This is the best ethernet wiring tutorial that you can see on the internet. no frills, no gimmicks just pure learning experience all throughout the video. Thanks Chris*
Definitely one of the best I've seen on the subject. If he put links for all the products he used and got a % from the purchase, I would only be grateful and not challenge his integrity one bit. What a hero!
@@ExplainingComputersYou really do add to our Sundays, Chris. Professionally and consistently presented relevant information by an honest man without silliness.
I have 25+ years experience in CATx cabling. Your information is correct and complete. For everything I thought "will he mention this or that", you mentioned that in the video.
Love these. Crisp, clear and informative. What a contrast to most of the junk out there. Never knew there was so much to learn about Ethernet cables - now I want to make some up, just because!
I love networking content. I put drops in every room of my house a few years ago and every PC and smart TV had a wired connection, leaving just phones and tablets on WiFi. Best decision I ever made.
I'm a simple man. I see an Explaining Computers video and I click on it, like it, unsubscribe so I can subscribe, then make a comment to help the algorithm as well as complimenting Chris as to what great videos he produces. Hey Chris, you make great videos! Thanks!
I usually go back to the youtube home page as soon as a presenter starts going into their outro, but not with this channel. I actually keep watching to the end because that outro music is just so awesome. It's simple, yet memorable. And it always makes me smile.
I just ran 1000 ft Cat6a between 16 outlets through our new office. Learned to terminate RJ45 plugs and jacks. Pass through plugs I feel was easier. After the first few times you get in the groove.
Wow, that was great. I’m a retired IT person and I’ve never heard about pass-through connectors! Thank you ever so much for this video as my old fumble fingers have trouble making cables with the old style connectors. I’ve watched your videos for years and honestly I think this is the most practical, useful video that I’ve watched! Thank you ever so much and please don’t stop making these wonderful videos. Hans …
I missed this when it first came out but by the miracle of UA-cam a year later I finally get to watch. 👍 Very informative and I feel capable of an outdoor Ethernet project with your help.
I'm at a loss to try to imagine why on earth so many dislikes? There is nothing but excellent concise and informative information here in this video. That's what lock-up has done to some people -I despair I really do. Keep up the great work you do as always very much appreciated. Thank you.
Thanks for another useful video - I note that you didn't even try to demonstrate the non-pass-through type of RJ45 ethernet cable plugs and I don't blame you! They were fiddly and difficult to fit, the bane of my life, and caused endless problems till I finally was able to obtain the pass-through type which made things so much easier!
Many people,including myself thought that when first introduced to the internet, wireless would be faster. Fortunetely I learned very fast that wired is always better. Good video.
I'm such a cable snob, it's 100% copper or not at all. Just done installing ethernet runs throughout my house, spent the money on a branded cat6 (likewise, longest single run is under 20 metres) and I genuinely sit happier knowing that the hours I spent fitting it and fishing cables through cavities have been with a quality product.
@@soiledhalo2296 ironically, PoE is my next stage for CCTV :D The remainder of the drums I bought perfectly fit the remaining needs with an estimated 10-20 metres left over
I'm with you, Dave. I prefer solid cable over anything. I find it easier to work with as well. Solid cable holds shape better when you're pushing it into a plug to terminate. There's no point using stranded in any other application, such as permanent wiring, yet I don't even want to use it for patch cables. 😂
Very helpful video. I have to run an Ethernet connection out to my greenhouse as I'm planning to install a remote monitored sprinkler system and a camera system there. Now I know what components I will need, and in order to future proof, exactly what cable I want to use. Thank you very much Chris.
Chris this video is excellent and timely, the best video I have seen explaining cable types and showing the practical application to wire a socket or plug. The reason for it been timely is my 15 year old son asked me to teach him about making Ethernet cables. Now we can watch the video together and then build some tables. I started my career in telecoms and the first thing we had to do was build a set of good test cables. Normally an x21 through and cross cable, a v24/rs232 through and nul modem and a loop dongle and always the most fiddly was a RJ45 plug Ethernet. Loved this video thank you for sharing.
A *proper* crimping tool, like the one shown in this video, is *absolutely* worth the extra money! The ratcheting kind like that -- where it simply will not release until you've fully crimped the connector -- is *SO MUCH BETTER* than the "pliers-style" of crimper. A cheap tool will cause you *no end* of troubles with your network, whereas a good-quality (and thus more expensive) tool will make a good connection every single time. Yes, it hurts to spend that kind of money on a tool, when you see the cheap pliers-style crimpers for so little money. But don't be fooled!! Buy the expensive ratcheting-style crimpers!! The time and frustration you save is worth every penny you'll spend on the expensive crimper! As someone who has wired up literally thousands of these connections in his lifetime, I *promise* it's worth the money!! I learned it the hard way!!
The one he has is a bootleg of the EZ-RJPRO made by platinumtools.org. At my work, we use the official ones which are constructed very well but I purchased a bootleg one in a kit myself for $37 on amazon and it doesn't compromise much on the quality if you're only using it for wiring around the house. The kit itself wasn't worth it in my opinion because the tester and punch down were both pretty bad. www.platinumtools.com/products/crimpers/ez-rjpro-hd-crimp-tool-100054c/
This is a first-class presenter. Excellent videos each time. Congratulation and thank you for your time and dedication to be simple, robust and unique. You are the best. Congratulations. I've cabled up many large structured cabling setups over the years, patch panels to wall sockets. Your presentation and explanation of terminating to RJ-45 and Faceplates is appreciated, and hopefully will inspire some viewers to cable their home network. I have had a Cat5e cabled network at home since around 2019, I only use WIFI for my phone. Every other PC, server, TV, console is hard wired via
It's very nice that you've done a video on UTP. Several years ago, I thougth I'd give my friend an advice on UTP (about 3-5 connections indoor totaling about 70m) by suggesting a youtube video on the matter - and there was not a good one with your relaxed and simple attitude - so that's definitely a plus! As for choosing the appropriate cable category, I think what worths mention is that when you do this a lot (in corporate buildings) - the idea is to select the less expensive (and often less wide) cable sufficient for the application. In 20+ users environments, CAT5 unshielded is still more than enough for general office rooms... shielding is only required for intra-server-room paths and sometimes when using vents near utility shafts (like high-power elevator motors, kitchens, etc.) I often see people select UTP based on the idea of "give me the bestest out there" and then they curse when drilling walls and trying to bend it. So my 5 cents to otherwise great video!
I've cabled up many large structured cabling setups over the years, patch panels to wall sockets. Your presentation and explanation of terminating to RJ-45 and Faceplates is appreciated, and hopefully will inspire some viewers to cable their home network. I have had a Cat5e cabled network at home since around 2006, I only use wifi for my phone. Every other PC, server, TV, console is hard wired via ethernet.
That was Ethernet 101 through to Ethernet 105 in one very interesting video. Thanks again, Chris. Superb insights, as always. I would never have suspected there was so much to say about good old Ethernet
Perfect timing! I will be wiring ethernet in the crawlspace next month, and I mistakenly assumed I knew enough about which cable to use and which tools I'd need. Saved me some headaches!
How timely, just about to run a cable to my garage. Wish I had known about pass through plugs in the past though, much easier than the closed ones. Thanks for the video.
Christopher, just wanted to say thanks for an excellent tutorial, i decided 18 months ago to hard wire our new build house, some cables had already been installed however i decided to purchase 2 X TP-LINK AC1350 and install dado trunking within my office for better connect and better speed. i have put off the the final commissioning as i wasnt sure about the correct termination of both jacks and leads. after watching this i have bought the termination kit with pass through tool and cable tester and its all gone well! ive now subscribed as well. Thanks 🙂
This is great to hear -- this is what UA-cam is for: sharing knowledge. And you now have a new skill! :) And if you ever want to make changes to your network, you can just do it yourself with tools you now have.
I'm planning the re-installation of my computer and network equipment. I want to clean up the present tangle of cables by making cables that properly fit between units to make a neat and much easier to maintain setup. Your video is the only one I've seen to date that covers the choices and methods for making proper cables out of the pile of spares I've collected over the years. Many thanks.
Handy Tip worth mentioning here: although Chris has made a very neat job of the socket wiring, it’s handy to include ‘service loops’ on the wiring. Basically have the stripped wires a little longer (each end) to facilitate cutting back should you ever need to change the termination configuration at a later date. Or if there is a problem with a good secure connection you get a second or third go. Nonetheless, nice video Chris 👍
Oh yes.... when some previous owner wired a security system into my truck, well, the damn thing blew up the alternator and had to be removed so it wouldn't do it again. And they'd wired it into EVERYTHING... with the wires as short as they could be and still reach when stretched tight. We finally gave up on rewiring the radio, there just wasn't any slack. Service loops are a wonderful thing, and always make them twice as long as you anticipate ever needing!
@Leon Mailfert The cable he used is outdoor so the sheath is quite rigid. If you are going to loop you would not do it in the block. I don't do much domestic installs so I usually loop in the ceiling space where it is accessible as looping in the wall can impact on compliance to bending radius and the risk of kinking the cable if it is looped within the wall cavity - both of which can cause a certification test to fail (reflections). The issue with terminating without maintaining twist right to the terminal block conductors is introducing crosstalk between the pairs (at both ends) which causes noise and thus impacts signal to noise ratio - that can lead to bit error rates and retransmission hindering performance at the very least.
This gave me nostalgia... quit network engineering about 4 years ago. Would have been nice to have had such a profound, yet easy to follow guide back in the day.
Well, that was refreshing. Compared to a lot of the entertainment crap and not educational content. It's been some years since I made my own cables and this brought a lot back to mine so, Thank You.
Nice video. I had to learn all this years ago when I ran Ethernet for a local business as well as when I wired my home. The only thing I can think to add is that if you are running the cables in your attic Please get the plenum rated cabling because it will not produce toxic smoke in case of fire! Thank you for the excellent video and the time you put into it for us. It is appreciated.
I'm a fan of conduits and pull throughs, laying a pipe to carry the underground cable also helps when it comes to upgrade time. Hardware changes so quickly so after 15 years my plastered in cat 5e cable is looking a little ropey when connected to my teenage son and his insatiable data needs. Thanks for yet another excellent tutorial
This is a first-class presenter. Excellent videos each time. Congratulation and thank you for your time and dedication to be simple, robust and unique. You are the best. Congratulations.
Wow it’s really that simple. I’ve often looked at Ethernet cables and thought to myself it looks really complicated, but now seeing that it only takes a couple of tools, some cable and a wiring diagram, I’ve now learnt something new and could easily do this myself. Thank you for this video Chris. Please please please keep up the good work and do more videos like this 😁😁😁
This is the PERFECT Ethernet wiring video. EVERYTHING you could possibly want to know about wiring Ethernet. I have been doing this DIY for a number of years now. From my experiences: - Pass-through plugs make it SO much easier. I have tried both. Getting the wires in sequence is tricky. Doing this does take time, patience and practice. A magnifier really helps. -Testers are a must. They can be bought inexpensively, like the model used here, BUT their jacks can be flimsy and finicky. While the cable connections may have been made correctly, they do not always display fully. Sometimes wiggling the plug is necessary. Sometimes the device itself may be bad. SO .... FIRST test the device itself with a known good patch cable.
Very timely, I’m waiting on my StarLink “dishy” . I’ll need to wire it in. It’s been 30 years since I used a punch down tool. 👍🏽 informative and well presented. Thanks
I did my whole house when I moved in. Put the patch panel and switch in the cellar. All went well, floorboards up which was chaos as the landing floors were up too. Did every room even the attic room. All tested - big tick and started putting the boards back. All done and....I had nailed through the attic run which was obvs the longest :-( ....had to do it all again. Won't make that mistake again. Excellent vid as usual.
Well, that was really useful. Thanks for condensing all that information into a single video. Looking forward to seeing more videos on your garage/studio project in the future.
This video came up on my feed yesterday, and I am really pleased I watched it. I've never done this myself, but expect to need to do it in the next few months. Your guide is VERY handy and informative. Also, working in the industry, I can well believe that telcoms engineers go our for pointless wifi issues all the time. Quite frustrating when you know it's a waste of their time.
Great video. Quick note. If you are using a shielded cable then you should use a shielded CAT6A connector (or whatever standard your cable is) otherwise the cable shield is not connected from device to the socket. They have shielding around the area where the twisted pairs pass into the connector and a small metal crimp that crimps around the foil screen, completing the shield.
Thanks for the timely video, you've probably saved me a bit of cash in the process. I had my garage converted into a "man cave" last year and I have a server cabinet in there with a rack server, POE switch and Ethernet going elsewhere to the house. I had quite a bit of internal and external CAT6 cable left over and was planning to make up a few more patch leads from it over the next couple of weeks. I didn't give any thought to cable types and AWG numbers but, thanks to your video, I've just now ordered the correct crimping tool and Ethernet plugs.
Outdoor cable is generally UV protected too. So the sun does not break the cable down. Where as Indoor cable is not UV proof. I have seen many installations where people have used indoor grey cable outside. And after a few years it has cracked open and let water in. Leading to corrosion and failed links.
I've seen this more often than not as people have taped up spaghetti wires along the side of their houses. Ironically, they opt for crap tape rather than UV resistant duct tape.
Perfect timing Mr. Barnatt! I, (we, including SWMBO) are moving to far rural NW Montana, which features fiber optic internet. My request for hard-wired ethernet has been conditionally approved, but it's probably been 25 years since I've wired an RJ-45 plug.
Another trick is when you run a cable through an outside wall is make a loop on the outside so that the cable going into the wall is at a point higher than the loop. Water always runs down hill...
For the underground cable, you might have want to mention that if you're going from one building to another building with it's own grounding - consider the problem of grounding loops. If you don't want to worry about this, consider multimode-fiber.
Christopher - this video is exceptionally useful, by far the best video I've seen by quite a margin in this area. I have forwarded this to a bunch of students and people curious on the topic who appear to find it equally as useful, many thanks! Outstanding stuff!
I saw this weeks video title and thought 'Really??!?!' I guess the seasoned Cat crimper in me forgot how much info there really is in this subject, especially as it's grown over the years. Once again, a perfectly laid out, easy to swallow, very informative video. Hats off to you sir! Just one niggly comment though (and based on my pet peeve) I would have mentioned the importance of crimping onto the insulation of the wire in the RJ45 as it acts as the strain relief. I have seen it too many times where cables are pulling on the 8 wires, especially on the non ez-crimp connectors. It makes me wonder why aren't all connectors ez-crimp?! (passthrough style)
Loved the video. Very informative. I was hoping you would touch on several of the things that you wound up talking about. As someone from the telecommunications industry, I highly appreciate the fact that you highlighted this subject so well. Ultimately you only scratched the surface, but that's just how deep the rabbit hole goes. It's so nice to hear about a subject from you, even when I already know a fair amount about it. You always deliver something of value! I do have a couple of notes on tools and the termination of cables, as someone with industry experience. I really liked that you provided a thorough explanation of the tools, and that crimper certainly looks great, but I would recommend a better punchdown tool. There are spring-loaded punch tools that also offer bladed bits to cut the ends off the cables flush with the socket; not unlike the way the crimper cuts excess cable off of pass through connectors. Having that spring-loaded kick and a larger tool to hold onto really helps seat the cables firmly and ensure a high quality connection. You did a fairly good job on both the plug and the socket, though I must point out a few things that stuck out to me. As mentioned about the punchdown tool above, it's ideal to cut the loose ends coming from a socket as flush as possible to avoid potential issues with cross-talk, ingress and egress, etc. You did well to maintain the twists right up to the termination point in both the socket and the plug. I did notice however that it looks like you failed to seat the strain relief notch in the cable jacket on your patch cable plugs. It's not a huge deal in the short term, but that can cause problems with the connectors in the long run. Especially for patch cables which are frequently plugged and unplugged. In any case, you did a fantastic job on the video, as always! Thanks so much for your hard work, Chris! I look forward to Sundays specifically because I know there will be an EC video waiting for me!
21:51 - Yep, this is why I use ethernet for everything that has an ethernet port or can use some kind of USB to ethernet adapter. Wi-Fi is only for my portable devices like phones or tablets. PCs, game consoles, televisions - these aren't going anywhere, they get wired. It gives them a more reliable connection and keeps the airwaves free for the devices that really need Wi-Fi.
Excellent video Chris, fantastic as always! My only comment is that you didn’t use shielded RJ45 plugs for a cable that support it to make that little LED below 8 on your tester light up. But in your case the uplink cable is unshielded so doesn’t matter :)
If you need a job with my local cable company, please let me know and I'd be happy to write a letter of recommendation. ☺️ Thanks for the wonderful content.
Other than removing the Sheliding... oops! I was surprised you didn't explain why they are TWISTED pairs (waveguides and all that), but it brought back to mind a small project I had taken on almost twenty years ago: cabling 30 stations in a friend's cyber cafe. No tools other than a side cutter and my crimping tool, sixty connectors, six cups of coffee, a hundred meters of CAT4(!!) and the God of thermodynamics on my side. Zero errors. No test equipment except the "is it working?" test. Later I got cocky and started doubling cables (4+4) to cut the cable cost in half. Good times. Now I have WiFi at home. Not for the computers but for the handheld devices.
Cat5 never comes shielded ? Do they just not make it anymore ? Are all these old 1997 vintage spools of Cat5 STP in my garage worth more money now ?...
Great video - I’m fixing to install a few outdoor WAP at my house and this explained everything I need to consider when purchasing cable and connectors. Well done!
16:32 - Your crimp could be better by removing all of the excess shielding (wire and foil) outside of the cable jacket. This caused the back crimp tab, that should hold the jacket, to be only on the wire shielding. That will pull out from the connector much easier requiring a future repair.
Even though I grew up learning how to make Ethernet cables to the T568A standard, my personal motto is "as long as both ends of the cable have the same colour lineup, you're good" and it's served me well for making cables of various lengths. Still, it's nice seeing someone go over the wiring of cables and patch panels for a home network. And regarding that bit about people complaining about slow internet when it's their wifi that's the problem: that's why I run Cat5e/Cat6 cables to as many of my systems & consoles as I can to get gigabit Ethernet around the house & leave the wifi for mobiles, tablets, laptops and my handheld gaming consoles. mind you I'm also currently on 200/50mbps 4G Mobile broadband provided by Optus here in Australia (HUGE upgrade from the 8000/384kbps ADSL on Telstra copper POTS I used to have, and most of the town still has), so that gigabit Ethernet only really sees max usage when transferring files across the LAN between systems.
The Canadians typically all use the T568A standard whereas the USA uses the T568B standard. As long as the ends are both the same, it does not matter. However, you must make sure that each transmit-receive pair is on the same twisted pair. (you cannot just make both ends randomly the same -- they have to be "paired")
@@matthewhickok4421 As an Aussie, I tend to find networking stuff prewired as T568A, and the legends on keystones (like what was wired up in the vid) have both T568A & T568B on them so you can follow them for which version of the standard you want.
Yeah..as long as you have the same wiring on both ends, for the current time, standard don't matter a lot. The whole point of the standard is an 'industry-wide consistent' method to prevent the next guy having to work on it having to go test each individual wire to see what it connects to...keeping in mind that the 'next guy' very well may be *yourself*, several months or years down the line, having forgotten the method you used when initially installing this. :-) (always a good rule of thumb in pretty much *any* profession, I think..."Always keep in mind the next guy to come along and have to deal with your work...because very often you will *be* the 'next guy'...")
Another informative video. For people like me, who do better with tools than with computers overall, these DIY styled videos are a nice aspect of your channel. I learn from all of your videos, but these give me confidence to do more with computers.
I prefer to strip the outer shield by cutting about 5 centimeters along the length of the cable. It is much less likely to damage a conductor. Even if I cut too deep, I only might hit the conductor, but I am very unlikely to cut into the copper. However stripping by cutting radially can easily cut halfway through a conductor because you are not absolutely sure about the cable diameter.
Thanks for this one. I have no practical application of the info in this video, but having more understanding of how ethernet hardware works will help me make more sense of the tangled mess behind my computer station.
After the CAT classifications, I didn't know all the other info about Ethernet cable. I once ran about 50Ft. of CAT 5 cable in a rental home; it worked fine, but I still wish I'd known more about it. Very useful Chris... Thanks for another great video.
I absolutely love, love, love this video! I don't think there is generally enough education about how networks work overall. As a result, I would bet that there are people paying way more than they should for the speed and volume of internet usage they actually consume. One final caveat should be that people should be careful that the ethernet cable between their PC/laptop and their router should also be at least CAT6 or above spec. If they just nonchalantly use whatever legacy cables are lying around the house and unfortunate enough to have Cat 5 product lying around, their gigabit speeds into the home will be reduced to 100Mpbs max to their PC. Dump those old CAT 5 (not 5e just yet) cables from the home. Keep up the great work!!!!
Thanks greatly for this -- very helpful. I have applied a blur in the UA-cam editor, and this is processing. The IP in question is also no longer in use.
A very timely video Chris, I've just had an offer accepted on my first house and it needs loads of work. I'm glad I can use this as a reference for getting and ethernet connection in each room that I want.
@@Nordlicht05 - It seems to be their newer encoding algorithm that tries to compress some areas more than it really should. If you look at the rest of that part of the video things look sharp but when the red is next to the blue it gets bad.
Very good bit of information at the end, as I've always told friends and family that if all you intend to do online is streaming video, video conferencing or gaming that requires low latency, to use a wired connection rather than a Wi-Fi connection.
This is the best ethernet wiring tutorial that you can see on the internet. no frills, no gimmicks just pure learning experience all throughout the video. Thanks Chris*
This one is pretty good too... ua-cam.com/video/vNmSp4QLcxs/v-deo.html
Just what we needed to see,straight to the point 👍
I agree - just came across this. No nonsense and clear - a very good tutorial. Many thanks.
Definitely one of the best I've seen on the subject. If he put links for all the products he used and got a % from the purchase, I would only be grateful and not challenge his integrity one bit. What a hero!
I realise that I don’t know much, but this sort of thing brings it home just how much I don’t know. It’s a masterpiece of precision and conciseness.
This is the best tutorial on the Internet. There is not a single video explaining everything like this.
This man is a treasure.
Thanks. :)
It's EC Sunday again. How I keep waiting for evening time which is EC time. You make our Sundays better, Chris.
:)
@@ExplainingComputersYou really do add to our Sundays, Chris. Professionally and consistently presented relevant information by an honest man without silliness.
@@ExplainingComputers😅😊
I have 25+ years experience in CATx cabling. Your information is correct and complete. For everything I thought "will he mention this or that", you mentioned that in the video.
Thanks for this, much appreciated. :)
Informative and practical. And I'd like to welcome Mr Crimping Tool to the channel.
:)
The crimping tool used today has an innie not an outie, so I would think it Ms. Crimping Tool, but it is 2021 so who knows?!
@@AraceaeFanatics Not all 'male' devices have tools. ;-)
'Colin' the Crimper, might I suggest?
@@AraceaeFanatics ahhh the wonderful world of 27million different genders
Love these. Crisp, clear and informative. What a contrast to most of the junk out there. Never knew there was so much to learn about Ethernet cables - now I want to make some up, just because!
Lol, I was thinking exactly that .. for the practice of course, ahem :)
I love networking content. I put drops in every room of my house a few years ago and every PC and smart TV had a wired connection, leaving just phones and tablets on WiFi. Best decision I ever made.
I'm a simple man. I see an Explaining Computers video and I click on it, like it, unsubscribe so I can subscribe, then make a comment to help the algorithm as well as complimenting Chris as to what great videos he produces. Hey Chris, you make great videos! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
I usually go back to the youtube home page as soon as a presenter starts going into their outro, but not with this channel. I actually keep watching to the end because that outro music is just so awesome. It's simple, yet memorable. And it always makes me smile.
I just ran 1000 ft Cat6a between 16 outlets through our new office. Learned to terminate RJ45 plugs and jacks. Pass through plugs I feel was easier. After the first few times you get in the groove.
Exactly. It does take a little practice, but eventually you get it. I did.
Wow, that was great. I’m a retired IT person and I’ve never heard about pass-through connectors! Thank you ever so much for this video as my old fumble fingers have trouble making cables with the old style connectors. I’ve watched your videos for years and honestly I think this is the most practical, useful video that I’ve watched! Thank you ever so much and please don’t stop making these wonderful videos. Hans …
Thanks Hans. :)
Chris’ genius is his ability not to complicate.
Thanks. :)
I missed this when it first came out but by the miracle of UA-cam a year later I finally get to watch. 👍 Very informative and I feel capable of an outdoor Ethernet project with your help.
I'm at a loss to try to imagine why on earth so many dislikes? There is nothing but excellent concise and informative information here in this video. That's what lock-up has done to some people -I despair I really do. Keep up the great work you do as always very much appreciated. Thank you.
Thanks for another useful video - I note that you didn't even try to demonstrate the non-pass-through type of RJ45 ethernet cable plugs and I don't blame you! They were fiddly and difficult to fit, the bane of my life, and caused endless problems till I finally was able to obtain the pass-through type which made things so much easier!
It is quite apparent that the proper tools make this job easy. I have done this just using simple wire strippers and cutters, and it can be tricky.
Yes, agreed. This is one job where the right tools make a massive difference.
I learned everything about Ethernet cables from just one video. Well done, and thank you.
Many people,including myself thought that when first introduced to the internet, wireless would be faster. Fortunetely I learned very fast that wired is always better. Good video.
I'm such a cable snob, it's 100% copper or not at all.
Just done installing ethernet runs throughout my house, spent the money on a branded cat6 (likewise, longest single run is under 20 metres) and I genuinely sit happier knowing that the hours I spent fitting it and fishing cables through cavities have been with a quality product.
CCA must be avoided at all costs! I work with POE so it is always best to have pure copper.
@@soiledhalo2296 ironically, PoE is my next stage for CCTV :D
The remainder of the drums I bought perfectly fit the remaining needs with an estimated 10-20 metres left over
I wouldn't use CCA for anything it's junk wire.
I have never used CCA. You confirm my doubts.
I'm with you, Dave. I prefer solid cable over anything. I find it easier to work with as well. Solid cable holds shape better when you're pushing it into a plug to terminate. There's no point using stranded in any other application, such as permanent wiring, yet I don't even want to use it for patch cables. 😂
Those pass-through connectors and crimping tool certainly made it look easy!
As a network engineer of over 30 years. Very well explained !.
Thanks!
Very well explained. I've been making my own cables for years, and rarely seen someone demonstrate it as succinctly as this.
Very helpful video. I have to run an Ethernet connection out to my greenhouse as I'm planning to install a remote monitored sprinkler system and a camera system there. Now I know what components I will need, and in order to future proof, exactly what cable I want to use. Thank you very much Chris.
Sounds like a cool project.
Network basics and how-to, the information everyone doesn't need... until they need it desperately.:)
Chris this video is excellent and timely, the best video I have seen explaining cable types and showing the practical application to wire a socket or plug. The reason for it been timely is my 15 year old son asked me to teach him about making Ethernet cables. Now we can watch the video together and then build some tables. I started my career in telecoms and the first thing we had to do was build a set of good test cables. Normally an x21 through and cross cable, a v24/rs232 through and nul modem and a loop dongle and always the most fiddly was a RJ45 plug Ethernet. Loved this video thank you for sharing.
A *proper* crimping tool, like the one shown in this video, is *absolutely* worth the extra money! The ratcheting kind like that -- where it simply will not release until you've fully crimped the connector -- is *SO MUCH BETTER* than the "pliers-style" of crimper. A cheap tool will cause you *no end* of troubles with your network, whereas a good-quality (and thus more expensive) tool will make a good connection every single time.
Yes, it hurts to spend that kind of money on a tool, when you see the cheap pliers-style crimpers for so little money. But don't be fooled!! Buy the expensive ratcheting-style crimpers!! The time and frustration you save is worth every penny you'll spend on the expensive crimper! As someone who has wired up literally thousands of these connections in his lifetime, I *promise* it's worth the money!! I learned it the hard way!!
The one he has is a bootleg of the EZ-RJPRO made by platinumtools.org. At my work, we use the official ones which are constructed very well but I purchased a bootleg one in a kit myself for $37 on amazon and it doesn't compromise much on the quality if you're only using it for wiring around the house. The kit itself wasn't worth it in my opinion because the tester and punch down were both pretty bad.
www.platinumtools.com/products/crimpers/ez-rjpro-hd-crimp-tool-100054c/
"where it simply will not release until you've fully crimped the connector" Just don't pinch yourself with it. Been there, done that.
I'm now going to get that work fixer blob of clay for my tool box! 😄😆😅🤣😂🙃
This is a first-class presenter. Excellent videos each time. Congratulation and thank you for your time and dedication to be simple, robust and unique. You are the best. Congratulations. I've cabled up many large structured cabling setups over the years, patch panels to wall sockets. Your presentation and explanation of terminating to RJ-45 and Faceplates is appreciated, and hopefully will inspire some viewers to cable their home network. I have had a Cat5e cabled network at home since around 2019, I only use WIFI for my phone. Every other PC, server, TV, console is hard wired via
Thanks for your kind feedback. Most appreciated. :)
It's very nice that you've done a video on UTP. Several years ago, I thougth I'd give my friend an advice on UTP (about 3-5 connections indoor totaling about 70m) by suggesting a youtube video on the matter - and there was not a good one with your relaxed and simple attitude - so that's definitely a plus! As for choosing the appropriate cable category, I think what worths mention is that when you do this a lot (in corporate buildings) - the idea is to select the less expensive (and often less wide) cable sufficient for the application. In 20+ users environments, CAT5 unshielded is still more than enough for general office rooms... shielding is only required for intra-server-room paths and sometimes when using vents near utility shafts (like high-power elevator motors, kitchens, etc.) I often see people select UTP based on the idea of "give me the bestest out there" and then they curse when drilling walls and trying to bend it. So my 5 cents to otherwise great video!
I've cabled up many large structured cabling setups over the years, patch panels to wall sockets. Your presentation and explanation of terminating to RJ-45 and Faceplates is appreciated, and hopefully will inspire some viewers to cable their home network. I have had a Cat5e cabled network at home since around 2006, I only use wifi for my phone. Every other PC, server, TV, console is hard wired via ethernet.
That was Ethernet 101 through to Ethernet 105 in one very interesting video. Thanks again, Chris. Superb insights, as always. I would never have suspected there was so much to say about good old Ethernet
Perfect timing! I will be wiring ethernet in the crawlspace next month, and I mistakenly assumed I knew enough about which cable to use and which tools I'd need. Saved me some headaches!
How timely, just about to run a cable to my garage. Wish I had known about pass through plugs in the past though, much easier than the closed ones. Thanks for the video.
Christopher, just wanted to say thanks for an excellent tutorial, i decided 18 months ago to hard wire our new build house, some cables had already been installed however i decided to purchase 2 X TP-LINK AC1350 and install dado trunking within my office for better connect and better speed. i have put off the the final commissioning as i wasnt sure about the correct termination of both jacks and leads. after watching this i have bought the termination kit with pass through tool and cable tester and its all gone well!
ive now subscribed as well.
Thanks 🙂
This is great to hear -- this is what UA-cam is for: sharing knowledge. And you now have a new skill! :) And if you ever want to make changes to your network, you can just do it yourself with tools you now have.
Fantastic guide. Very helpful and NO MUSIC!!
I'm planning the re-installation of my computer and network equipment. I want to clean up the present tangle of cables by making cables that properly fit between units to make a neat and much easier to maintain setup. Your video is the only one I've seen to date that covers the choices and methods for making proper cables out of the pile of spares I've collected over the years. Many thanks.
Handy Tip worth mentioning here: although Chris has made a very neat job of the socket wiring, it’s handy to include ‘service loops’ on the wiring. Basically have the stripped wires a little longer (each end) to facilitate cutting back should you ever need to change the termination configuration at a later date. Or if there is a problem with a good secure connection you get a second or third go. Nonetheless, nice video Chris 👍
Oh yes.... when some previous owner wired a security system into my truck, well, the damn thing blew up the alternator and had to be removed so it wouldn't do it again. And they'd wired it into EVERYTHING... with the wires as short as they could be and still reach when stretched tight. We finally gave up on rewiring the radio, there just wasn't any slack. Service loops are a wonderful thing, and always make them twice as long as you anticipate ever needing!
When you wanna use 10GBe+, don't do it. Those are basically inductors.
Not a good idea. You should read www.flukenetworks.com/knowledge-base/applicationstandards-articles-copper/terminating-category-6-5e-and-5-connector
@Leon Mailfert The cable he used is outdoor so the sheath is quite rigid. If you are going to loop you would not do it in the block. I don't do much domestic installs so I usually loop in the ceiling space where it is accessible as looping in the wall can impact on compliance to bending radius and the risk of kinking the cable if it is looped within the wall cavity - both of which can cause a certification test to fail (reflections).
The issue with terminating without maintaining twist right to the terminal block conductors is introducing crosstalk between the pairs (at both ends) which causes noise and thus impacts signal to noise ratio - that can lead to bit error rates and retransmission hindering performance at the very least.
Yes! I always leave generous wires/cables for this reason. I’ve never known what it was called though.
Bravo! Best wiring video I have seen! Must have been VERY difficult to capture as clearly and in focus as you did. Kudos!
This gave me nostalgia... quit network engineering about 4 years ago. Would have been nice to have had such a profound, yet easy to follow guide back in the day.
Well, that was refreshing. Compared to a lot of the entertainment crap and not educational content. It's been some years since I made my own cables and this brought a lot back to mine so, Thank You.
I like the Sundays thanks to you!
Hello from India.
Greetings from the UK!
Nice video. I had to learn all this years ago when I ran Ethernet for a local business as well as when I wired my home. The only thing I can think to add is that if you are running the cables in your attic Please get the plenum rated cabling because it will not produce toxic smoke in case of fire!
Thank you for the excellent video and the time you put into it for us. It is appreciated.
I'm a fan of conduits and pull throughs, laying a pipe to carry the underground cable also helps when it comes to upgrade time.
Hardware changes so quickly so after 15 years my plastered in cat 5e cable is looking a little ropey when connected to my teenage son and his insatiable data needs.
Thanks for yet another excellent tutorial
This video earns a much coveted spot in my ultimate playlist; "REFERENCE". Thanks!
Great to hear! :)
Chris's speech cadence brings me so much joy! Thank you for uploading these amazing videos!
This is a first-class presenter. Excellent videos each time. Congratulation and thank you for your time and dedication to be simple, robust and unique. You are the best. Congratulations.
Thank you very much!
Wow it’s really that simple. I’ve often looked at Ethernet cables and thought to myself it looks really complicated, but now seeing that it only takes a couple of tools, some cable and a wiring diagram, I’ve now learnt something new and could easily do this myself. Thank you for this video Chris. Please please please keep up the good work and do more videos like this 😁😁😁
This is the PERFECT Ethernet wiring video. EVERYTHING you could possibly want to know about wiring Ethernet. I have been doing this DIY for a number of years now. From my experiences:
- Pass-through plugs make it SO much easier. I have tried both. Getting the wires in sequence is tricky. Doing this does take time, patience and practice. A magnifier really helps.
-Testers are a must. They can be bought inexpensively, like the model used here, BUT their jacks can be flimsy and finicky. While the cable connections may have been made correctly, they do not always display fully. Sometimes wiggling the plug is necessary. Sometimes the device itself may be bad. SO .... FIRST test the device itself with a known good patch cable.
Very timely, I’m waiting on my StarLink “dishy” . I’ll need to wire it in. It’s been 30 years since I used a punch down tool. 👍🏽 informative and well presented. Thanks
I did my whole house when I moved in. Put the patch panel and switch in the cellar. All went well, floorboards up which was chaos as the landing floors were up too. Did every room even the attic room. All tested - big tick and started putting the boards back. All done and....I had nailed through the attic run which was obvs the longest :-( ....had to do it all again. Won't make that mistake again. Excellent vid as usual.
Well, that was really useful. Thanks for condensing all that information into a single video. Looking forward to seeing more videos on your garage/studio project in the future.
This video came up on my feed yesterday, and I am really pleased I watched it. I've never done this myself, but expect to need to do it in the next few months. Your guide is VERY handy and informative.
Also, working in the industry, I can well believe that telcoms engineers go our for pointless wifi issues all the time. Quite frustrating when you know it's a waste of their time.
Great video. Quick note. If you are using a shielded cable then you should use a shielded CAT6A connector (or whatever standard your cable is) otherwise the cable shield is not connected from device to the socket. They have shielding around the area where the twisted pairs pass into the connector and a small metal crimp that crimps around the foil screen, completing the shield.
Also, the shield should be grounded at one end only..
@@James_Knott Why is that?
@@devanirnf To prevent a loop that can pick up a lot of noise.
@@James_Knott thanks 😃
Thanks for the timely video, you've probably saved me a bit of cash in the process. I had my garage converted into a "man cave" last year and I have a server cabinet in there with a rack server, POE switch and Ethernet going elsewhere to the house. I had quite a bit of internal and external CAT6 cable left over and was planning to make up a few more patch leads from it over the next couple of weeks. I didn't give any thought to cable types and AWG numbers but, thanks to your video, I've just now ordered the correct crimping tool and Ethernet plugs.
Outdoor cable is generally UV protected too. So the sun does not break the cable down. Where as Indoor cable is not UV proof. I have seen many installations where people have used indoor grey cable outside. And after a few years it has cracked open and let water in. Leading to corrosion and failed links.
When using outdoor cable exposed to the sun, I would also suggest additional UV protection, like another sleeve. Sun can be brutal.
@@KameraShy I guess wrapping in aluminium foil would help.
I've seen this more often than not as people have taped up spaghetti wires along the side of their houses. Ironically, they opt for crap tape rather than UV resistant duct tape.
Perfect timing Mr. Barnatt! I, (we, including SWMBO) are moving to far rural NW Montana, which features fiber optic internet. My request for hard-wired ethernet has been conditionally approved, but it's probably been 25 years since I've wired an RJ-45 plug.
I have the same cable tester as you. You can slide the two master/slave units apart then install one on each end of the run of cable run.
Yes, it is very handy! :)
Excellent video! Very professional indeed.
I usually don’t have the patience to bother with Ethernet cables, but this makes it very easy to grasp!
I found this very interesting as i want to make my own patch cables, and was wondering how it was done you have saved me a lot of research, thank you.
In my personal opinion, this is the easiest and most simple way to learn how to tie the wires
Great job man 🇩🇿🇩🇿
Another trick is when you run a cable through an outside wall is make a loop on the outside so that the cable going into the wall is at a point higher than the loop. Water always runs down hill...
Called a drip loop. Professionals do that.
Nice, no music no BS straight to the topic. Well done. Thanks
For the underground cable, you might have want to mention that if you're going from one building to another building with it's own grounding - consider the problem of grounding loops. If you don't want to worry about this, consider multimode-fiber.
not to mention lightning strike nearby welding every cable on the network into place and killing everything.
Christopher - this video is exceptionally useful, by far the best video I've seen by quite a margin in this area.
I have forwarded this to a bunch of students and people curious on the topic who appear to find it equally as useful, many thanks! Outstanding stuff!
Great to hear!
I saw this weeks video title and thought 'Really??!?!' I guess the seasoned Cat crimper in me forgot how much info there really is in this subject, especially as it's grown over the years. Once again, a perfectly laid out, easy to swallow, very informative video. Hats off to you sir!
Just one niggly comment though (and based on my pet peeve) I would have mentioned the importance of crimping onto the insulation of the wire in the RJ45 as it acts as the strain relief. I have seen it too many times where cables are pulling on the 8 wires, especially on the non ez-crimp connectors. It makes me wonder why aren't all connectors ez-crimp?! (passthrough style)
Yearh.. The RJ-45 mounting is very bad - and why using shielded cable with unshielded connectors.. Do it right, or leave it :-)
Loved the video. Very informative. I was hoping you would touch on several of the things that you wound up talking about. As someone from the telecommunications industry, I highly appreciate the fact that you highlighted this subject so well. Ultimately you only scratched the surface, but that's just how deep the rabbit hole goes. It's so nice to hear about a subject from you, even when I already know a fair amount about it. You always deliver something of value!
I do have a couple of notes on tools and the termination of cables, as someone with industry experience. I really liked that you provided a thorough explanation of the tools, and that crimper certainly looks great, but I would recommend a better punchdown tool. There are spring-loaded punch tools that also offer bladed bits to cut the ends off the cables flush with the socket; not unlike the way the crimper cuts excess cable off of pass through connectors. Having that spring-loaded kick and a larger tool to hold onto really helps seat the cables firmly and ensure a high quality connection.
You did a fairly good job on both the plug and the socket, though I must point out a few things that stuck out to me. As mentioned about the punchdown tool above, it's ideal to cut the loose ends coming from a socket as flush as possible to avoid potential issues with cross-talk, ingress and egress, etc. You did well to maintain the twists right up to the termination point in both the socket and the plug. I did notice however that it looks like you failed to seat the strain relief notch in the cable jacket on your patch cable plugs. It's not a huge deal in the short term, but that can cause problems with the connectors in the long run. Especially for patch cables which are frequently plugged and unplugged.
In any case, you did a fantastic job on the video, as always! Thanks so much for your hard work, Chris! I look forward to Sundays specifically because I know there will be an EC video waiting for me!
21:51 - Yep, this is why I use ethernet for everything that has an ethernet port or can use some kind of USB to ethernet adapter. Wi-Fi is only for my portable devices like phones or tablets. PCs, game consoles, televisions - these aren't going anywhere, they get wired. It gives them a more reliable connection and keeps the airwaves free for the devices that really need Wi-Fi.
Great to see your garage studio is progressing! Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks Perry.
Excellent video Chris, fantastic as always! My only comment is that you didn’t use shielded RJ45 plugs for a cable that support it to make that little LED below 8 on your tester light up. But in your case the uplink cable is unshielded so doesn’t matter :)
I had no idea that there were so many variations in network cables. Thank you for the video.
Oh my! It's Sunday already? What happened to Saturday?
I've lost all sense of time now that I stay at home and walk around in my pajamas!
I’ve finally started my engineering job and yet I still feel the same! Chris is one of the few keeping me sane!
thankyou so much for the lesson ., U t's so important to me as an ICT teacher here in Uganda,
it's so helpful, I may need more connections
Right into my favourite vids
Great to hear!
Used your video to install a cctv camera. You made it easy for my first ever ethernet connection. A complete success. Thank you.
Great to hear!
Some people go to church on Sunday morning. Not me. I watch the latest Explaining Computers video.
:)
It is possible to do both.
This is the most clear concise and all-you-need-to-know tutorial for home network cabling. Thank you 😊
If you need a job with my local cable company, please let me know and I'd be happy to write a letter of recommendation. ☺️ Thanks for the wonderful content.
Other than removing the Sheliding... oops! I was surprised you didn't explain why they are TWISTED pairs (waveguides and all that), but it brought back to mind a small project I had taken on almost twenty years ago: cabling 30 stations in a friend's cyber cafe. No tools other than a side cutter and my crimping tool, sixty connectors, six cups of coffee, a hundred meters of CAT4(!!) and the God of thermodynamics on my side. Zero errors. No test equipment except the "is it working?" test. Later I got cocky and started doubling cables (4+4) to cut the cable cost in half. Good times. Now I have WiFi at home. Not for the computers but for the handheld devices.
Cat5 never comes shielded ?
Do they just not make it anymore ?
Are all these old 1997 vintage spools of Cat5 STP in my garage worth more money now ?...
@Tano
Then I can assume you don't want to see my 10base2 coax ethernet DOS PC network ???
You can still buy it on Amazon and elsewhere.
Great video - I’m fixing to install a few outdoor WAP at my house and this explained everything I need to consider when purchasing cable and connectors. Well done!
Good luck with your project.
16:32 - Your crimp could be better by removing all of the excess shielding (wire and foil) outside of the cable jacket. This caused the back crimp tab, that should hold the jacket, to be only on the wire shielding. That will pull out from the connector much easier requiring a future repair.
That Ethernet to USB adapter looks very interesting thank you for showing it
Ooh, a new video. I clicked so fast 😂
Hope you enjoyed it!
Even though I grew up learning how to make Ethernet cables to the T568A standard, my personal motto is "as long as both ends of the cable have the same colour lineup, you're good" and it's served me well for making cables of various lengths.
Still, it's nice seeing someone go over the wiring of cables and patch panels for a home network.
And regarding that bit about people complaining about slow internet when it's their wifi that's the problem: that's why I run Cat5e/Cat6 cables to as many of my systems & consoles as I can to get gigabit Ethernet around the house & leave the wifi for mobiles, tablets, laptops and my handheld gaming consoles.
mind you I'm also currently on 200/50mbps 4G Mobile broadband provided by Optus here in Australia (HUGE upgrade from the 8000/384kbps ADSL on Telstra copper POTS I used to have, and most of the town still has), so that gigabit Ethernet only really sees max usage when transferring files across the LAN between systems.
The Canadians typically all use the T568A standard whereas the USA uses the T568B standard. As long as the ends are both the same, it does not matter. However, you must make sure that each transmit-receive pair is on the same twisted pair. (you cannot just make both ends randomly the same -- they have to be "paired")
@@matthewhickok4421 As an Aussie, I tend to find networking stuff prewired as T568A, and the legends on keystones (like what was wired up in the vid) have both T568A & T568B on them so you can follow them for which version of the standard you want.
Yeah..as long as you have the same wiring on both ends, for the current time, standard don't matter a lot. The whole point of the standard is an 'industry-wide consistent' method to prevent the next guy having to work on it having to go test each individual wire to see what it connects to...keeping in mind that the 'next guy' very well may be *yourself*, several months or years down the line, having forgotten the method you used when initially installing this. :-) (always a good rule of thumb in pretty much *any* profession, I think..."Always keep in mind the next guy to come along and have to deal with your work...because very often you will *be* the 'next guy'...")
Broadcast media are always a last resort lol.
Wire is the way!
Another informative video. For people like me, who do better with tools than with computers overall, these DIY styled videos are a nice aspect of your channel. I learn from all of your videos, but these give me confidence to do more with computers.
Here! First. 12th 🏅 gold. Ready to watch the best tech stuff on internet thanks to Chris.
Greetings! Gold medal number 12 it is! :)
@@ExplainingComputers I have a feeling it must be more than than...
Ive watched a lot of these types of videos recently as im considering something similar, easily the best ive seen at this point👍
Awesome, thank you!
I prefer to strip the outer shield by cutting about 5 centimeters along the length of the cable. It is much less likely to damage a conductor. Even if I cut too deep, I only might hit the conductor, but I am very unlikely to cut into the copper. However stripping by cutting radially can easily cut halfway through a conductor because you are not absolutely sure about the cable diameter.
Yeah, counting clicks needs a lot of faith in uniform manufacturing, not to mention in your stripper.
Regardless of method used, care is always needed!
Thanks for this one. I have no practical application of the info in this video, but having more understanding of how ethernet hardware works will help me make more sense of the tangled mess behind my computer station.
A new EC video, oh yeees
I know all this but that won't stop me from watching a new upload from EC!
Thanks for watching!
Plebs: I hope my Wi-Fi will make it through my garage wall
ExplainingComputers: Drill to make ethernet hole goes "Brrrrr"
@Tano yup
@Tano Houses in the US are made from cigarette paper, so wifi goes everywhere, even to the neighbor
@@daviddavidsonn3578 Not sure where you live. But hopefully no big bad wolves come around and well roll your house up.
After the CAT classifications, I didn't know all the other info about Ethernet cable. I once ran about 50Ft. of CAT 5 cable in a rental home; it worked fine, but I still wish I'd known more about it. Very useful Chris... Thanks for another great video.
His info about plain CAT5 was wrong. It's capable of Gb for up to 100M.
Hardware repair, excellent.
I absolutely love, love, love this video! I don't think there is generally enough education about how networks work overall. As a result, I would bet that there are people paying way more than they should for the speed and volume of internet usage they actually consume. One final caveat should be that people should be careful that the ethernet cable between their PC/laptop and their router should also be at least CAT6 or above spec. If they just nonchalantly use whatever legacy cables are lying around the house and unfortunate enough to have Cat 5 product lying around, their gigabit speeds into the home will be reduced to 100Mpbs max to their PC. Dump those old CAT 5 (not 5e just yet) cables from the home.
Keep up the great work!!!!
FYI: The results address is not blurred. It can be accessed :/
Thanks greatly for this -- very helpful. I have applied a blur in the UA-cam editor, and this is processing. The IP in question is also no longer in use.
@@ExplainingComputers if the ip is dynamic, why bother blurring it in the first place?
A very timely video Chris, I've just had an offer accepted on my first house and it needs loads of work. I'm glad I can use this as a reference for getting and ethernet connection in each room that I want.
13:27 - UA-cam's 1080p video compression is getting worse. You can really notice the large "pixels" at the blue to red edges here.
Real and fake 1080p... Yea I need 4k because 1080 is getting blurred 😂
@@Nordlicht05 - It seems to be their newer encoding algorithm that tries to compress some areas more than it really should. If you look at the rest of that part of the video things look sharp but when the red is next to the blue it gets bad.
@@ElmerFuddGun I wonder if that's why lately some livestreams are badly pixelated at higher resolutions.
Very good bit of information at the end, as I've always told friends and family that if all you intend to do online is streaming video, video conferencing or gaming that requires low latency, to use a wired connection rather than a Wi-Fi connection.