Ok i have decided to attempt to be technical and make my own long cat5 cables. Can someone give me a list of what i need to buy from maplins and possibly a link to the products on their site? Also is there a guide somewhere on the net which tells me step by step how to make the cables?

Cat5 cable
RJ 45 connectors
strain relief boots ( if you want them)
crimping tool ( most inlcude cable strippers)

All available from www.macwarehouse.co.uk

I might pop inot the office tomorrow so can check part numbers , price and availability for you if you want.


AllanB

if you can't get access to tools like these, its a bit pointless as a 20 metre length of cat5 media is only a fiver.

I don't know how long you intend to make them, but don't go over 100 metres. cat5 UTP has a max distance of 100 metres. If you plan on going further, you will need some form of repeater

Cables - standard

with the prong bit of the connector below, insert the wires in the following order from left to right

orange/white | orange | green/white | blue | blue/white | green | brown/white | brown

:)

The most expensive bit of making your own cables is the RJ45 crimper. For just a few cables - it makes it much more economic to buy ones of the required length - unless you can borrow one from the network guys at work ;)

When you first start making them aswell - you will make a few mistakes with the crimping so a cable tester is pretty invaluable aswell.

Deano

hmm only gonna need to make one cable so might be easier to try and buy a ready made length. Can someone give me a link to say a 30m length of ready made cable?