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To put an end on an Ethernet cable, fit a compatible 8P8C modular plug (commonly called an RJ45 plug), arrange the eight conductors in T568B or T568A order, insert them fully, crimp the plug, and test the cable. For most short patch cables, use T568B at both ends. T568A is equally valid when used consistently.
If the cable is solid bulk cable being installed in a wall, terminate it at keystone jacks or a patch panel instead of attaching male plugs directly. Use factory-made stranded patch cords from those outlets to your equipment.
What you need
- Bulk Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6A Ethernet cable
- Two plugs rated for the cable category, conductor type, gauge, insulation diameter, and jacket diameter
- An 8P8C/RJ45 crimp tool
- Jacket stripper and flush cutter (unless integrated into the tool)
- Cable tester with a main and remote unit
- Optional strain-relief boots
- Optional pass-through plugs and a crimper specifically compatible with them
A ratcheting tool gives a more controlled, complete crimp than a very cheap one-purpose tool. Tool and plug compatibility matters: a pass-through tool may not trim or terminate every pass-through connector family. Check the connector specifications before buying; examples of category and diameter requirements are listed by trueCABLE for Cat6/Cat6A and trueCABLE for Cat5e.
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Match the cable
- Category: Use a plug specified for Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6A as applicable. A plug that physically fits may not preserve the cable’s performance.
- Conductor: Select solid- or stranded-conductor compatibility. Solid horizontal cable is usually for jacks and patch panels; stranded cable is more flexible for patch cords.
- Size: Confirm conductor gauge, insulation diameter, and overall jacket diameter.
- Shielding: U/UTP cable needs an unshielded plug. F/UTP, S/FTP, and other shielded systems need compatible shielded connectors and a proper bonding/grounding plan.
- Shape: Flat cable may need a dedicated flat-cable plug and tool; a standard round-cable plug is not automatically suitable. See the manufacturer guidance for flat Cat5e and flat Cat6.
Standard or pass-through plug?
| Type | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Usually inexpensive; works with conventional crimpers; no wire ends protrude from the front. | Conductors must be cut to the exact insertion length, making order harder to inspect. |
| Pass-through | Conductors extend through the front, so color order is easy to verify before trimming. | Requires a compatible crimper or careful manual trimming; some connector and tool families are incompatible. |
Pass-through does not mean foolproof. The jacket still needs proper strain relief, and the manufacturer’s connector/tool limits still apply. For example, the trueCABLE all-in-one tool lists connector-family exclusions, while Platinum Tools’ EZ-RJ45 system has its own specified tooling.
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Choose T568B or T568A
Read pin numbers from 1 through 8 with the plug’s contacts facing up and the locking tab oriented according to the plug maker’s diagram. Use the same orientation every time; turning the plug over reverses what you see.
| Pin | T568B | T568A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | White/orange | White/green |
| 2 | Orange | Green |
| 3 | White/green | White/orange |
| 4 | Blue | Blue |
| 5 | White/blue | White/blue |
| 6 | Green | Orange |
| 7 | White/brown | White/brown |
| 8 | Brown | Brown |
For T568B, the sequence is white/orange, orange, white/green, blue, white/blue, green, white/brown, brown. For T568A, it is white/green, green, white/orange, blue, white/blue, orange, white/brown, brown. Both schemes provide equivalent connectivity when correctly terminated; T568B is simply common in many residential and commercial patch-cable jobs. Match an existing installation or a local specification when one already exists. Background on their equivalence is summarized by Advantech.
Using T568A at one end and T568B at the other creates a crossover arrangement. Modern interfaces commonly detect crossover automatically, but use it only deliberately or for legacy/special equipment.
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Step-by-step: terminate the first plug
- Cut squarely. Leave enough cable for both plugs and a little service slack.
- Slide on the boot. Put a separate strain-relief boot on the cable now; it cannot be added after the plug is fitted.
- Strip the jacket. Remove about 1 inch (25 mm), or the length specified by the plug maker. Do not strip the insulation from individual conductors. If copper insulation is nicked, cut the cable back and start again.
- Preserve pair twists. Untwist only what is needed to reach the required order. Excessive untwist can increase crosstalk, particularly on Cat6 and Cat6A. Guidance for preparation and shielding is available from VPI’s Cat5e/shielded instructions and its Cat6 instructions.
- Arrange the conductors. Flatten them in the chosen T568A or T568B order, keeping them parallel and untwisted only as far back as necessary.
- Trim evenly. Make one straight cut so all eight conductors have the same length. Uneven ends can leave contacts short or keep the jacket out of the strain-relief area.
- Insert fully. Push all conductors to the plug’s front. Through a transparent plug, verify the color order and that every conductor reaches the end. The outer jacket must extend inside the rear of the plug; the strain relief should grip the jacket, not just the thin conductor insulation.
- Crimp completely. Place the plug in the correct 8P crimp cavity and make the tool’s full stroke. The contacts must pierce the insulation and the rear clamp must secure the jacket. Never substitute pliers.
These preparation, insertion, and crimping principles are also shown in the EZ-RJ45 instructions.
Terminate and test the other end
- Repeat the cutting, stripping, ordering, insertion, and crimping process.
- For a normal straight-through patch cable, use T568B at both ends or T568A at both ends.
- Connect the tester’s main and remote units to the two plugs. A basic tester should identify opens, shorts, reversed conductors, crossed pairs, and many split-pair errors.
A continuity tester checks wiring topology, not full Cat5e/Cat6/Cat6A transmission performance. It does not certify insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk, shielding continuity, or compliance with a cabling limit. Permanent or high-speed installations need a verifier or certifier appropriate to the category. A simple tester example is shown at Monoprice.
Troubleshoot a failed cable
| Symptom | Likely causes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tester shows an open | Conductor too short, contact did not pierce insulation, damaged conductor, or incomplete crimp. | Cut off the plug, inspect the cable end, install a new plug, and retest. |
| Short, crossed, or reversed indication | Wrong color order, conductor touching another contact, or tester orientation misunderstood. | Check the tester’s main/remote labeling against the T568 table; reterminate the suspect end. |
| No link light | Open contact, wrong crimp cavity, damaged cable, incompatible plug, or faulty network equipment. | Test first, inspect under good light, then replace the suspect termination and test with known-good equipment. |
| Link works at 100 Mb/s but not 1 Gb/s | One pair may be open, split, miswired, or intermittent. Fast Ethernet can mask a four-pair fault. | Recheck all eight pins and use a better verifier if the retermination does not resolve it. |
| Works only when bent or held | Marginal contact, damaged conductor, weak strain relief, or plug/cable mismatch. | Replace the termination rather than leaving the cable under stress. |
| Tester passes but performance is poor | Excessive untwist, crosstalk, return-loss problem, category mismatch, shielding fault, or physical damage. | Inspect routing and terminations; use category-appropriate certification equipment for a definitive result. |
Do not repeatedly squeeze a failed plug. Once contacts or the strain-relief clamp have been deformed, cutting it off and starting with a new plug is usually the reliable repair.
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When not to crimp an RJ45 plug
| Situation | Preferred termination |
|---|---|
| Short custom patch cable made from flexible stranded cable | RJ45 plugs on both ends |
| Solid Cat5e/Cat6/Cat6A cable inside a wall | Keystone jacks or a patch panel, then factory-made patch cords |
| Shielded structured-cabling system | Compatible shielded jacks/plugs plus an appropriate bonding and grounding plan |
| One replacement cable | Correctly sized factory-made patch cable may cost less and be more reliable than buying tools and connectors |
Permanent termination is generally easier to maintain, relieves strain better, and avoids repeatedly handling solid infrastructure cable. Direct-plug use on permanent cable is discouraged in Monoprice’s installation guidance. Solid cable can be crimped only when the selected plug is specifically rated for its conductor size and type.
Special cases
Power over Ethernet
Do not assume every improvised termination is suitable for PoE, PoE+, or PoE++. Use cable and connectors explicitly rated for the intended four-pair application. Any stated support, such as a manufacturer’s IEEE 802.3af/at/bt rating, applies to that product and compatible installation—not to every RJ45 plug.
Outdoor or buried cable
Connector choice is only one part of the job. Jacket rating, water sealing, surge protection, grounding, and the transition into the building may determine whether an outdoor link remains reliable.
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Cable length
Termination does not increase the Ethernet channel’s allowed length. Plan the run, patch cords, bends, and service loops within the limit for the cable category and network application.
Quick decision guide
- One or two short custom cables: Buy a basic crimper, compatible plugs, and an inexpensive tester.
- Several cables: Use a ratcheting or pass-through tool, but keep every plug and tool in the same compatible system.
- In-wall installation: Use keystone jacks or a patch panel and factory patch cords.
- Cat6A, PoE, or shielded work: Match every component’s category, dimensions, shielding, and application rating, then test with suitable equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is T568A better than T568B?
No. Correctly terminated T568A and T568B cables provide equivalent connectivity. Use the scheme required by an existing installation or local specification, and keep both ends consistent.
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Use the same scheme at both ends for a standard straight-through cable. Mixing A and B intentionally creates a crossover arrangement.
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Can I use Cat5e plugs on Cat6 cable?
Only when the plug manufacturer explicitly specifies compatibility with that cable’s conductor size, insulation, and jacket diameter. Physical fit alone is not enough.
Can I use pliers instead of a crimper?
No. Pliers may not drive the contacts or strain relief evenly; use a proper 8P crimp tool.
Do I need a pass-through connector?
No. It can make color-order inspection easier, but it requires compatible tooling and still needs correct trimming and strain relief.
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Do I need shielded plugs?
Only when the cable and installation are designed as a shielded system. Shielded connectors must be compatible and properly bonded; ordinary U/UTP home cable normally uses unshielded plugs.
Are crossover cables still necessary?
They are rarely needed with modern auto-sensing network interfaces, but legacy or special-purpose equipment may still require one.
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