How to Crimp Connectors

• Use wire cutters to cut and square off the end of the cable. If the wire cutters flatten the cable, gently mold it with your fingers until it is round again.
• Use wire strippers to remove 1/2-inch of the cable’s sheath to expose the bare copper center.
• Use your fingers to expose 1/8-inch of braid and foil by pinching and pulling off a small piece of the outer sheath.
• For UTP cable, strip
  1/2-inch down from the end using cable strippers, and then carefully trim off the trip cord.

Tip: An installation kit can provide all the tools and materials you need to cut, strip and crimp networking cables.

• Slip the ferrule (the metal tube that will be crimped, also called an electric end terminal) over the end of the cable.
• Use your fingers to bend all the braid back over the ferrule as evenly as possible.
• For UTP cable, untwist each pair of wires down to the sheathing. If you’re working with CAT-6 wire, cut the center core down to the cable end.
• Lay out the wires side by side in this order: white-orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown.
• Trim all the wires to the same length, 1/2 to 3/4 inches from the sheath.

• Push the end of the cable into the F connector so the connector tube goes between the foil and outer housing of the cable.
• Push the end until the white insulator is flush with the bottom of the connector.
• Slide the ferrule over the bottom of the connector.
• Do not twist the cable inside the connector.
• For UTP cable, insert the wires in the order specified in Step 2 into the RJ-45 plug. The cable sheath should extend into the plug by about
  1/2-inch and will be held in place by the crimp.

• Make sure the ferrule is flush against the connector body.
• Crimp the ferrule tightly around the end of the connector using a crimping tool.
  Squeeze the tool handles fully, then release.
• Use an appropriately sized crimping tool. A crimping tool with multiple die sizes is ideal. Crimping with a too-small die can damage the ferrule. Crimping with
  a too-large die
  can create a weak or unfinished crimp.

• Trim any loose wires or braid.
• Cut the copper core wire flush with the end of the connector.
• Pull on the connector to make sure it is firmly attached.
• For UTP cable, make sure the wires are in the right order, extend to the front of the plug and make good contact with the metal bases in the RJ-45 plug.
• Repeat the steps to attach a connector on the other end of the cable.

Tip: Slide heat-shrinking tubing over the ferrule and shrink it using a heat gun to create a secure, professional-looking connection.