Tools and Materials

• At a minimum, terminating Cat5 cable requires, in addition to a roll of non-terminated Cat5 cable, two RJ-45 connectors and a Cat5 crimping tool. Some crimping tools have a built-in wire stripper and wire cutter; if yours doesn't, purchase a separate wire stripper and wire cutter rather than using scissors or similar tools to avoid damaging the delicate inner wires of Cat5 cable. Cable boots, small rubber pieces designed to protect the clip on the RJ-45 connector and prevent it from tangling into the cable and breaking off, can be useful but aren't absolutely necessary.
  
  

Cat5 Cable Types

• Two different types of terminated Cat5 cable are available. The most common type, straight through, is terminated using the same wire order at both ends and is used to connect computers to other networking equipment such as modems, routers, hubs or switches. The second type, crossover, is terminated using a different wire order for each end and is used to connect two computers directly to transfer data between them.
  
  

Procedure

• Measure and cut a portion of Cat5 cable matching the distance between the two items you want to connect, adding a few inches to allow for mistakes. Strip a one-inch portion of the insulation from one end of the cable using the wire stripper, then separate the four twisted wire pairs from each other and untwist them. Straighten the wires and arrange them in the following order: white-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown. Trim the wires evenly at a half-inch distance from the end of the insulation using the wire cutter, then push them into a RJ-45 connector, holding them firmly with one hand to ensure they don't shift out of position. Insert the RJ-45 connector into the crimping tool and squeeze the handle firmly to permanently attach the connector to the cable.
  
  For a straight-through cable, repeat this process with the other end of the cable. For a crossover cable, repeat this process but change the wire order for the other end of the cable to the following: white-green, green, white-orange, blue, white-blue, orange, white-brown, brown.
  
  After attaching each connector, check it for mistakes. Ensure the wires are in the correct order and are touching the end of the connector, and check that the golden metal contacts are even and pushed fully inside the wires. If they aren't, cut the connector off the cable with the wire cutter and repeat the process.
  
  

Considerations

• Learning how to terminate your own Cat5 cable requires some practice and a small up-front investment in tools and materials. However, if you frequently use Cat5 cable, the cost will be offset by the amount of money you save over the cost of commercially available, pre-made Cat5 cable. Additionally, knowing how to terminate your own Cat5 cable means you can create cables of the exact length you need, rather than having to deal with the hassle of cables that aren't quite right.