can get a decent squeeze on the plug, the cheap ones sometimes rely on brute force. Make sure the contacts look like they've been pressed all the way down and test it.
 
sparkypenguin said:
was also going to buy a good (CPC £23.11) rather than cheap crimper (ebay £12).
Click to expand...
If doing one or two go cheap. Does not matter as much if you have to re-do them or close it in a slightly hard way.
But as you have lots, get the better one. It will reduce the frustration and the number of badly terminated ones that you have to find later.
Sfk
 
Thanks all for your help. (y)

I have purchased a ratchet crimper, 100 shielded cat6 pass through plugs and 100 boots of mixed colours.
All have arrived and seem to appear decent quality.
Next step is to try and see if I can knock up a patch lead before I start to mess about with the network leads themselves.
 
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Hi all again,

More help required please...
So I have the male ended sorted but can anyone tell me what RJ45 female connector I need if I want make one end of a cable female?
And will I need any special tools?

Regards,
Mark.
 
RandomGrinch said:
A Cat6 coupler?
www.kenable.co.uk

CAT6 RJ45 Coupler GIGABIT Joiner Socket to Socket Adapter

Coupler to connect two network patch cables with RJ45 ends together. Straight so two straight cables will still be straight. Supports Cat6 Gigabit Standard... [see below for full description]
www.kenable.co.uk www.kenable.co.uk
Click to expand...
Thanks and I suppose I could use a coupler but ideally I want to be able to make a lead where one end is a male and the other a female.
So basically female rj45 plugs.
 
sparkypenguin said:
So basically female rj45 plugs.
Click to expand...
There are very few available, as they are such a niche product.

For everyday use, and for most consumers, you have male leads and mounted sockets or couplers.
And dimension wise, a coupler would be a similar size to a female socket.
A coupler is also cheaper.

There just isn't much call for these sort of connectors! :)

However, here's one of the rare examples:
 
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