How to Make an RJ45 4-Way Modular Splitter
You can split an RJ45 connection four ways because the category 5 wire connected to the plug has four sets of wires. Technically RJ45 plugs and jacks are used for phone connections, but the same style of connection is used in data applications like Ethernet cabling. However, Ethernet connections require at least two sets of wires, so a network connection could not be successfully split four ways, only a phone connection. Other data applications that use the RJ45 connection and only one set of wires to transmit data can use the splitter.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Wire cutters
- Wire strippers
- 4 RJ45 jacks
- 1 RJ45 plug
- 1 foot Cat-5 cable
- RJ45 Crimping tool
- Electrical tape
- Screwdriver
Instructions
-
-
1
Use the wire strippers to remove the outer sheath from either end of the Cat-5 cable. Take off about one inch of the sheath so you can see the four pairs of twisted wires inside. The pairs are twisted according to color with one of the wires in each pair being solid and the other white with a colored stripe. The colors are green, orange, blue and brown with the corresponding pairs of white-green, white-orange, white-blue and white-brown.
-
2
Strip the last half-inch of insulation from all of the wires. This will expose the bare metal conductor and allow you to make a connection to the jacks and plug.
-
-
3
Untwist the pairs of wires on one end so you can insert them into the terminals for the plug.
-
4
Insert the bare metal of blue wire to pin four and the blue-white wire to pin five. Insert orange to pin six and orange-white to pin three. Green goes to pin seven and green-white to pin two. Pin eight takes brown and pin one brown-white.
-
5
Insert the plug into the crimping tool. Keep the wires in place as they are only loosely connected. Squeeze the handles of the crimping tool to lock the plug onto the Cat-5 wire.
-
6
Separate the wires on the other end of the Cat-5 cable. Each color pair will connect to the center pins of an RJ45 jack. For phone connections, the solid wire is the ring, or negative audio, and the white wire is the tip, or positive.
-
7
Connect the blue wire to pin four of one jack and the blue-white wire to pin five of that jack. Depending on the jack-style you have, you may use a pressure connection or a screw-terminal connection. Consult the directions for your jack style. Pressure connections just require that you insert the bare wire into the terminal and pressure clips will hold it in place. Screw terminals require that you tighten a set screw to hold the wire steady.
-
8
Repeat the process for each jack. Jack two will have orange connected to terminal four and orange-white on terminal five. Jack three will have green connected to terminal four and green-white on terminal five. Jack four will have brown on terminal four and brown-white on terminal five.
-
9
Cover the jack connections with electrical tape.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use a wall-plate to mount your jack connections more securely.
References
- Photo Credit Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images
