How to Crimp an Ethernet Cord
Purchasing finished Ethernet cords at a hardware or office supply store can be an easy solution if you only have a small number of computers or printers to network together. If you need to connect many different devices, it can be much less expensive to buy Ethernet cable in bulk and then cut and crimp the exact size of the cables that you need on your own. Crimping Ethernet cords is a quick process, although it does require a specialized tool to do properly.
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Instructions
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Measure the total length of Ethernet cable you will need between all of the devices you want to network together, such as computers, printers and routers. Purchase a bulk amount of Ethernet cable that is at least 1 full foot longer than the amount you need, to compensate for problems while running the cable or mistakes when cutting it.
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Unroll the cable and lay it out flat on a solid work surface. Measure the first amount of cable you need to cut, and then give yourself at least 2 extra inches. Run the cable through the cutting hole on the crimping tool and cut the cable.
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Place about 1 inch of one of the ends of the cable into the cutting tool and push down slightly to cut into the cable's outer sheath. Pull the tool away from you to remove the sheath from the cable. Unwind all of the different colored strands of the cable.
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Arrange the strands into the configuration you need for the type of network you plan to set up. Arrange the strands in order from left to right as white-green, green, white-orange, blue, white-blue, orange, white-brown and then finally brown if you will be connecting a device to a router or switch.
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Configure the strands in order from left to right as white-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown and then brown if you need a crossover cable that directly connects two computers.
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Align the strands so that they are directly next to each other, and then snip off their ends so that they are level with each other. Place the strands into the RJ-45 jack.
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Place the RJ-45 jack into the crimping hole on the crimping tool. Push down on both of the handles to crimp the RJ-45 jack onto the Ethernet cable.
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Repeat the cutting, arranging and crimping process on the other end of the cable.
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Tips & Warnings
Check to make sure that none of the strands are bent or fit into the sockets incorrectly when you place the cable strands into the RJ-45 jack. If the strands don't fit into the jack correctly, the cable won't work properly.
