How to Make an RJ‐45 Cable

Co-authored by Ricardo Mitchell

Last Updated: February 20, 2023

The RJ-45 connector is most commonly known for its use in ethernet networking. It’s similar to a telephone jack, but it is wider. Most connectors are described through their prongs that attach to port; this is what differentiates the cables from one another. In RJ-45, the “RJ” stands for “registered jack”, while the “45” stands for the “number of interface standard”.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Stripping the Protective Casing

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1
Adjust the dial of the wire stripper. Twist the dial until it can cut into your cable without damaging the wires inside.
- Make sure that it is the right dial to match the size of your cable.
2
Insert the wire into the notch. Stick the wire into the notch of the wire stripper and gently squeeze the stripper, so it can cut through the rubber cushioning/insulation.
- Check to see if the length of the cable is not too short or too long as your inserting it into the notch.
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3
Cut through the insulation. Spin the wire stripper around the wire once it cuts the rubber insulation to make sure that the insulation is cut all the way through.
- Double check to make sure that the inner wires are not damaged, to prevent issues from occurring as you continue!

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Exposing and Organizing the Wires

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Make it so the colored wires are separated from each other.
3
Organize the wires.
- The wires should be organized using the straight through method.
- Both T-568A and T-569B will work, so pick one of the patterns and apply it to both sides of the cable.
4
Check the length. Line up the wiring with connectors to see if the length is good.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Connecting Everything Together

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Slide the wires inside the connector so that it is all the way though.
Use the crimping tool by squeezing the connector relatively hard to secure the wires inside the connector.
3
Double check that all the wires are in the correct order
4
Use the crimper on cables. Be careful because after this point you can not redo anything
Test the cables by inserting it into a cable tester or the back end of a router.

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Tips

If nothing is passing through the cable, make sure it is plugged into the correct port.

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Warnings

If it is plugged into the correct port and is still not working, you must restart the process of making your cable with a new connector.

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Things You'll Need

Crimper (Note: some crimpers come with a wire cutter)
RJ-45 connector
Ethernet Strippers
Cable tester (optional)
Cabling: Choose from Cat5, Cat5e (most common), Cat6, Cat6a, Cat7 (When deciding on what cable you are looking for, you should keep two things in mind: speed and cost.)