Ethernet cables are essentially the lifeline of our home networks, and our internet. Roughly every home network uses ethernet cables to associate whether their modem to their router or their routers to their computers. Ethernet cables are especially leading for those users who are still on wired networks, and haven't made the jump to wireless yet. For those of you that have had to go out and buy ethernet cables in the past know that these cables do not come cheap for whatever over 10 feet or so. If you have to stretch it up to 20+ feet the price increase is exponential, when in fact, it doesn't honestly cost that much more to make a longer cable. In today's post we're going to show you how to make your own ethernet cable.
Materials For manufacture Ethernet Cables
Cables For Network
Wire Cutters/Strippers- I'm sure you have atleast one pair laying around, if you followed my report on how to assemble the ultimate Pc toolkit you should have a pair in your wonderful Pc toolkit.
Rj45 Crimping Tool- This is used for crimping or "terminating" the ends of the cable so they stay attached, you can get these at a radioshack-type store or save yourself some money and get them off Amazon for cheap.
Network Cable Tester- This tool is option, but it helps a lot if you want to make sure the cables you're manufacture are working correctly, and to test cables if you ever think you might have a bad cable. These can also be found on Amazon for relatively decent prices.
Cat5 Ethernet Cable- You'll need this stuff to make the cables out of, you can get this at Home Depot or Lowe's, it'll commonly come in a box, and it's just the cable with no ends on it.
Rj45 Connectors- Last but not least, you'll need Rj45 connectors. These can be found at a Radioshack-type store or on Amazon, if you can't tell I honestly do a lot of shopping on Amazon.
Ethernet Cable manufacture Instructions
First, you'll want to part out how long you want your cable to be, just so you don't have all this extra cable slack, or you don't make a cable too short, that would suck. Then, add 5 inches to that distance so you have something to work with when terminating the cable ends. Pull out your wire strippers and strip about an inch off of the cable, now you'll want to un-twist the cables all the way to the rubber shield. You'll want to make sure there is a few millimeters of copper exposed so they can make palpate with the Rj-45 connector What you want to do is make sure each wire is in the spoton position before you put on the Rj-45 connector. For general ends it should be white-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown, and this should be from look at the top of the connector, the bottom of the connector is the part with the plastic tab. For crossover cables the order is white-green, green, white-orange, blue, white-blue, orange, white-brown, brown. Put on the Rj-45 connector, and make sure the copper ends are manufacture palpate with the metal plates in the Rj-45 connector, if they aren't go back and try organizing the wires so they all connect. Put it in the crimping tool and crimp it, now you have one end terminated. For the other end repeat steps 2-6. Plug your ethernet cable into the tester and see if it all the lights light up green, if they do then you're good, and you can get to manufacture your other cables, if they don't you'll have to cut off the Rj-45 connector and reterminate your ends with a new connector. At first it's hard to get the hang of it, but in no time you'll be manufacture cables like fast Gonzales.
I also found these a build your own network cable kit on Amazon that look like a honestly good deal. For less than on most kits you can get everything you need to make your network cable, together with all the tools, the Rj-45 connectors, and you also get 100-500 Feet of Ethernet Cable for all of your networking needs.
How To Make An Ethernet CableThanks To : server rack rails KVM Switch Kit top10 netbook
