When making your own Cat 6 Ethernet cables, choosing the right RJ45 connector can affect installation difficulty, reliability, tooling requirements, and long-term durability. This guide compares three common options: standard non-pass-through RJ45 connectors, pass-through or EZ RJ45 connectors, and RJ45 plugs that use a separate load bar. You'll see how each type is installed, the advantages and disadvantages of each design, and which connector the video recommends for home and business networks.
If you regularly terminate your own Ethernet cables, there are several RJ45 connector designs to choose from. While they all perform the same basic task, the installation process can be very different.
The video compares three connector styles:
Each design has advantages. Standard RJ45 plugs use familiar tools and completely enclose the conductors. Pass-through connectors make it easier to verify the color sequence before crimping. Load bar connectors use a guide to help organize and position the conductors inside the plug.
The first installation uses Cat 6 cable and a Cat 6 UTP non-pass-through RJ45 connector.
The basic tools required are:
A boot can help protect the RJ45 connector from repeated bending or movement, although it is optional.
Begin by stripping approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches of the outer cable jacket.
Separate the four twisted pairs into eight individual conductors. Straighten and flatten the wires carefully. The straighter the conductors are, the easier it will be to arrange and insert them into the connector.
The installation in the video uses the T568B wiring configuration.
| Pin | T568B Wire Color |
|---|---|
| 1 | White/Orange |
| 2 | Orange |
| 3 | White/Green |
| 4 | Blue |
| 5 | White/Blue |
| 6 | Green |
| 7 | White/Brown |
| 8 | Brown |
Once the conductors are in the correct order, flatten them again and push them together tightly.
For a standard non-pass-through connector, the conductors need to be trimmed accurately because they stop inside the connector rather than extending through the front.
The video recommends trimming the conductors to approximately 3/4 inch.
The goal is to allow the outer cable jacket to extend as far as possible into the RJ45 connector while still allowing all eight conductors to reach the contacts at the front.
Slowly slide the conductors into the connector and verify that:
Insert the connector completely into a standard RJ45 crimping tool. Squeeze the handle firmly to crimp the plug.
After crimping, inspect the connector and then test the cable with a network cable tester. Testing confirms that all eight conductors are properly connected.
The video highlights several advantages of the traditional connector design.
The biggest drawback is installation difficulty.
All eight conductors must be trimmed to the proper length and inserted completely into the plug while remaining in the correct order. Beginners may discover after crimping that one conductor did not reach the contact.
For this reason, standard plugs can take more patience and time to terminate.
The second option is commonly called a pass-through or EZ RJ45 connector.
With this design, the individual conductors pass completely through openings in the front of the connector before crimping.
Because the wires extend through the plug, you can visually verify their order before making the permanent crimp.
Prepare and arrange the conductors in the same T568B sequence.
With a pass-through connector, the exact conductor length is less critical because the wires extend through the front of the plug.
Push all eight conductors through the connector until they emerge from the other end.
Check the color sequence carefully. If the wires are incorrect, simply pull them back, rearrange them, and insert them again.
Once everything is correct, insert the connector into a compatible pass-through crimper. The crimping process terminates the contacts and cuts the excess conductors from the front of the plug.
The video also identifies several potential drawbacks.
The third connector design uses a separate plastic load bar. Instead of inserting eight loose conductors directly into the RJ45 plug, the wires first pass through the load bar.
The load bar acts as a guide and helps maintain the correct spacing and position of the conductors before they enter the connector.
Begin by arranging the wires in the correct T568B sequence. Trimming them evenly can make it easier to feed the conductors through the load bar.
Slide the load bar over the conductors and move it as close to the cable jacket as possible.
Before continuing, double-check the conductor order:
Once the order is correct, trim the conductor ends flush and as close to the load bar as practical.
The load bar and conductors can then be inserted into the RJ45 connector. Push the assembly fully into the plug, insert the connector into a standard crimper, and complete the crimp.
Regardless of which connector style you choose, the video strongly recommends testing every completed cable.
A basic cable tester can confirm continuity and conductor order. A more advanced tester can provide additional information about wiring faults, miswires, cable length, and other conditions.
The video demonstrates both a basic tester and a professional NetAlly LinkRunner AT-1500.
| Feature | Standard RJ45 | Pass-Through RJ45 | Load Bar RJ45 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installation Difficulty | Higher | Easier | Moderate |
| Verify Wire Order Before Crimping | More difficult | Very easy | Easy |
| Specialized Crimper | No | Yes | No |
| Extra Components | No | No | Yes, load bar |
| Conductors Extend Through Plug | No | Yes | No |
| Video's Overall Rating | Preferred | Least preferred | Middle choice |
Of the three connector types demonstrated, the video selects the standard non-pass-through RJ45 connector as the preferred option for home and business networks.
The reasons given include:
The video places the pass-through RJ45 connector last among the three choices.
Although pass-through connectors are easier to terminate and make it simple to verify the color sequence, the video raises concerns about exposed conductor ends, dependence on the crimper's cutting blade, the need for specialized tooling, and long-term exposure to moisture or corrosion.
The load bar connector falls between the two. It provides useful wire organization but introduces an additional component that must be positioned correctly during installation.
All three RJ45 connector styles can be used to make functional Ethernet cables when they are installed correctly.
Pass-through plugs offer convenience, especially for beginners. Load bars help organize and position conductors. Standard plugs require more precision but use simple tooling and keep the conductor ends enclosed inside the connector.
For the installation shown in the video, the standard non-pass-through RJ45 is the preferred choice because of its simple construction, standard tooling, and emphasis on long-term reliability.
If you've ever had to make your own Ethernet cable, you have one important decision to make. You have to choose between a standard RJ45 connector, an EZ RJ45 connector, and an RJ45 connector with a load bar.
In today's video, I'll show you all three installations. Then I'm going to reveal which connector I think you should choose and which one you should avoid.
I'm Michael Scott, and not the one from The Office.
Let's start with the standard RJ45 connector installation.
We'll use a Cat 6 cable for this setup, along with a Cat 6 UTP non-pass-through gold-plated connector. All of the product links will be listed below.
The tools you'll need for this installation are a wire stripper and a standard Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet crimper.
At this point, you can add a Cat 6 boot cover if you want. Cat 6 boot covers help protect the fragile RJ45 connector. However, these boot covers are not mandatory.
If the cable you're installing will not be moved very often, a boot cover may not be necessary.
First, strip the cable jacket back approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches.
Next, separate all four twisted pairs into eight individual wires.
Then straighten all eight wires.
Just a heads-up: the straighter and flatter you make these wires, the easier the installation will be. Take your time.
Next, align the wires using the T568B configuration.
Once all eight wires are as straight and flat as possible, place them in the correct order from left to right:
Once the wires are in the correct order, make sure they're all as flat and straight as possible. Push them closely together.
Next, trim the wires straight across. The length of the wires should be approximately 3/4 inch.
This installation requires more precision when inserting the eight copper wires into the plug.
These connectors are also known as non-pass-through connectors because the eight wires are seated all the way to the end of the plug but do not pass through the front like they do with EZ RJ45 connectors.
The trick is to cut all eight wires to the ideal length so the cable jacket extends as far as possible into the connector.
The farther the cable jacket goes into the plug, the better. You want as little exposed conductor as possible.
Now insert all eight wires into the RJ45 connector.
Go slowly and make sure all eight wires remain straight and in the correct order. Sometimes the wires can kink, especially if they weren't straight enough before insertion.
Once the wires are fully inserted, take a close look at the color configuration. Make sure all eight wires are in the correct order and are touching the end of the connector.
If you've cut the wires correctly, the cable jacket should extend into the RJ45 connector. Again, the goal is to have as little exposed conductor as possible.
Once everything looks good, insert the connector into the RJ45 crimping tool.
Make sure the connector is inserted completely, then squeeze the handle. You should hear a snap. This process permanently connects the plug to the wires.
Pull the connector out of the crimping tool and inspect the connection.
If everything looks good, it's time to test the cable. I'll use a network cable tester, which will verify whether all eight wires are properly connected.
As you can see, our connector is good.
If you don't have a network cable tester, you can also connect the cable to your network and verify that it works.
What are the advantages of using a standard RJ45 connector?
First, there are no exposed wire ends at the front. Everything remains inside the plug.
Second, the connection does not depend on a cutting blade making a perfect cut every time. Specialized pass-through crimper blades can become dull, potentially leaving some wires cut and others incompletely cut.
Third, standard RJ45 connectors work with more universal tooling. Almost any standard Ethernet crimper can be used with them.
Some installers also trust standard RJ45 connectors for long-term durability, especially in tight spaces, patch panels, or anywhere cables may be flexed frequently.
There are disadvantages as well.
First, standard connectors can be considerably more difficult for beginners. Getting all eight wires even and fully seated is often the biggest challenge.
The process takes patience. Even when you think everything is correct, you may crimp the connector and discover that one or more conductors didn't reach the end.
Second, the process can simply be more time-consuming, especially for beginners.
Now let's install the EZ RJ45 connector, also known as a pass-through connector.
We'll use a Cat 6 cable for this setup along with a Cat 6 EZ RJ45 pass-through connector.
The tools required are a wire stripper and a specialized EZ RJ45 crimping tool.
Once the wires are in the correct order, make sure they're as flat and straight as possible and pushed closely together.
Because this is a pass-through connector, the exact wire length is less important.
Slowly and gently push all eight wires through the connector until the wires emerge from the other end.
From here, you can validate the color order.
If the color sequence is correct, it's time to crimp the RJ45 connector. If it isn't correct, pull the wires back out, rearrange them, and push them through again.
To crimp an EZ RJ45 connector, use a specialized pass-through compatible crimping tool.
Push the plug completely into the tool and squeeze the handle until you hear a snap.
The excess wires at the end should also be cut off during this process, leaving you with a finished RJ45 connection.
If all of the wires aren't cut completely, squeeze the handle again to finish the job.
Once everything looks good, test the connection with a network cable tester.
The first and most important advantage is that you can see the wire order before crimping. You don't have to wait until after the cable is finished to find out whether the conductors were arranged correctly.
The second advantage is faster termination, especially for beginners or high-volume jobs.
The third advantage is cleaner seating. Because you can pull the conductors through the plug, you can reduce slack inside the connector.
First, you need a specialized pass-through compatible crimper with a clean cutting blade.
Second, if the crimper doesn't cut flush or its blade becomes dull, it can leave tiny conductor ends sticking out.
According to the video, this may contribute to scratching, corrosion over time, or, in rare cases, contact issues.
Third, some pass-through connector designs can be more difficult to use with thicker Cat 6 conductors.
Now let's install the RJ45 connector with a load bar.
For this installation, we're using standard Cat 6 RJ45 plugs with separate load bars and gold-plated contacts.
The load bar inserts into the back of the RJ45 connector. Before inserting the load bar into the connector, however, the individual wires first need to pass through the load bar.
The tools you'll need are a wire stripper and a standard Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet crimper.
Once you get the wires in order, it can help to trim them straight across so they slide through the load bar more easily.
Feed all eight conductors through the load bar and push them closely together.
Before moving on, check the wire order again:
Everything looks good, so now push the load bar as close to the cable jacket as possible.
The less exposed wire you have between the jacket and load bar, the better.
Next, make a flush cut across the conductors as close to the load bar as possible. Make sure you use a good pair of scissors.
Now insert the load bar and conductors into the RJ45 connector in the correct orientation.
Push everything fully into the plug.
Now use a standard RJ45 crimper.
Insert the plug, push it all the way in, and press down once to complete the crimp.
Pull it out, and we're ready to test.
You should always test your Ethernet cables after making them.
First, I'll use a basic cable tester. We'll connect both ends and run the test.
The cable passes.
Now I'll show you a more advanced tester from NetAlly, the LinkRunner AT-1500.
This is a more professional tester, but you could certainly use it at home if you have a lot of cable runs and want to make sure they're wired correctly.
It can help identify faults, bad wiring, and miswires. It's also useful if you make a lot of your own patch cables.
We'll connect both ends and run the cable test.
The test takes a few seconds, and everything looks correct. It even displays the cable length, which in this example is three feet.
There are no issues with improperly seated pins or miswired conductors, so we're good to go.
With these three connector types, which one should you choose for a home or business network?
For this comparison, my winner is the standard RJ45 connector.
First, I prefer the reliability of the connection. It uses a proven crimping method designed to hold up over the long term.
Second, there are no exposed conductor ends at the front of the connector.
Third, there are no extra pieces. There is no load bar to manage or lose.
Fourth, there are no special tools required. The connector works with a standard RJ45 crimper.
Finally, standard RJ45 connectors are commonly used by professional installers for both home and business networks.
Of the three connectors shown in this video, the one I would avoid is the EZ RJ45, or pass-through connector.
The first reason is the exposed conductor ends. The video raises concerns about moisture, corrosion, and oxidation over time.
Second, inconsistent crimps may potentially contribute to intermittent connection problems.
Third, an EZ RJ45 requires a specialized crimping tool.
Fourth, the video recommends against using these connectors outdoors because the exposed conductor ends can provide an entry point for the elements.
For this comparison, the standard RJ45 is the winner, the EZ RJ45 is my least preferred option, and the RJ45 connector with a load bar falls somewhere in the middle.
I'm not a fan of extra pieces or extra tools, which is why I chose the standard RJ45 connector.
Now that you know which connector type I prefer for a home or business network, make sure to check out the next video.
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I'll see you soon. High five. Peace.
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