{"id":10842,"date":"2013-05-02T02:00:43","date_gmt":"2013-05-02T09:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=10842"},"modified":"2013-05-02T09:09:06","modified_gmt":"2013-05-02T16:09:06","slug":"ez-rj45-connector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/ez-rj45-connector\/","title":{"rendered":"EZ-RJ45 Connectors"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been putting off buying RJ45 plugs for Ethernet cables because it looked like they all suck, and I’m not as young as I used to be, so cutting the wires exactly to fit might be a problem (even though I terminated hundreds of cables in my early networking career).<\/p>\n

But recently I needed to help a neighbor who ran cables to relocate his wireless router. On a recommendation I picked up a box of the Platinum Tools EZ-RJ45 plugs and strain reliefs. The video<\/a> below shows how you attach them to a cable by sliding the wires through and out the front.<\/p>\n

I just installed them yesterday and had not a single failure (other than forgetting to slide the strain relief into the plug before crimping on the first one).<\/p>\n

The are about one dollar each vs. a few cents for the Chinese & big box versions, but my hair is worth the money.<\/p>\n

Platinum sells a special crimp tool<\/a> that cuts the wires when it crimps. I wasn’t the mood to spring for another $50 for the the tool for my occasional needs so I used a regular crimp tool instead. I cut the wires after crimping with diagonal cutters and tidied up with a utility knife. Certainly if I was doing a lot of cable builds or for a business I’d buy the pro tool.<\/p>\n

I bought a few of the Platinum Tools modular jacks, too, but I haven’t wired one up yet. You’ll see in the video that they look like a godsend, too, especially since you can reuse them with ease.<\/p>\n

Platinum Tool EZ-RJ45 plugs are highly recommended!<\/p>\n