RJ45 Connectors

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I want to run some new Ethernet lines and will have to terminate each end with RJ45 connectors. I'm running low on connectors and they seem to a bit pricey from places like Home Depot. The ones on Amazon seem to be quite a bit cheaper but some of the reviewers complain about poor quality.

Any advice about which RJ45 brands are good and where to get them?
 
Well thats a question with many possible answers. Amazon is where I get mine.

Some things to consider:

1) shielded or not shielded cable?
2) what kind of cable? CAT6?
3) OD of cable
4) gauge of wire
5) what kind of a connector is your crimper expecting. Some crimpers push in a strain relief so if that is the type of crimper you have you need connectors with a strain relief that can be pushed in.

I am doing mostly outdoor crimps of shielded wire 18' up on a telephone. I am using passthrough connectors. Expensive crimper and connectors.
 
I never had an issue with Ideal brand RJ45s. CAT6 cable is kinda finicky to terminate into modular plugs. Are you just using straight terminated ethernet or you have your main runs terminated into patch panels and using patch cords to connect between a jack and computer/box/terminal?
 
I have bought the cheap ends on Amazon and they have been alright, biggest thing is making sure the brass terminals go into the wires properly.

Instead of ends, might you want to instead put wall plates or keystone jack RJ45 to allow you to plug in cables?
 
I'm planning the additional wiring in my garage so I was planning to connect devices directly with male plugs. A wall plate with female jacks would be neater but unnecessary. I have wall plate in the house and connect to them with patch cables.

My ISP left me with lots of surplus cable and I'm not positive that it's CAT6. I have lots of CAT5 cable from when I built the house back in 2000. I thought the CAT6 connectors might be better but didn't realize they might be trickier to do right.
 
Originally Posted by fraso
I'm planning the additional wiring in my garage so I was planning to connect devices directly with male plugs. A wall plate with female jacks would be neater but unnecessary. I have wall plate in the house and connect to them with patch cables.

My ISP left me with lots of surplus cable and I'm not positive that it's CAT6. I have lots of CAT5 cable from when I built the house back in 2000. I thought the CAT6 connectors might be better but didn't realize they might be trickier to do right.


When the 8 wires are inserted you do not want to have "wire float". Being the wire should only be a little smaller than the size of the hole it's sliding in. So get the proper connector for the cable you are using. Indoor and outdoor cable have different thickness of outer insulation and may require different connectors.

Also to meet the full speed that CAT6 allows you need to have only a tiny amount of untwisted cable in the connector and to me that's very difficult without a passthru connector.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by fraso
I'm planning the additional wiring in my garage so I was planning to connect devices directly with male plugs. A wall plate with female jacks would be neater but unnecessary. I have wall plate in the house and connect to them with patch cables.

My ISP left me with lots of surplus cable and I'm not positive that it's CAT6. I have lots of CAT5 cable from when I built the house back in 2000. I thought the CAT6 connectors might be better but didn't realize they might be trickier to do right.


When the 8 wires are inserted you do not want to have "wire float". Being the wire should only be a little smaller than the size of the hole it's sliding in. So get the proper connector for the cable you are using. Indoor and outdoor cable have different thickness of outer insulation and may require different connectors.

Also to meet the full speed that CAT6 allows you need to have only a tiny amount of untwisted cable in the connector and to me that's very difficult without a passthru connector.


Agreed
thumbsup2.gif


My CAT6 ends/crimper are of the passthrough variety as well.
 
For desktop devices you really should use wall plates and patch cables, even in a garage. Something like a ceiling AP could be connected directly with a plug on the end of the house wire.

Look at the cable you have to see what type it is. It is always labeled with printing on the cable jacket. It's unlikely you have cat6 but if you do you need the cat6 plugs because cat5 type simply won't physically fit on-- the conductors are larger.
 
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You should not try to terminate the cables. You should install RJ45 jacks instead, which are a lot more reliable. I like the keystone type which are most versatile; you install them in a case or patch panel. Use patch cables to go from the jacks to your device. Reliable cabling is a real PITA, and installing a jack and/or patch panel makes for a cleaner and more reliable installation.
 
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I checked the cable I was planning to use and it appears to be CAT5e outdoor and I have a spool of Lucent CAT5 indoor. I also found that I have some RJ45 jacks and might consider using them. Then again, I might also just practice crimping some connectors.

My ISP uses the T568 wire assignment and I think my Leviton RJ45 jacks also use T568B. Is there any difference in performance between T568A and T568B as along as each end is terminated the same? That is, why would you use one over the other?
 
Originally Posted by fraso
I checked the cable I was planning to use and it appears to be CAT5e outdoor and I have a spool of Lucent CAT5 indoor. I also found that I have some RJ45 jacks and might consider using them. Then again, I might also just practice crimping some connectors.

My ISP uses the T568 wire assignment and I think my Leviton RJ45 jacks also use T568B. Is there any difference in performance between T568A and T568B as along as each end is terminated the same? That is, why would you use one over the other?


No, there is zero difference in performance. Most of us use the "B" version in my experience.
 
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