[ale] OT? - Cat5e crimping tool recommendations

[Mike Harrison]

> > I am going to make my first attempt at wiring the home with cat5e. I saw
> > several RJ45 crimping tools at Frys from $19 to $44. I found a 250 roll
> > of cable at Microcenter for $40. I am looking for recommendations from
> > those of you that have done this before in regards to the crimping tool.

I'm a "Pro", although I try not to be a wire monkey for a living, I've 
done it since 1984-ish. Put phone, serial, and later ethernet in 
hospitals, offices.. and later built a few NOC's. This month, for fun 
and friendship (not profit) I'm putting phone and data into a large 
vet hospital locally.

1. The good connectors have 3 prongs that straddle the wire when you crimp
   down on them and cost just a tad more then those connector shaped 
   objects with only two prongs that wiggle loose easily. Use only
   the 3 prong connectors. For some reason, Graybar doesn't stock them 
   locally, Shields does. 

2. Your connectors and crimp tools -SHOULD- match. In real life they 
   seldom do, but not all crimp tools dies (the part that holds the 
   plug) and depth of crimp match. For some reason, I've got two AMP
   semi-pro crimp tools that seem to work pretty well on all connectors,
   but some crimp tools/dies don't press down far enough on some 
   connectors, and I've had some dies not fit down the grooves
   well on some connectors and smash them. You may want to make sure 
   your tool works on those connectors if you can, when you buy them.

3. Good wire helps, Belden, ComScope.. etc.. but you can often find 
   good wire under other brand names cheaper. 
   Bad wire sucks. Brittle, hard to strip.
   I'm usually buying in bulk from Graybar or Shields and buy whatever 
   they have on sale. (I have 6 1000ft boxes of Belden in the garage now..)

4. Patch Cables. I rarely try to make my own anymore, again, Graybar
   and such places sell them in bulk cheap enough to make grabbing what
   you need more cost effective. And then you get those nice molded 
   plugs and strain reliefs.. 

And.. someday I'll buy a real tester.. mine is a set of loop back wall 
plugs kludged with a 9volt battery and a couple of LED's., which has 
worked for me. So far.