How do I Make Perfect Patch Cables?

Patch cables have RJ45 connectors on each end, and are typically used to connect workstations, servers, and networking equipment to RJ45 network ports on a wall jack, patch panel or directly to a network switch, hub or router. When building patch cables, it is extremely important to ensure that all eight pins on each RJ45 connector clamp down firmly onto the wire in each pin slot. It is equally important to ensure that the wires remain twisted up into the connector to avoid cross-talk data interference. Build perfect CAT6 patch cables by using RJ45 connectors designed for CAT6 and ensuring good pin contact inside the connector with wires twisted up to the wire slot inside each connector.

• 1

  Use a wire-stripping tool to cut off 1 inch of the protective plastic sheath from both ends of a 6-foot CAT6 cable using a wire-stripping tool. Ensure that the wires inside the cable are not cut or nicked. Unwind each twisted pair of wires inside the cable exactly one-half inch.

• 2

  Place the wires on one end of the CAT6 cable into an RJ45 connector, placing each wire in the appropriate slot from left to right, with the connector tab facing down and pins pointed away from you, according to the pinout below:

  Pin 1 White/Green wire

  Pin 2 Green wire

  Pin 3 White/Orange wire

  Pin 4 Blue wire

  Pin 5 White/Blue wire

  Pin 6 Orange wire

  Pin 7 White/Brown wire

  Pin 8 Brown wire

• 3

  Press the wires firmly into the RJ45 connector and hold them in place when the wires contact the inside end of the connector. Place the connector into the Rachet-style RJ45 crimping tool, and then confirm that the CAT6 sheath is inside the connector and pressed up against the wire slots inside the connector. Close the handle of the crimping tool firmly to push the RJ45 pins into the wires. Confirm that the RJ45 pins have been pressed through each wire and that the sheath and wire windings press up against the wire slots inside the connectors.

• 4

  Follow the above procedure to connect the second RJ45 connector to the other side of the patch cable in order to finish the CAT6 patch cable assembly.