[ale] max length ethernet cable & attaching end connectors

[Dave Brooks]

> Greetings !
> 
> What is the maximum length of a cat5 ethernet cable from switch to
> computer ?
> 

300ft. between each repeating node (switch, hub, NIC).  That's assuming
there's no external EMS.


> What technique is successful in attaching the RJ45 connectors to the
> cable ends ?
> I  unsuccessfully tried a couple of times using a crimping tool from
> Home Depot. I'm using their cat5e cable [eight wires I believe].
> 

Ahh, yes, a fine art indeed.  There's practice needed here... I'll explain my
technique to you and you can try and modify as needed.

Usually, start by stripping off the plastic coating with the "fur" inside
the cable.
Pull down on it a good 3 or 4 inches to give you some room to play with.  If
there is no fur inside the cable, you'll have to do some tricky work with some
snips to cut off the plastic.  Make sure you don't knick the wires inside. 
Cut off
the 3-4 inches of dangling coating (again, careful not to knick!)

You should know have 3-4 inches of 8 twisted wires, twisted into 4 strands.
Begin untwisting these strands into the individual wires.  Once completely 
untwisted, you'll have to take careful note of their order.  Straighten them out
with your fingers as much as possible.  Align them from left to right in the
following
order (for standard straight-through ethernet cable):

White/Blue
Blue
White/Green
Orange
White/Orange
Green
White/Brown
Brown

It's kind of tricky, but make sure that once you have them lined up, mash
the part
of the cable that still has the coating arund it so that they stay that way
for the most part.

Now, here comes the heart-breaking part.  Take your snips and cut the wires
you just
aligned, leaving about 1-1.5cm hanging out of the plastic coating.  MAKE
SURE THE
WIRES DO NOT LEAVE THEIR ORIGINAL ORDER WHEN CUTTING.  Keep a Kung-Fu
grip on the plastic coating while cutting with your thumb, usually that does
the trick. 

Next, take an RJ-45 connector, and carefully slide it over the (now
shortened) wires,
taking extra precaution to make sure that the wires to not cross over one
another once
they've been inserted into the connector.  Also, If you're looking at the
above color-order
from left to right, you will be looking at the BACK of the RJ-45 connector
(i.e., the side
without the pins).  Slide the wires VERY firmly up in to the connector, and
then keep
pressing them in there.  And then do it again.  Make sure that when you look
at the front
of the RJ-45 connector, you see 8 little copper wires flush up against the
plastic.

You can now release your thumb from it's death-grip on the plastic.  Take
your RJ-45
crimps and put the connector in, and mash on it like its going out of style
to ensure a good
connection.  Repeat as necessary.

If you follow these steps, you too will be on your way to becoming an
RJ-45-crimping
master.

Enjoy!
Dave


-- 
david a. brooks
db at amorphous.org
voice: .. 678/427-8216
:wq!

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