Need Help on Getting Network Cables / Tools

[Firefox]

I just got a quote of this RJ45 Crimp Tool Modern KS-315 for $55 and a box of Tyco RJ45 Connector for $50 (100 pcs) . Is it overprice ?

The Tyco connectors can be gotten for $35 per 100-pack.

Just get a ratchet crimper (China OEM or original) because you'll die using a normal $15 (when not overpriced) crimper. The average $15- $20 crimpers you see in shops are only good for 100+ crimps before dying (assuming your palms haven't blistered by then). Tested and proven by my ex-colleague.
He went through 4 of those for 200+ cables (~400 odd heads) before shelling out $200 for his Tyco crimper. I settled for a $70 ratchet crimper from UHF technology in SLS. They also carry the China OEM of the Tyco crimper for $88.

 

[Firefox]

Part of the reason why the price is very high is to discourage end users from making their own patchcords. Prior CAT6, you could consistently crimp your own patchcords and get away with it. But CAT6 has more stringent requirements and the only way to consistently make a good patchcord is to do it in the factory.

Sometimes, it might be better off asking a SI to do the cords for you. PM me your requirements, I think I have some CAT5e UTP patchcords that I can sell off cheaply.

With some practice, like say.. After crimping some hundreds of cables, you should be able to consistently crimp CAT 6 patch cords without a hitch.
BUT, AMP Cat 6 is so stiff, I doubt you'd want to use it for patch cords.

It's a good idea for fixed installations whilst patch cords can be CAT 5E.
It's cheaper and by the time you need CAT 6 (upgrading to 10GBe or otherwise), commercial CAT 6 patch cords should be very affordable.

 

[matthew]

Besides needing practice to make patch leads that are consistently good, and needing a tester to verify this. (And if you think the crimpers are expensive....
Unless you have done this before, and will be doing it again, it's probably worth just paying some one to make up the custom lengths you require, instead of messing around learning how to make the connections properly. It's fiddly

There are 2 sorts of RJ45 plug - one for the stranded 'patch' cable and another sort for the solid 'building' wire. If you use a stranded crimp on the solid cord, it won't last very long, the 'tooth' on the little contact will fracture, as it's being pushed down into a solid piece of wire when it was designed to push into a bundle of strands. The sold conductor crimps are subtly different to allow the 'teeth' to spread either side of the single conductor. Even then solid core wire makes for rotten patch leads as it isn't very flexible.

The crimps you usually get will be intended for stranded patch cord. The 'boxes' of cat5e/6 cable you buy will tend to be the solid core 'building' wire, not 'patch' wire. It's sold in boxes as they cunningly place the roll in the box so that the cable neatly 'runs out' when you pull it, making it easy for the cabling contractors to run out the cables.

Bulk patch wire will probably be on a spool. The wire on my spool of patch wire is labeled 'cat5e twist patch', where as the building wire is simply labeled 'cat 5e'

 

[megaweb]

The Tyco connectors can be gotten for $35 per 100-pack.

Just get a ratchet crimper (China OEM or original) because you'll die using a normal $15 (when not overpriced) crimper. The average $15- $20 crimpers you see in shops are only good for 100+ crimps before dying (assuming your palms haven't blistered by then). Tested and proven by my ex-colleague.
He went through 4 of those for 200+ cables (~400 odd heads) before shelling out $200 for his Tyco crimper. I settled for a $70 ratchet crimper from UHF technology in SLS. They also carry the China OEM of the Tyco crimper for $88.

wah sound like my vendor quote me higher ... Tyco connectors can be gotten for $35 per 100-pack

Any chance of different quality of Tyco connectors ? or all the same type ...

 

[cowism]

RJ45 connectors are cheap IIRC. They all come in a box of 20s or 25s. Can't remember. Been long since I touched all these. Crimper is something that looks like this. Spend abit more on a good one, if not you'll have a hard time doing your LAN crossover, rollover and whatever nots cables..

 

[Firefox]

Besides needing practice to make patch leads that are consistently good, and needing a tester to verify this. (And if you think the crimpers are expensive....
Unless you have done this before, and will be doing it again, it's probably worth just paying some one to make up the custom lengths you require, instead of messing around learning how to make the connections properly. It's fiddly

There are 2 sorts of RJ45 plug - one for the stranded 'patch' cable and another sort for the solid 'building' wire. If you use a stranded crimp on the solid cord, it won't last very long, the 'tooth' on the little contact will fracture, as it's being pushed down into a solid piece of wire when it was designed to push into a bundle of strands. The sold conductor crimps are subtly different to allow the 'teeth' to spread either side of the single conductor. Even then solid core wire makes for rotten patch leads as it isn't very flexible.

The crimps you usually get will be intended for stranded patch cord. The 'boxes' of cat5e/6 cable you buy will tend to be the solid core 'building' wire, not 'patch' wire. It's sold in boxes as they cunningly place the roll in the box so that the cable neatly 'runs out' when you pull it, making it easy for the cabling contractors to run out the cables.

Bulk patch wire will probably be on a spool. The wire on my spool of patch wire is labeled 'cat5e twist patch', where as the building wire is simply labeled 'cat 5e'

No need for the incredibly expensive testers la.. The average $500+ Flukes are good enough for cable testing.
Not all spool wire is for patch anyway. 3000' lengths also come in spools even if they're for fixed installations. Sidez, never encountered any problems so far using solid core (including STP) for patch cords over the years. The computers die before the cables do. sheeesh..
Well.. So far so good.. 0% failure over hundreds of cables and still moving terabytes of data across the network in a day so I can't complain.