How to Make an RJ‐45 Cable

Last Updated: February 20, 2023

The RJ-45 connector is most commonly known for its use in ethernet networking. It’s similar to a telephone jack, but it is wider. Most connectors are described through their prongs that attach to port; this is what differentiates the cables from one another. In RJ-45, the “RJ” stands for “registered jack”, while the “45” stands for the “number of interface standard”.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Stripping the Protective Casing

1
Adjust the dial of the wire stripper. Twist the dial until it can cut into your cable without damaging the wires inside.
- Make sure that it is the right dial to match the size of your cable.
2
Insert the wire into the notch. Stick the wire into the notch of the wire stripper and gently squeeze the stripper, so it can cut through the rubber cushioning/insulation.
- Check to see if the length of the cable is not too short or too long as your inserting it into the notch.
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3
Cut through the insulation. Spin the wire stripper around the wire once it cuts the rubber insulation to make sure that the insulation is cut all the way through.
- Double check to make sure that the inner wires are not damaged, to prevent issues from occurring as you continue!

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Exposing and Organizing the Wires

1
Pull off the cut insulation so that the inner wires are exposed.
2
Untwist the wires. Make it so the colored wires are separated from each other.
3
Organize the wires.
- The wires should be organized using the straight through method.
- Both T-568A and T-569B will work, so pick one of the patterns and apply it to both sides of the cable.
4
Check the length. Line up the wiring with connectors to see if the length is good.
5
Cut the excess if the length is longer than needed.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Connecting Everything Together

1
Insert the wires in the connector. Slide the wires inside the connector so that it is all the way though.
2
Crimp the connector. Use the crimping tool by squeezing the connector relatively hard to secure the wires inside the connector.
3
Double check that all the wires are in the correct order
4
Use the crimper on cables. Be careful because after this point you can not redo anything
5
Test the cables. Test the cables by inserting it into a cable tester or the back end of a router.
6
Plug in the cables for use!

Warnings

If it is plugged into the correct port and is still not working, you must restart the process of making your cable with a new connector.

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Things You'll Need

Crimper (Note: some crimpers come with a wire cutter)
RJ-45 connector
Ethernet Strippers
Cable tester (optional)
Cabling: Choose from Cat5, Cat5e (most common), Cat6, Cat6a, Cat7 (When deciding on what cable you are looking for, you should keep two things in mind: speed and cost.)