Useful Tools

I found these tools to be indespensible for hooking this stuff up.

Plug Crimper

This tool is used to crimp the little RJ-whatever plugs onto wire. There are cheaper plastic ones, but I don't recommend them. They bend before they make a good crimp. This tool will do the RJ-11s, RJ-45s, and also the little skinny ones used for the cable that goes between the handset and a telephone. Word from a pro: "The best RJ-45/RJ-11 tool I have found so far is the IDEAL Telemaster, Catalog No. 30-496. Built in stripper/clipper (with replacable blade), all steel with high impact plastic guards. Also, you might note that Harris Dracon has a new punch down out, the D914, takes the 814 blades but with some neat new features." (cbrown@matnet.com)

Punch Down Tool

This is the tool you need if you're going to use patch panels. It reliably punches the wire down into the slit, and you can get blades for both the T-110 and the T-66 style of wire slit. Each blade has two ends: one for punching down a continuous wire, and the other for cutting the wire at the slit. The one I got works OK, but I understand if you want a real pro tool, you should get the Harris Dracon D716 or D814 punch-down tool.

Another observer notes that: "The ... Harris-Dracon 914 ... has a probe-pic and a spudger built in to the handle and has a screwdriver attachment that comes with it." Jeez. How have I lived without a spudger all these years??
Harris Dracon D814

Continuity Checker

Not Shown
You absolutely need some kind of continuity checker. I used my portable meter, which has a continuity setting that beeps when you short the leads. This was critical, as you get a lot of surprises when you do punch-downs and crimps. You can't really see whether you've got a connection or not. I got into the habit of checking every connection.

Clip-On Phone Jack

I got a phone jack with leads on it, and put little alligator clips on the leads. This is real handy for checking for live phone connections. You just clip on the alligator clips to the pair you're trying to check, and then plug a phone into the jack and see if it works.

Note on stripping cat 5 wire

I don't know if it's all like this, but the stuff I bought has a little nylon string in it, along with the four pairs. If you get a couple inches of that string loose, you can give it a pull, and the jacket splits right apart.

You don't have to strip the wires themselves, because the slits in the punch-down block go right through the insultation.

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Mail John
21 April 2000