Which RJ45 plugs to use for thick cat 6 cable

[dannytrigo]

Hello,

I'm UK based and have wired a new house throughout with cat 6. But this cat 6 is way thicker than any cat 5 I've used in the past, and I've tried different plugs but so far none have fit onto the cable. Its roughly 8mm thick. Maybe its cat 6a?
Are there plugs I can buy for this cable? And would a standard crimping tool work, or do these thick cables need more specialised crimping tools? The house is already wired and decorated so I cannot change the cable for thinner cat 5/5e.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ColinTaylor]

That cable is designed for structural cabling. It is not meant to have RJ45 plugs attached to it. It should be connected to a Keystone connector on a patch panel or wall outlet.

https://www.nexans.co.uk/eservice/U.../Essential_6_Keystone_Connector_Screened.html

If you absolutely can't terminate the cable with a socket then you'd have to use something like this which is specifically designed for that type of cable:

https://www.nexans.co.uk/eservice/UK-en_GB/navigate_366888/LANmark_6A_Field_Terminable_Plug.html

 

[follower]

Hello,

I'm UK based and have wired a new house throughout with cat 6. But this cat 6 is way thicker than any cat 5 I've used in the past, and I've tried different plugs but so far none have fit onto the cable. Its roughly 8mm thick. Maybe its cat 6a?
Are there plugs I can buy for this cable? And would a standard crimping tool work, or do these thick cables need more specialised crimping tools? The house is already wired and decorated so I cannot change the cable for thinner cat 5/5e.

Thanks in advance.

View attachment 29897

Your cable is not CAT6a but CAT.6 FTP(=F/UTP) cable. So CAT.6A, CAT.7 plugs work fine for it. It doesn't work with normal CAT.6 plugs. Normal CAT.6 plugs are small for your cable because it's shielded(aluminum foiled). Some of CAT.5E STP plugs work for it. I recommend you buy CAT.6 STP plug(STP: shielded plug with metal) or CAT.6A plug or CAT.7 plug.
You should use like these plugs. This is just an example link.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M897SLS/?tag=smallncom-21

standard crimp tool(8p8c): works unless you use specified rj45 plugs from specific brands. It requires a dedicated tool for their brand like Commscope(Amp) tools.
type 1(good): shielded plug + loadbar
type 2(great): shielded plug + loadbar + guide
pin type: 2 prongs(good) or 3 prongs(great)
gold plated: 50µ

Do not buy any plugs without a loadbar! If you buy plugs which don't have loadbars you meet the HELL.

 

[follower]

That cable is designed for structural cabling. It is not meant to have RJ45 plugs attached to it. It should be connected to a Keystone connector on a patch panel or wall outlet.

https://www.nexans.co.uk/eservice/U.../Essential_6_Keystone_Connector_Screened.html

If you absolutely can't terminate the cable with a socket then you'd have to use something like this which is specifically designed for that type of cable:

https://www.nexans.co.uk/eservice/UK-en_GB/navigate_366888/LANmark_6A_Field_Terminable_Plug.html

No it's not. Your information is incorrect.

 

[ColinTaylor]

No it's not. Your information is incorrect.

What is incorrect? He is using solid copper cables.

 

[follower]

What is incorrect? He is using solid copper cables.

There is no problem with solid cables. Solid cables are far better than stranded cables. So a lot of people are using solid cables instead of stranded cables in the real world. Because stranded cables cause a lot of issues like disconnection, cut, termination issue.

 

[ColinTaylor]

There is no problem with solid cable. Solid cables are far better than stranded cables. So a lot of people are using solid cables instead of stranded cables in the real world.

Solid cables are not better or worse than stranded, they just have different characteristics which make them suited to different roles. Solid cables are not designed to be flexed, bent or twisted repeatedly. They also have a minimum bend radius. Given that the OP said he wanted to put a plug on the end of the cable I assumed he wanted to use it like a very long patch cable. In that case a stranded cable would have been a better choice. I did however direct him to an RJ45 plug that would fit his cable.

 

[L&LD]

Maximum bend radius?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Maximum bend radius?

Minimum. The radius below which the cable should not be bent. In the case of the cable that the OP appears to have the minimum bend radius is 29mm.

 

[follower]

Solid cables are not better or worse than stranded, they just have different characteristics which make them suited to different roles. Solid cables are not designed to be flexed, bent or twisted repeatedly. They also have a minimum bend radius. Given that the OP said he wanted to put a plug on the end of the cable I assumed he wanted to use it like a very long patch cable. In that case a stranded cable would have been a better choice. I did however direct him to an RJ45 plug that would fit his cable.

You are just talking about it in the textbook stuff. The real world is so different. Do you think he's gonna bent and twist it repeatedly? I don't think so. How many normal users bent or twist cables repeatedly? Are they working in their home for patch cable works repeatedly? In the real world? IT, ISP or Data center cabling engineers really hate Stranded cables because it causes a lot of issues like i mentioned. Other issues? Packet loss, packet error a lot. That's why they love to use Solid cables except elevator or door cabling like that. Also if they install with stranded cables the maintenance cost is higher than solid cables. You know why? Stranded cables makes a lot of issues which can't be found easily. Even the IT maintenance engineers who work in the building really hate stranded cables.
Anyway he's not your case. He doesn't need any keystone jacks except he wants to make a wall panel.

 

[L&LD]

@ColinTaylor, that is the maximum bend then.

@follower, none of what you're saying is refuting what @ColinTaylor states.

 

[follower]

@ColinTaylor, that is the maximum bend then.

@follower, none of what you're saying is refuting what @ColinTaylor states.

Which part? dannytrigo asked for RJ45 plug. Then colin answered him for keystone jacks.
"That cable is designed for structural cabling. It is not meant to have RJ45 plugs attached to it. It should be connected to a Keystone connector on a patch panel or wall outlet. " What is incorrect? He is using solid copper cables."
Kidding me? He doesn't even know about cabling I'm pretty sure. Maybe he doesn't even have cabling tools too.

 

[L&LD]

I'm quite sure he helped though too.

Harping on an error doesn't make it better either.

 

[ColinTaylor]

@ColinTaylor, that is the maximum bend then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bend_radius
https://www.nexans.co.uk/eservice/U...350MHz_LSZH_Dca_s2_d1_a1_Orange_500m_reel.pdf

Minimum Bend Radius - During Installation (under Tension) 58 mm
Minimum Bend Radius - Installed 29 mm

 

[follower]

I'm quite sure he helped though too.

Harping on an error doesn't make it better either.

dannytrigo just wants terminate it with rj45 plug. He has cat.5e plugs and a utp crimp tool. He wants to do something with some length of cat.6 ftp cable.
He's not talking about wall panel stuff works.

 

[follower]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bend_radius
https://www.nexans.co.uk/eservice/U...350MHz_LSZH_Dca_s2_d1_a1_Orange_500m_reel.pdf

OMG...
Have you ever terminated CAT.6 ftp, CAT.6 sftp, CAT.6a or CAT.7 cables? I think No?

 

[L&LD]

I don't know @follower... I think @ColinTaylor seems to know what he's talking about.

 

[dannytrigo]

Thanks all. A lot of information to digest
For info, the cables will not be bent/replugged at all. They are for connecting into a switch in the attic, and a permanent connection behind a TV.

For other places, sockets have been installed already and the cable wired to those without issues.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Thanks for the extra information @dannytrigo. As noted above (and as you have discovered) those thick shielded cables require a different type of plug compared to the unshielded Cat5e cables. A Cat5/5e crimping tool should still work for Cat6 plugs but Cat6a/7 plugs require a different tool (or a tool that can be adjusted). For a one-off connection you could use a Field Terminable Plug but they're bulky and quite expensive if you need more than one.

 

[follower]

Thanks for the extra information @dannytrigo. As noted above (and as you have discovered) those thick shielded cables require a different type of plug compared to the unshielded Cat5e cables. A Cat5/5e crimping tool should still work for Cat6 plugs but Cat6a/7 plugs require a different tool (or a tool that can be adjusted). For a one-off connection you could use a Field Terminable Plug but they're bulky and quite expensive if you need more than one.

I understand you want to give some information to users. However I don't think the wrong information is good.
"cat6a/7 plugs require a different tool (or a tool that can be adjusted)"
Normal cheap crimping tools work great with consumer grade plugs(cat.5e, cat.6, cat.6a, cat.7) in the market such as Amazon. So we don't have to adjust or replace a crimping part. Some expensive plugs from some vendors require dedicated tools.
Just so you know, those vendors started to sell some plug models which don't require dedicated tools from 6-7 years ago(Commscope).