1

I'm running Cat6 through my house, and I obviously need to crimp Cat6 connectors onto the ends (this is my first time), but I can't seem to keep the 8 wires from moving around after I've put them all in order, is there some sort of trick to keep the wires from moving around to get them into the connector?

Update: I found out today the Cat6 I ran is too thin and not made to the proper specifications, the thicker wire works a lot better and is definitely easier.

5
  • Hold them in place with your fingers or needle nose pliers.
    – UmH
    Jul 4, 2020 at 14:41
  • I hold the cable between my 3 left fingers and press on the end of the plug with my index finger, then with my other hand crimp the connection. It's tricky, sometimes a helper can make it easier. Jul 4, 2020 at 14:54
  • If you're talking about terminating the cable ends with jacks, I crimp them individually, with a tool. Crimp one, place the next wire, crimp, and so on. That way they don't all fall out when you try to crimp all at once.
    – Huesmann
    Jul 4, 2020 at 18:01
  • Crimpin’ ain’t easy. In the medical device world, wire crimping is usually a specially validated process (depending on the potential risk of course) that can’t be left to any Joe Shmoe to do. Jul 6, 2020 at 0:36
  • It's a PIA...but gets easier with practice. Ecnerwal has a good technique.
    – gnicko
    Jul 6, 2020 at 17:34

3 Answers 3

8

Well, if you do normal house/building wiring, you don't crimp plugs on anything, you just punch-down into jacks (one wire at a time) and buy patch cables pre-terminated. That's what a professional job looks like, and there are good reasons for it - one of which is that getting wires into plugs is fiddly, even with experience. Another is that building wiring is solid and not meant to flex, while patch cables are stranded and survive flexing much better, so using patch cables plugged into wall jacks rather than plug-terminated building wires sticking out of the wall leads to a plant that survives longer.

The type of plug you use, if using a plug, can make a large difference - some are much easier to get the wires into, and some have cute tricks such as being able to feed the wires all the way through the plug and beyond, and then having a crimp tool that cuts off the excess, so that you can have minimal untwisted wires without having to get everything trimmed perfectly before shoving it in.

The main trick with lining up the wires for a plug is to get the twist out as far as needed (but no further), and everything lined up, and trimmed evenly if not using one of those cute trick systems with the post-trimming. This usually involves using pliers on the individual strands to remove the curl, and several insertions in the the plug to verify where a straight cut across the end should be located, and that all strands are in proper position - by which point you would have been done with punching down a jack and moved on (speed, another advantage of using jacks to terminate.) Often a certain wire will decide that it wants to hold back and not shove in even with everybody else, and you have to sort that out.

As for holding them while inserting, pretty much just pinch between thumb and finger after having got the curl out and the wires lined up correctly. Then visually inspect to be sure they are still in the right order and fully inserted.

1
  • to elaborate: the cute system he's talking about has you pull the wires through the nose of the jack. You can then use 2 hands to make sure everything is lined up nicely before crimping and cutting off the excess. Even so, it is vastly more efficient to use the pushdown tool with standard jacks.
    – gbronner
    Jul 6, 2020 at 1:51
0

Stip about 2.5 inches to give yourself plenty of room to work, trim any strength members. Put them in order, (I highly recommend 568B), smooth them out as much as possible. Hold between your thumb and forefinger so that you are holding both the insulation and about a half-inch of wire. They should be held tight together. evenly snip the wires above that, right where they begin to go more parallel and not splaying out from the insulation. Slide the connector on slowly making sure the wires don't jump position. Double-check and make sure they are in the right order and fully seated before crimping. Also, make sure there is no exposed wire.

0

The answer to the question, as to why I'm having a problem crimping the cable, IS BECAUSE THE WIRE IS TOO THIN! It is made wrong and not to the proper spec, so not only does it run slow, it can't be crimped inside a connector because the wires aren't thick enough to be pushed through. https://www.amazon.com/200FT-Networking-Ethernet-Patch-Router/dp/B01JLJ1SXI/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1& Read the reviews, they say I'm right. I originally added the "update" as the answer, but a mod moved it because apparently he didn't read the question and realize that was the answer.

2
  • Cat 5 and 6 both have different gages but they work in the same connector.
    – mreff555
    Jul 7, 2020 at 12:25
  • Yes but this cable is neither Cat5 or Cat6, it's too thin to be either, read the reviews, the link is there for a reason. Jul 7, 2020 at 14:05

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.