Crimping is the act of inserting a crimp into the respective cable in this case an Ethernet cable. It is normally performed by first inserting the terminal into the crimp tool.
The terminal must be placed into the appropriately sized crimp barrel. The wire is then inserted into the terminal with the end of the wire flush with the exit of the terminal to maximize cross-sectional contact.
Finally, the handles of the crimp tool are used to compress and reshape the terminal until it is cold-welded onto the wire.
An electrical crimp is a type of solderless electrical connection.
Crimp connectors are often used to terminate stranded wire. The benefits of crimping over soldering and wire wrapping are:
- A well-engineered and well-executed crimp is designed to be gas-tight, which prevents oxygen and moisture from reaching the metals (which are often different metals) and causing corrosion.
- Because no alloy is used (as in solder) the joint is mechanically stronger.
- Crimped connections can be used for cables of both small and large cross-sections, whereas only small cross-section wires can be used with wire wrap.
What you Need to Crimp RJ45 into an Ethernet Cable
- Right type of Transmission Media, that is, Stranded UTP cables
- RJ45 Connectors
- Cable cutter/Combination cable cutter/crimping tool
- Cable tester (Multimeter)
How to Crimp RJ45 into an Ethernet Cable
1. Select the correct type of cable, in this case, we are using a stranded UTP. Cut a piece of cable of suitable length.
2. Strip at least ¾ of an inch (2 cm) of the cable sheath to expose the inner pairs. To strip insert the cable into the stripper section of the tool and squeeze it tight. Then, rotate the crimping tool around the cable in a smooth and even motion to create a clean cut. Keep the tool clamped and pull away towards the end of the wire to remove the sheathing.
Note that:
- The stripping section is a round hole near the handle of the tool.
- The sheathing should come off cleanly, leaving the wires exposed. Untwist the cables and straighten them.
3. Using the wiring diagram place the coloured wires into the correct order. There are 8 wires in total that need to be arranged in the right sequence.
4. Hold the wires with your thumb and index finger to keep them in order. Cut the ends of the inner wires so that they are exactly of the same length and just long enough to reach the end of the RJ 45 connector with the bridge positioned over the cable sheath. Cut the wires into an even line 1⁄2 inch (13 mm) from the sheathing.
5. Make sure the connector is positioned with the spring level at the bottom. (Hook down). Push the wires all the way into the connector – the copper core should be visible from the end of the connector.
6. Check (confirm) the wires are still in the correct order. All the ends of the copper wires should be seen shining at the end of the RJ45 connector.
7. Push the RJ45 connector into the crimping tool and squeeze the handles. Squeeze hard and do not worry about breaking the RJ45 connector.
8. Check that the cables have been pierced and the bridge is over the cable sheath.
9. Repeat the exercise to the other end of the cable.
Time to Test Our Cable
10. Test the cable using a multimeter thus you should be able to identify any crossed wires or those that don’t make contact. You can also test by connecting to the device you wish to use. If it works, you have followed the procedures as indicated. If it does not work, you can try again this time being careful.
Wiring For A UTP Patch Cable or Straight Through (PC To Switch/ Hub)
| SIDE A | SIDE B |
| White/Orange | White/ Orange |
| Orange | Orange |
| White/Green | White/Green |
| Blue | Blue |
| White/Blue | White/Blue |
| Green | Green |
| White/Brown | White/Brown |
| Brown | Brown |
Wiring for A Cross-Over Cable (PC TO PC)
| SIDE A | SIDE B |
| White/Orange | White/ green |
| Orange | Green |
| White/Green | White/orange |
| Blue | Blue |
| White/Blue | White/Blue |
| Green | Orange |
| White/Brown | White/Brown |
| Brown | Brown |
That is how you Crimp RJ45 into an Ethernet Cable. Remember the more you practice, the easier it becomes.
