The Internet has very quickly and extremely firmly entered into life. modern man. It is now difficult to even imagine housing that is not equipped with a connection line worldwide network, wired or optical. However, as a rule, the provider’s area of ​​responsibility ends with the modem or router. That is, if the owners’ plans are not limited to installing one computer, but involve creating an entire home local network, including connecting IP television, then you will either have to deal with these issues yourself, or invite specialists for a separate fee.

When improving home network Almost never goes without laying LAN cables. Purchasing a twisted-pair cable itself is not a problem - it comes in a wide variety, and its price is quite affordable. But turning it into a patch cord or a full-fledged line means mounting (more often they say, crimping) special contact tips and connectors at the ends. This is, in principle, the whole difficulty. But the complexity is not so great that it is mandatory to give money to the invited master for this. That is, this operation can be carried out on your own. And even using the simplest tools.

So, let's learn how to crimp an Internet cable yourself. Sooner or later such a skill will be in demand.

There are many cases when it is necessary to resort to the use of such a compound. And with the increasing saturation of family life, modern technology is becoming more and more common.

• The number of computers in the house has increased. A Wi-Fi connection is certainly convenient, but it has its vulnerabilities and disadvantages. It is more reliable and better to carry out switching using a LAN cable.
• All more people switches to IP-TV (SMART-TV). And again, to ensure a guaranteed stable signal supply, you can’t think of anything better than twisted pair.
• Network connections are sometimes required by other modern Appliances, equipped with remote control functions.
• Even in one room there may be several devices that require such a connection. This means that a router or switch is installed, to which connecting patch cords are connected in the required quantity.
• Even a high-quality LAN cable can fail due to accidental damage or simple wear of the connector contact group. Another common reason is a broken lock on the connector body. It’s a small thing, but because of it the connector is poorly held in the router socket, network card and so on. This means it is better to replace it with a new one.

There may be other situations - you can’t foresee everything. In any case, the ability to squeeze network cable will definitely come in handy.

And in order to do everything correctly, with an understanding of the issue, you must first understand at least a little about the structure of the LAN cable.

First of all, about the cable itself. It is called twisted pair for a reason. Under the outer insulating sheath there are actually several pairs of spirally twisted wires with color coding. The number of pairs may vary. In the cases discussed in the article, a cable with four pairs is most often used. Often you can get by with two.

Such cables are divided into several standards according to level external protection from interference.

• The UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) standard is the most inexpensive, since it does not provide any shielding. Just pairs of wires covered with an outer insulating and protective sheath. An example is shown in the figure above.

In terms of their transmission characteristics, such cables are no worse than others. But if they fall into an area of ​​electromagnetic interference, the quality of signal transmission decreases sharply. That is, even closely located 220 volt wiring can cause problems.

• FTP (Foiled Twisted Pair) standard. Under the shell there is a continuous foil screen, which becomes reliable protection from possible leads. The price is, of course, higher, but often you can’t do without it.

Such LAN cables can already be laid in close proximity to power cables, for example, in the cable channel of baseboards or in a common stub. Such proximity will not affect the quality of signal transmission.

• Finally, the STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) standard. Everything is “serious” here. That is, in addition to the external common screen, each twisted pair It is also wrapped in an individual foil braid.

Such cables are most often used in large data centers, communication centers, industrial equipment, etc. Using them for the conditions of a house or apartment is a completely unnecessary precaution and an unnecessary waste of money.

Cat 5– operate with frequencies up to 100 MHz, allowing data transfer rates of up to 100 megabits per second.

Cat 5e– frequencies up to 125 MHz, speed up to 1 gigabit.

More high categories(6, 6a, 7 and 7a) are distinguished by even higher speeds. But for a home network, where not all providers provide 100 megabits yet, the fifth category is quite sufficient. Of course, if you think about the future, it’s still better cat 5e.

Thus, the best option for stationary installation it seems FTP Withat 5e(so as not to worry about the tip). For patch cords that will not be adjacent to power cables, you can also use UTP withat 5e.

The basic data of a cable can always be found out by reading its markings, applied at regular intervals on the outer insulating sheath.

Cables may have other differences. For example, some have a steel string placed inside them - it enhances self-supporting capabilities, which can be important for outdoor areas and, even more so, for air laying. But this does not particularly affect the crimping technology.

How the connector works

It is clear that the cable itself does not solve the problem of connecting devices. A switching element, called a connector or Ethernet plug, must be correctly installed at its end. A common designation (somewhat incorrect, but well-established and therefore widely used) is RJ-45, or the more correct 8P8C (8 Position & 8 Contact). All this, in fact, is the same detail, and further on in the course of the presentation the term “connector” will simply be used.

Most connectors used in domestic conditions have a similar design.

As a rule, the connector has a plastic transparent body (item 1), which allows you to visually control the installation process. On the side opposite the contact group there is a latch (pos. 2) - for securely fixing the connector in the socket (port) network card, router, etc. As already mentioned, it is the failure of this latch that often becomes the motivating reason for repairs.

On the rear side there is an opening for the factory-prepared cable (item 3). Higher up on the body there is a slightly protruding fixing bar (item 4) in a rectangular window. During the crimping process, it will move down and tightly clamp the outer insulation of the installed cable. This ensures a reliable connection - it is almost impossible to pull the connector out of the cable after such fixation.

The internal cavity in the front part of the connector diverges into eight narrow cylindrical channels (item 5) - exactly the diameter of the twisted pair wires. That is, no matter how much you want to cram two wires under one contact, it won’t work. These channels continue all the way to the front end wall of the connector. And exactly coaxially with them, eight bronze or brass contacts were located on top (item 6). Each of them is placed in its own guide groove, that is, they are isolated from each other. Initial position They are raised upward, that is, they do not yet interfere with the installation of cable wires through the channels until they stop at the front wall. Each of these contacts has two or three sharp knife protrusions at the bottom (item 7).

When crimping the connector, these contacts will move down, and the knife protrusions will pierce the insulation of the wires. This provides the necessary electrical contact with a conductor. The metal contacts themselves are recessed flush with the plastic surface of the tip and, in fact, turn into contact pads, which is required for switching in the port (socket) of connected devices.

The yellow wide arrow shows the direction of contact numbering, from 1 to 8.

All connection mechanics are very simple and clear.

There are also slightly different connector models that include an additional insert. Such a detail, according to the plan, should facilitate the correct insertion of conductors on required positions under the blade contacts.

I can’t judge for everyone how much this makes the work easier. Personally, I find it more convenient to work with standard connectors, without any additional operations.

When purchasing connectors, you can immediately purchase insulating caps. This element is not considered mandatory, but the difference in price is a pittance. And the cap protects the LAN cable well from dangerous bending in this quite vulnerable spot, the latch - from accidental breakage, and the connector itself and the connected port - from dust. And the cable or patch cord looks much neater. In addition, the use of caps different color can simplify (make more visual) switching in complex network branch nodes.

What crimping schemes can be used

There are two main schemes for crimping an Internet cable. Their use depends on which devices communicate with each other.

Direct connection (Straight)

The most commonly used option in LAN networks(Local Area Network) or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line). Allows you to switch different devices and devices in different combinations.

For example:

• PC – Router (computer – router);
• PC – Switch (computer – switch);
• Router – Switch (router – switch);
• Router – SMART TV (router – TV)

and other similar options.

A characteristic feature of this type of connection is the completely identical arrangement of wires in the contacts of both connectors.

The following color scheme for the arrangement of conductors has been adopted:

One thing worth doing important note. By and large, at data transfer rates of up to 100 megabits per second, only four conductors are used - 1, 2, 3 and 6. The rest are not used. So often to reduce the cost total cost A local network uses a cable with only two twisted pairs. The connector, of course, remains the same, but only four conductors are inserted into it.

Knowing this nuance sometimes allows you to get by with “little loss” when it is necessary to repair a line. For example, a cable failed, and its test ring showed that there was a break in the orange-white-orange pair. It's OK. It is quite possible to change it, for example, to an unused pair “brown - white-brown”. But, of course, it’s the same on both ends of the cable. And the line's functionality will be restored.

Cross-Over

Such a connection sometimes has to be used to connect devices of the same type. For example, a computer with a computer, a router with a router, etc.

The difference is this. One end of the cable uses the same color "pinout" scheme as shown above. But on the opposite side, changes are being made. In principle, they only consist in the fact that the pairs “orange - white-orange” and “green - white-green” are swapped.

The remaining wires do not change their positions.

This somewhat complicated scheme, by the way, is gradually falling out of use. The fact is that more and more modern digital devices equipped with Auto MDI-X interface. The point is that the system itself automatically determines the type of connection and switches to optimal mode switching That is, all that remains is to crimp the Internet cables in a straight line, and not fool yourself. But it’s still often necessary...

So, we can say that the theory is finished. We can proceed to review practical guide– how to crimp an Internet cable.

Internet cable crimping

Correct crimping of the Internet cable is done using a special tool. It is called a press tongs, a crimper, or, in common parlance, a crimper. If crimping work needs to be carried out urgently, there is no crimper and there is no opportunity to rent one from friends or rent from a store - you can get by with a simpler tool - a screwdriver. Let's consider both options.

How to do it correctly - using press pliers (crimper)

What you need for work

So, special pliers are needed for the job. It is clear that not everyone has them. But nowadays it is not seen special problems get them for rent - many stores offer similar services. And if, for example, in big apartment or a private home has a fairly extensive local network, it wouldn’t hurt to have such a tool in your “arsenal.”

How does the crimper work and what is its operating principle?

The illustration below shows perhaps its simplest model:

As befits any pliers, there are two lever handles (item 1) through which force is transmitted.

Actually, the pressing of the connector contacts itself is carried out in a special socket (item 2). Its configuration is such that the connector, when inserted all the way, fits “like a glove”, and it is almost impossible to make a mistake with its position. Most crimpers have two or even three sockets for different connectors. For example, you can crimp a cable for wired telephone line(item 3).

The main working “organ” is a special metal comb (item 4). Its protrusions, after placing the connector in the socket, will be located exactly above the blade contacts. That is, when the handles are compressed, the protrusions of the comb will each press on its own contact, pushing them down until the insulation of the conductors is pierced.

Most press pliers are also equipped with special knives (item 5), which allow you to bite off the cable, remove the top insulating braid, evenly trim the edges of wires prepared for insertion into the connector, etc. The illustration shows the simplest “cutting section”, but it can also be more functional, including several different blades of different configurations and purposes.

As mentioned, the crimper shown is far from perfect. Professionals prefer to work with a tool in which the crimp sockets are placed at the top, perpendicular to the axis of the pliers. An example is shown in the illustration below.

The fact is that with this arrangement, the pressing force of the comb is strictly progressive, upward. This makes crimping more reliable, the contacts settle uniformly, and the comb itself wears out less. So if you plan to purchase a crimper, keep this in mind. But, in general, the choice of such a tool is a topic for a separate discussion, since it also has its own nuances.

However, the sequence of work does not change depending on the features of the tool.

In addition to crimping, for work you will need the cable itself of the required length, at least two connectors. It is advisable to have a couple more in stock - at first, due to inexperience, it is quite possible to make a mistake. And reusing a crimped connector is impossible.

Need to prepare workplace with good lighting - some operations require a certain amount of eye strain.

If a faulty Internet cable is repaired, the connector with a small section of the cable is bitten off. At the same time, there is no need to rush to immediately throw it in the trash bin - it will become a good “visual aid” for the location of wires. So you definitely can’t go wrong with the connection option.

Well, the work itself is not so difficult:

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	For example, a short patch cord will be produced. A section of UTP cat 5e LAN cable is being prepared for it. Again, for example, slightly different connectors will be crimped on both sides of the cable. One is normal, and the second has a guide insert. For crimping, it is supposed to use a crimper equipped with all the knives necessary for cutting and removing the outer insulation. That is, no other tools are required.
	If the end of the cable is “frayed”, then it would be better to trim it carefully. For this purpose, the crimper has a special knife that perfectly replaces wire cutters. The same knife can be used to cut off the connector that has come out and is inoperative if the Internet cable is being repaired and the connector is being replaced.
	The end of the cable is brought under the knife perpendicular to it. A little effort is...
	... and you get a smooth cut edge. At this stage, you can immediately insert the protective cap of the connector onto the cable if you plan to use it.
	Now you need to clean the end of the cable - carefully remove a section of the upper braid from it. There is also a special device on the crimper for this. On one side there is a round groove into which the cable will be inserted, on the opposite side there is a knife blade. In a high-quality, well-adjusted tool, when squeezing the handles, the knife will only cut the top braid layer without affecting the insulation of the twisted pairs themselves.
	The outer braid is removed in an area of ​​approximately 30 mm. It is not recommended to do less - it will be inconvenient to straighten the twisted pair conductors and fold them into a “package” along color scheme. The excess, one way or another, will have to be cut off as work progresses. The cable is inserted into a round groove, the crimping handles are brought together...
	...and then the tool is rotated around the cable axis in a circle. The knife will cut the insulation around the entire circumference...
	...and then it can be easily removed with a neat cylinder.
	Under the braid, in addition to twisted pairs, there is usually also a strong nylon thread. It is either cut off immediately, or some craftsmen prefer to simply take it to the side. This is not important. But if the cable has a metal string or a plastic core in the center, it must all be cut flush with the edge of the braid.
	The next task is to carefully unravel the twisted pairs with your fingers and try to align the wires as much as possible.
	It should look something like what is shown in the photo.
	Now it makes sense to put in front of you a printed color diagram of the location of the wires in the connector (or a cut connector taken as a sample). The formation of a “package” begins in accordance with the diagram - the wires are laid and held with fingers in the required sequence, from the first to the eighth.
	With such a distribution, you should immediately monitor so that the wires do not cross each other again at the exit from the braid. This is not difficult to achieve. This is what happened - the wires are laid out in strict sequence in accordance with the switching diagram. But they are still lying like a fan, and now we need to form the most dense flat “package” out of them.
	The wiring is compacted and further aligned to the maximum.
	The next step is to shorten this “package” - trim the edge. This is done in such a way that when inserted, the wires reach the edge of the connector and rest against its front wall, and at the same time, the cable braid also enters the connector by approximately 8 ÷ 10 mm. Experienced installers cut by eye, but you can also do a “fit-on” by attaching a connector. Typically, for most connectors, it is enough to leave the length of the “package” of wires at 15 mm.
	Trimming is done with a crimping knife. It is very important to position the package in this “guillotine” so that the cut is perpendicular to the cable axis. That is, when inserted into the connector, the cut ends of all wires will be in one line.
	After trimming, the “package” is no longer released from the fingers - it’s time to insert it into the connector.
	The wires are carefully inserted through the entrance opening of the connector. Please note that it is taken so that the contact group is at the top and the protruding latch is at the bottom.
	The internal configuration of the connector is such that after the flat “package” of wires is installed, it is unlikely to come apart or begin to bulge. The cable is carefully pushed forward. No haste or excessive effort is required, otherwise the wire may get stuck and begin to bend - you will have to repeat the operation.
	Start approximately from the middle of the connector separate channels for each wire. Once the wires have entered them correctly, they will not go anywhere.
	The cable is pushed forward until it stops.
	Through the front transparent wall of the connector, the end sections of the wires resting against it are usually very clearly visible. That's it, the connector is on - you can proceed directly to crimping.
	Carefully, so as not to pull out the cable by accidental careless movement, the connector is placed in the crimp socket of the crimper. It's difficult to make a mistake here - the shape of the socket itself will prevent you from placing the connector incorrectly.
	And now all that remains is to apply a smooth, but quite strong compressive force on the crimping handles.
	The teeth of the comb will move the metal contacts down, and they will pierce the insulation with their knife-like protrusions and cut each into its own wire.
	That's it, the connector is crimped.
	Notice how deep the cable braid goes into the connector. And how, after crimping, the fixing bar moved - its protrusion tightly rested against the cable.
	Now, even if a fairly significant pulling force is applied, the connector will still remain motionless and the contacts will not be broken. After this, you can put on the protective cap that was previously inserted onto the cable - and the task is completed.
	At the other end of the cable, a connector with a guide insert will be used as an example. But all the preliminary operations for stripping the braid, straightening the wires and forming a “package” do not have any special features.
	And only after the “package” is assembled is it inserted into the insert holes.
	After all the wires have entered their holes, the insert is pushed as deep as possible towards the cable.
	All that remains is to trim the edge of the “package” to the required length. It’s convenient that you don’t have to worry about its integrity - the wires won’t move anywhere.
	After this, the cable with the insert on is inserted into the connector...
	...push forward all the way. The insert should snap into place and lock there. The wires should be distributed along their channels and rest against the front wall of the connector.
	All that remains is to crimp the connector in the crimper.
	The patch cord is ready and can be used for its intended purpose.

There may be other designs of crimp connectors with inserts. But the sequence of operations is approximately the same, and the assembly principle also does not change much.

As possible in case of emergency - using a screwdriver

But what to do if there is no special crimping tool, but you need to install the connector urgently, as they say, “here and now”? In this case, you can use the “folk” technology using a screwdriver.

Illustration	Brief description of the operations performed
	So, there is no crimper. A flat blade screwdriver is available. It is desirable that the tip be thin, no more than 3-4 mm wide, but at the same time the screwdriver is powerful enough. Since there is no special insulation stripper either, you have to use a regular sharp knife. Some care should be taken to avoid accidentally damaging the insulation of the twisted pairs.
	All operations for unraveling and straightening wires, for assembling the “package” in accordance with the diagram are unchanged. Trimming the wires to the required length before inserting them into the connector can be done with ordinary side cutters. Do not forget about the obligatory smooth cut edge perpendicular to the cable axis.
	The wires are inserted into the connector - everything is as usual.
	You can proceed to crimping. And it is recommended to start with the fixing bar at the connector shank. If you fix it right away, you won’t have to worry that during the work an accidental movement will pull the cable out of the connector, and you’ll have to redo everything.
	The connector rests against a hard surface. Then the tip of the screwdriver is placed on this fixing bar and force is applied. By the way, both this operation and subsequent ones require good support of the connector on a rigid base. This is quite seriously hampered by the spring-loaded plastic latch located below. And sometimes it even breaks under great force. To avoid this and make the work more comfortable, you can come up with some kind of base on which there is a hole or groove (groove), where the latch will hide without experiencing any load. For example, when using this practice, the author of these lines performed crimping with the connector resting on a kitchen board, along the edge of which there was a recess along the perimeter. It turned out very convenient.
	Under the force of a screwdriver, the bar moves down and is fixed in the lower position.
	It is clearly visible that the latch has moved down and rested against the cable braid, denting it somewhat. Now you don’t have to worry about the cable accidentally falling out of the connector.
	You can proceed to crimping the contacts. The connector rests again on a secure base. Then they begin to sequentially push the contacts downwards using a screwdriver. The task is to move the metal contact down all the way so that it pierces the wire insulation with its knives and slightly cuts into it. There is no need to rush - everything should be done extremely carefully. First, you need to make sure that the tip of the screwdriver hits the contact and does not jump between them. Secondly, the force required is quite large, and if the tip of the screwdriver slips, you can easily puncture your finger. Sometimes it is advisable to wear glasses or use a magnifying glass to avoid mistakes.
	Having “drowned” one contact, they move on to the next. We must try to subtly feel that the contact really fell into place and ensured electrical connection with wire.
	This continues until all eight contacts are pushed down.
	Crimping field last contact It is advisable to arm yourself with a magnifying glass and carefully examine the result of the work. It is unacceptable for any of the contacts (even those not involved in data transmission) to protrude upward - they all must be pushed all the way down and placed at the same level. If shortcomings are identified, they should be eliminated immediately, that is, the resulting contact pad should be made even.
	The connector on the opposite side of the patch cord is crimped in a similar way. After this, you can try it out at work.

The method, of course, is more complex to implement. In addition, at first it may well turn out to be a marriage. Therefore, it is better to have several additional connectors in stock so that you can redo them if necessary, taking into account the mistakes made.

Using special self-crimping connectors

Yes, today you can find connectors on sale that require virtually no tools at all to connect to an Internet cable. Except, of course, for those needed to remove the top braid and trim the wires.

For example, this is what a professional-grade connector produced by NICOMAX looks like

The example may not be entirely indicative, since such NICOMAX connectors really belong to professional equipment. And the cost of each of them is estimated at several hundred rubles.

But there is more available solutions, working on the same principle. An example is self-crimping (or, as they are also called, tool-free) connectors produced by the Russian company SUPR LLC.

The connector body consists of two hinge-opening halves (item 1). On the back side of these covers there are special matrix projections (item 2), which will guide the laid wires onto the contacts. In the center there is a switching module (item 3) with special channels-grooves for laying the wires of the crimped cable. Each side of the module is designed to accommodate four wires. To make the task easier for the master, there is also a color “cheat sheet” for the placement of conductors - it’s hard to make a mistake. Finally, each of the flaps has an integrated half of the protective cap (item 4), and when assembled, the area where the cable enters the connector immediately receives excellent protection against fracture.

As you can see, the principle of crimping here is exactly the opposite. The contact blades are located motionless in the slots of the switching module. And the matrices on the covers will insert wires onto these knives to ensure insulation cutting and reliable electrical switching.

The procedure for assembling such a connector is simple.

• The cable is stripped of its braid.
• The twisted pairs are unraveled, the wires are straightened.
• Further, there is no need to create a “package”. The connector covers open (pos. 1a). The wires are not pushed through, but are inserted from above into their grooves in the switching unit, according to the available “cheat sheet”. Moreover, special clamps in each of these sockets will no longer allow the wire to jump back out on its own.
• After laying the wires, all that remains is to close both halves of the case and press them against each other until the latch is activated. The matrices will push the wires onto the fixed contact blades. And that’s it – the connector is ready for use.

Of course - very convenient. True, the price of such a connector, compared to a regular one, is also high - about 75 rubles. But on the other hand, no tools are required, and the likelihood of making a poor-quality connection is negligible. In addition, such a connector can be used repeatedly if necessary.

How to check the quality of an Internet cable crimp?

So, the connectors on the LAN cable are installed. How can you now verify the reliability of the connection being created?

There are several ways.

• The simplest one is connection LAN cable directly to its destination. That is, if after switching the devices everything began to work normally, then you can congratulate the technician on the successful completion of the installation.
• Professionals evaluate the quality of crimping and the condition of laid communication lines using special devices - LAN testers.

These devices usually consist of two blocks, that is, you can check a cable whose opposite connectors are located in different rooms. It’s even easier, of course, to check the patch cord with it.

Both the main unit and the additional remote unit have ports for connecting connectors. After connecting the cable, the power is turned on and the device begins to scan each wire, which is indicated by numbered light indicators. If there is a break in the line, then it is immediately noticeable which of the wires is faulty. Or, in our case, which contact of the connector is crimped poorly.

• A LAN tester is the privilege of professionals, but at home you can try using a regular multimeter. It is set to ringing (with sound indication) or to a minimum resistance, for example, 200 Ohms. And then they check each wire of the same color on two adjacent Internet cable connectors.

Such an audit will not take much time. True, the tester probes must be thin in order to accurately fall on specific connector contacts of the same name. This can be solved either by sharpening them, or by temporarily installing thin wire tips.

If some wire does not ring (among those that are significant for a particular connection), then you will have to redo it.

• How to test an Internet cable with a multimeter if the connectors are located far away from each other (for example, in different rooms). Nothing too complicated either.

If you look at schematic diagram device ports of switching devices, then an induction coil is visible there, connecting the wires of one pair (for example, green - white-green). That is, there must be conductivity between them.

This means that you can insert one connector into the port of any of the devices (it is better to do this with the device turned off), and then check the line conductivity on the second connector. Typically, for home lines (up to 100 megabits), it is enough to test only two pairs. Check the resistance between orange and white-orange, green and white-green.

Of course, there will be resistance (calculated in units of Ohms), and it depends largely on the length of the cable. But what’s important is that it should be approximately the same for both couples. If the difference is large, or the resistance is very large, and even more so if the line does not ring at all, you should look for defects in the work performed and redo it again.

This verification is described in more detail in the video below:

Video: How to check an Internet cable using a tester

Data cable cores are made of very thin metal wires. That is why they are easy to break if handled carelessly or accidentally. In such situations, you will most likely need to crimp it again.

This process is not complicated, but it has its own tricks and nuances. Also, to carry it out you will need special pliers, but their presence is not necessary - you can carry out the process using a regular slotted screwdriver and a stationery knife.

Photo: distribution and termination of twisted pair cable

Before you start crimping the cable, you must prepare everything you need. And also make sure that you have purchased exactly those connectors that are required in a particular case. Connectors come in the most different types, connecting a computer to a network usually requires an RJ-45 type.

Types of cable

There are many various types cables used to create a network between different computers, as well as network equipment.

The most common types of communication cables today are:

Coaxial was the first to be used for building local networks of various kinds.

It’s quite easy to crimp this kind of Internet cable at home; it doesn’t even require a specialized tool - just a regular utility knife and screwdriver. This is where the benefits end.

This wire consists of three main parts:

The data transfer speed using this cable is only 10 Mbit. It is extremely susceptible to various kinds of electromagnetic interference; repairing damage to this type of wire is very complex and problematic. Today it is practically not used anywhere.

Optical Fiber is the most modern method for data transmission today.

It consists of the following components:

Optical fiber is not subject to any type of interference; the data transfer speed with its help is 2 Gbit. The distance between the individual nodes that connects this type wires can reach 100 km. There is only one drawback - the rather high cost.

Twisted Pair (twisted pair) - most often used both for building local networks and for connecting to the Internet.

It consists of the following components:

Can provide relatively high data transfer rates - from 10 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s.

Twisted pair can be:

Twisted pair cables are less susceptible to various types of interference and are easily repaired. Correctly crimping a wire for this type of Internet is quite simple, but a special tool is required - a crimper.

Video: Installation of twisted pair

Installation diagrams

The twisted pair installation diagram is the order of the cores by color. Another name is pinout.

The following types of pinouts are most often used today:

Contacts are numbered from left to right with the copper conductors on top and the connector facing the user.

Each type of wiring diagram has its own purpose. First type scheme STRAIGHT-THROUGH(also marked as T568) is intended for connecting end equipment (personal PC, printer) with any switching equipment (router, hub).

The crossover scheme is used when there is a need to connect two pieces of network equipment - a router, a computer.

Straight-through

A direct wiring diagram called Straight-through can be implemented in two ways - there are two standards:

The first option is generally accepted, but there are situations in which only the second can be implemented.

Color order when using 568 A:

	Color		№	Color
	white-green		1	white-green
	green		2	green
	yellow-white		3	yellow-white
	blue		4
5	white-blue		5	white-blue
6	yellow		6
7	white-brown		7	white-brown
8	brown		8	brown

Color order when using 568 B:

	Color		№	Color
	white-yellow		1	white-yellow
	yellow		2	yellow
	white-green		3	white-green
	blue		4	blue
	white-blue		5	white-blue
6	green		6
7	white-brown		7	white-brown
8	brown		8	brown

Cross-Over

The Cross-Over scheme is more complex in terms of color marking - their order is somewhat confusing.

There are also two standards, they differ depending on bandwidth networks:

The standard for a 100 Mbit network has the following color order:

Number	Color		Number	Color
	white-yellow		1	white-green
	yellow		2	green
	white-green		3	white-yellow
	blue		4	blue
5	white-blue		5	white-blue
6	green		6
7	white-brown		7	white-brown
8	brown		8	brown

The second type standard - for a network with a transmission speed of 1 Gbit/s - requires wire pinout as follows:

№1		№2
Number	Color		Number	Color
1	white-yellow		1	white-green
2	yellow		2	green
3	white-green		3	white-yellow
4	blue		4	white-brown
5	white-blue		5	brown
6	green		6	yellow
7	white-brown		7	blue
8	brown		8	white-blue

Today almost everything network devices are able to recognize the connection method independently (have a function called Auto-MDIX). But there is quite a large number of equipment still in use that cannot do this.

How to crimp an internet cable with your own hands

Pinouting the communication wire with your own hands is quite simple. To do this, you will only need a few items; you can find and purchase them at your nearest computer store. You also need to know the parameters of your network equipment that needs to be connected. Because the crimp type (straight or cross) is selected depending on whether Auto-MDIX is supported.

Tools and accessories

To manually crimp a twisted pair of eight cores, you must have the following tools:

Also, in addition to the tool itself, it is advisable to stock up on several connectors, in case the first attempt is unsuccessful.

Work order

The process itself is not complicated, it is only important to follow the procedure:

When all of the above operations are completed, it is necessary to perform crimping. This can be done either using special pliers or using a regular slotted screwdriver.

Cable check

Checking a crimped twisted pair is quite simple using a multimeter set to continuity mode. It is necessary to connect the wires by color using contact probes - they should all ring well. If sound signal inaudible, you should press the connector contacts - they are not tightly pressed to the copper conductors.

You can also check the connection using a special device. It checks the strength of the transmitted signal - accordingly, this device will make it easy to detect poor-quality pinouts.

When working with twisted pair cable, you must follow some rules; they will make it possible to avoid communication problems in the future:

Crimping twisted pair cables using pliers or even a slotted screwdriver is not a difficult process. It is only important to follow the technology and do everything as carefully as possible. Since a high-quality crimped twisted pair is a guarantee high speed data transmission. Therefore, before calling a specialist and paying him money, you should try to perform this simple operation yourself.

Today, multi-core twisted pair cable is the most popular and reliable way to transmit information over the Internet or LAN.

Task: Wires are needed to connect computers into a network. The network cord (ethernet cable) is freely sold and is called a “patch cord”. If you need a longer patch cord or, vice versa, a shorter one, you can make it yourself.

Tools: For production we need:

1. Twisted pair cable, which is also called UTP ( Unshielded Twisted Pair - unprotected twisted pair). The cost is usually about a quarter of a dollar per meter. Also sold in coils of 305 meters. It's naturally cheaper in bays. There is also a protected twisted pair (FTP Foiled Twisted Pair). Usually more expensive due to the braiding that shields the cable. For home use need not. Cables are divided into categories. Category 5 is sufficient for a home. In catalogs and stores this is what they mean: UTP cat5. Sometimes, to save money, providers run a cable with 2 apairs, instead of 4. On such cables the speed will be limited to 100 Mb/sec. How to crimp a twisted pair cable with four wires (two pairs) - read below.

2. Connector(can also be called “jack”, “connector”) RJ-45. 2 per wire + 1 is often damaged :) Take it with a reserve.

3. Crimping tool.("Swage"). Special pliers for crimping connectors. An indispensable tool. Without it, it will not be possible to perform high-quality compression. Look for friends, acquaintances, ask administrators, they definitely have it. With some skill, you can crimp the connector with a knife, but this activity is more likely for extreme sports enthusiasts and you can’t expect quality here.

Let's begin.

1. Using crimping pliers, cut the insulation approximately 3 cm from the end. Pliers usually have a semicircular recess with a knife on top. Place the cable in the recess, clamp the knife on top and wrap the pliers around it. The insulation will be cut off.

2. Check to see if you accidentally cut any wire when cutting away the insulation. If the wire is cut, bitten or torn off, you must start all over again. Feel free to bite off the damaged piece of cable and start over.

3. Sort the wires by color. Unravel them well at the base, arrange them in color order.

3.1. Wires in twisted pair cables must be crimped in a strictly defined order. The most popular scheme is:

B-Or, Or, B-Zel, Sin, B-Sin, Zel, B-Kor, Cor.

You need to crimp equally on both ends. In this case, we will have the so-called straight cable. For a crossover cable, the diagram at different ends is different: on one side it is standard:

B-Or, Or, B-Zel, Sin, B-Sin, Zel, B-Kor, Cor.,

with another: B-Zel, Zel, B-Or, Sin, B-Sin, Or, B-Kor, Cor.

3.2. If the cable has not 8 wires, but 4, then the crimping order will be different.

If you need to crimp the cable on both sides, do it according to this scheme

1: White-orange
2: Orange
3: White-green
4: empty
5: empty
6: Green
7: empty
8: empty

(instead of green it may be blue)

If you need to crimp only one end of the cable, and the second is already crimped, it is better to see how the second is crimped and do the same.

4. Lay out the wires in order, align and bend and unbend them all together until the wires are pressed tightly against each other.

5. Bite off the edge of the wires as smoothly as possible. Leave approximately 1.5 cm.

6. Carefully, so that the folded wires do not unravel, insert them into the connector. After putting the connector on, make sure that the notch at the bottom of the connector catches the insulation. When crimping, the notch is pressed in and secures the connector to the insulation.

7. Turning the connector upside down, make sure that all the wires reach the edge of the connector and are visible there. Metal knives that are pressed into the wire should completely capture it.

8. Squeeze the pliers while pushing the wire towards the connector.

9. After making sure that the colors are not mixed up, tighten the connector completely. After crimping the second end, check the functionality. If you are unsure, feel free to cut and crimp again.

It's no secret that modern technologies are developing rapidly, so in order for us, their consumers, to keep up with progress, we have to understand every little detail. Today, the Internet has become an integral part of society. To be able to set up a “connection with the world” at home, special knowledge is required.

You can clamp the contacts of the RJ-45 connector at home

Surely each of us will sooner or later encounter a problem such as a worn-out LAN cable for an Internet connection, a broken Ethernet connector, or a lack of network cable length. To quickly solve this problem, you will need half an hour of time, knowledge of the algorithm of actions and a minimum set of components.

If you are interested in how to crimp an Internet cable using a special tool - crimping or without it at all, special crimping schemes and the necessary parts for this - you are welcome.

Crimping involves attaching an eight-pin modular connector - an RJ-45 connector - to a twisted pair cable (a network cable consisting of eight cores twisted in pairs). For this operation you will need:

• Internet cable.
• A couple of RJ-45 connectors. You will need one for the job, however, their low price allows you to take one or more in reserve.
• Crimping Aka crimper, aka press pliers - a special tool for significantly speeding up the crimping process.
• Insulating cap. Optional, but will help prevent the wire from kinking and debris from getting into the RJ-45 connector.

Network cable crimping diagrams

Today, there are two twisted pair cable crimping schemes - straight cable and crossover cable.

Typically the straight through cable technique is used to connect:

• Computer and switch.
• Computer and router.
• TV and router.
• Router and switch.

Cable cross-crimping is becoming less and less common today, as modern technology automatically detects the type of network wire and works flawlessly with both straight and crossover cables. The cross type is used to connect mechanisms of the same type:

• Router and router.
• Switch and Switch.
• PC and PC.

The diagram of direct construction of colored conductors at both ends of the cable is as follows:

Crimping the connector using crimping

Having decided on the diagram, we move on to the most important part of the entire procedure - crimping the RJ-45 connector using a special tool - crimping. The peculiarity of working with a crimper is that it significantly saves time and performs the important part yourself.

You should begin work by cutting off the previous connector (if there is one, it will become a model for the location of the cores). Next you need to clean up twisted pair from the insulation, exposing the colored wires so that their length matches the connector and they sit in it all the way. The outer braid can be cleaned with a double crimp knife or a regular pocket knife. The colored strands will be twisted in pairs, so they should be separated, straightened and evenly trimmed to the same length. Having arranged the wiring according to the chosen diagram, we take the RJ-45 connector with the latch towards the bottom. We insert the conductors into it all the way so that a small part of the insulation of the Internet cable also fits into the connector. When the wires are in their guide channels and the edge of the insulation is under the RJ-45 clamp strip, it is time for crimping. We place the connector with the cores into the connector of the tool. There are only a couple of steps left - we squeeze the crimper handles so that the clamp bar (contacts) of the RJ-45 plug cuts through the core insulation.

Make sure that the work is done efficiently so that nothing comes off or falls out. To complete the operation, we will put on an insulating cap. Now everything is ready to use!

Crimping a connector without pressing pliers

If you don't have a crimping tool for an RJ-45 connector, don't despair. A couple of straight hands and a simple screwdriver will do everything to the highest standard. There is no need to hide that work without pressing pliers will take much longer and there is a possibility that we will not be able to crimp the wire correctly the first time, but if we try, we will not lose anything.

The algorithm of actions is similar to that described above: we expose the cable, check the length of the wires and connector, align and trim the cores. Having distributed the colored wires according to the diagram, we place them inside the RJ-45 connector so that part of the twisted pair insulation falls into the connector. This is where, perhaps, the fun begins. Make sure that the order of the cores is not disturbed and that they sit closely along the guide channels. Our next step is to press down the connector clamp bar with a screwdriver. Half the battle is done! All that remains is to press the contacts of the RJ-45 connector into the insulation of the network wire cores. Calculating the force, one after another we push the wires of the clamp bar and “drown” them in the braid of colored wires. If you managed to combine the contacts of the connector and the cores of the Internet cable into a continuous line, then the work was completed successfully. That’s how simple it is, without a specialized tool, and at home, you can crimp a twisted pair cable with high quality.

To be completely happy, it is not enough to try the resulting sample in practice. If you have a tester, you can use it to check the resistance of the LAN cable. Otherwise, even without it, you can check the functionality of the power cord by inserting it directly into the Ethernet cell of your computer or router. If everything was done correctly, the Internet will appear immediately. If not, try pressing the connector contacts to the colored wires again.

As you may have noticed, crimping the power cord yourself is not difficult. I would also like to note that if the actions are performed correctly, the result of working with both press pliers and a screwdriver will be the same. Therefore, the choice of a tool for crimping an Internet network cable at home depends on you.

In that article we looked at the entire crimping process, starting from stripping the wires. In this article we will take a closer look at the most critical stage of twisted pair crimping, namely the crimping circuit. The order in which the conductors should be placed inside the connector raises the most questions and difficulties for inexperienced users. Therefore, it is worth examining this topic again.

As you know, there are four crimping schemes for twisted pair cables. Two crimping schemes for straight cable, and two for crossover. But, do not rush to be afraid of such a variety of circuits; in practice, you will need a maximum of two, and most likely, only one crimping circuit.

Straight cable option No. 1. The most common crimping pattern for straight cable. TIA/EIA-568B standard.

1. White-orange
2. Orange
3. White-green
4. Blue
5. White-blue
6. Green
7. White-brown
8. Brown

Straight cable option No. 2. A less common straight cable crimping pattern. TIA/EIA-568A standard.

When using this twisted pair crimping scheme, the colors go in the following sequence:

• White-green
• Green
• White-orange
• Blue
• White-blue
• Orange
• White-brown
• Brown

It is necessary to note two very important points, which may not be obvious to the untrained eye.

1. Since this is a straight cable, the order of the conductors is the same on both sides of the cable. If on one side the first contact of the connector is connected to the green conductor, then on the other side of the cable the first contact is also connected to the green conductor. No changes required.
2. When placing the conductors, the connector is positioned with the latch facing down.

Crossover cable option #1. For 100 Mbit/s networks.

If you want to get a crossover cable for 100 Mbps networks, then you need to crimp one side of the cable to the TIA/EIA-568B standard and the other to the TIA/EIA-568A standard. Figuratively speaking, a crossover cable for 100 Mbit/s networks is something between the first and second methods of crimping a straight cable.

When using this twisted pair crimping scheme at one end of the cable, the colors go in the following sequence:

1. White-orange
2. Orange
3. White-green
4. Blue
5. White-blue
6. Green
7. White-brown
8. Brown

And at the second end of the cable the following sequence of colors is used:

• White-green
• Green
• White-orange
• Blue
• White-blue
• Orange
• White-brown
• Brown

Crossover cable option No. 2. For 1000 Mbit/s networks.

For 1000 Mbit/s networks, a different scheme is used to crimp the twisted pair into a crossover cable. In this case, a crimp according to the TIA/EIA-568B standard is used on one side of the cable, that is, like this:

1. White-orange
2. Orange
3. White-green
4. Blue
5. White-blue
6. Green
7. White-brown
8. Brown

And on the other side of the cable a new color sequence is used, namely:

• White-green
• Green
• White-orange
• White-brown
• Brown
• Orange
• Blue
• White-blue

Conclusions. At first glance, twisted pair crimping circuits are a dark forest that you will never understand. But, as you can see from this article, everything is much simpler.

There are two standards for straight cable crimping, and a crossover cable crimping pattern is the use of both of these circuits simultaneously at different ends of the cable. For 1000 Mbps networks, the crossover cable crimp scheme is a little more complex, but you will probably never need it. Because even a crossover cable for 100 Mbit/s networks is practically no longer used.

Now everything is modern network hardware can automatically detect the cable crimping pattern and adapt to it. Thus, the crossover cable has lost its relevance in this moment practically not used. Therefore, if you don’t know which twisted pair crimping scheme to choose, then use the first one (TIA/EIA-568B) and don’t hesitate.