Basic question if I may - replacing a network cable RJ45 connector?

[scooby73466]

Hello, I am reasonably proficient in mechanical things but I have an annoying problem with a PTZ camera and I need some very basic help if possible please. Firstly, let me say that there is nothing wrong with the camera itself, when I can get it to work it works well. I am convinced that it is a cable problem, or rather a connector on the cable run. We keep losing the camera on the NVR but when I climb up into the attic and play with the connector most times the camera starts to show again. I have attached an image of the connector and in my World I have never come across such a complicated cable. It looks like there are lots of individual wires that go to make up the cables and my thoughts are that if it is reasonably easy to get a new connector and replace the existing one then it will save wasting time of the installers.

I know it will be a very basic question and I really would appreciate being told a, what type of connector it is and b, a pointer on how to use it, i.e. a YouTube video or something lke that. Thanks to anyone who will help.

 

[lloydz1]

Looks like you just need an RJ45 Coupler.
The plugs should come out of both ends.

 

[scooby73466]

Wow, that was a quick reply. Thank you very much indeed. Yes, the plugs do come out of the coupler but I thought that maybe there might be something wrong with the actual plugs themselves. In the image the black cable comes from the camera and the grey cable was put in when the builders built our house. I asked them to put such cables in because it meant that they were on the inside rather than the outside. The camera system installers would have put the plugs on the ends of the cables and it looks as if it could be a fiddly job. Is a special tool required for such work ?

I will buy a new connector first and try that. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Phil]

Yes, the connectors are known as RJ45 connectors.
You should be able to find lots of How To videos on YouTube.
They are fiddly to get right, if you have the option it is often best to just purchase a factory made patch lead of the necessary length.

The white box is an RJ45 coupler, simply used to join/extend two cables.

 

[lloydz1]

Wow, that was a quick reply. Thank you very much indeed. Yes, the plugs do come out of the coupler but I thought that maybe there might be something wrong with the actual plugs themselves. In the image the black cable comes from the camera and the grey cable was put in when the builders built our house. I asked them to put such cables in because it meant that they were on the inside rather than the outside. The camera system installers would have put the plugs on the ends of the cables and it looks as if it could be a fiddly job. Is a special tool required for such work ?

I will buy a new connector first and try that. Thanks again for your help.

Ok so I very much doubt the RJ-45 connectors will need to be replaced, it would just be the coupler or perhaps try this, sometimes when an installer would crimp the RJ45 connector on the cable they don't bend back the plastic arm on the connector. I usually bend them to a 90 degree angle from the plug (not too much) (see pic below) this will ensure that they stay in the coupler snuggly.

If you actually need to replace the ends you will need to watch a video on how to crimp the RJ45 head.
Problem with this is there are 2 standards A & B whatever standard is on the opposite end needs to be maintained at the other end (normally, unless you are connecting to a switch)
I normally (and most people) use B which is as follows :
1. Orange/White
2. Orange
3. Green/White
4.Blue
5.Blue/White
6.Green
7.Brown/White
8.Brown

if you do need to go down this route, you will need a RJ-45 Crimper, RJ45 Plugs, ideally a tester also.

Good luck!

 

[scooby73466]

Thank you so much, I didn't expect this much help for what must have been a pretty stupid question. But there has been a development ! I suddenly remembered that I have the same type of connectors on the cables in the office here where the CCTV installers had joined up to the cables laid by the electrician when he put the cables in during the house build. Fortunately I had labelled the individual cables and I have just pulled the plugs out of the relevant PTZ camera cable connector and pushed them back in again and hey presto ! I've got the camera back again ! Does this type of connector give problems such as this ? The CCTV system was installed 6 years ago. Do I need to go round and pull them all apart and push them back together again ? Thanks again for all the help.

 

[scooby73466]

Ok so I very much doubt the RJ-45 connectors will need to be replaced, it would just be the coupler or perhaps try this, sometimes when an installer would crimp the RJ45 connector on the cable they don't bend back the plastic arm on the connector. I usually bend them to a 90 degree angle from the plug (not too much) (see pic below) this will ensure that they stay in the coupler snuggly.

If you actually need to replace the ends you will need to watch a video on how to crimp the RJ45 head.
Problem with this is there are 2 standards A & B whatever standard is on the opposite end needs to be maintained at the other end (normally, unless you are connecting to a switch)
I normally (and most people) use B which is as follows :
1. Orange/White
2. Orange
3. Green/White
4.Blue
5.Blue/White
6.Green
7.Brown/White
8.Brown

if you do need to go down this route, you will need a RJ-45 Crimper, RJ45 Plugs, ideally a tester also.

Good luck!

Apologies for the late reply but thank you very much for that. Today I bought a very cheap cable tester from Toolstation and together with a jack lead I think I have discovered that one of the cable ends that goes into one of the connectors has a faulty plug. Having said that, and as a last resport, I pushed the cable hard as it goes into the plug, put it back in the connector, and I have got the camera back up again !
And I have watched a few videos on YT and I could be persuaded to buy a kit wihich contains some terminals (the "thru" ones seem to be favourite) together with the crimping tool, cable cutters and strippers although I have already got a few of the last two items. Of course Sod's Law has determined that the faulty plug is right up in a loft where you can't stand up, only crawl along some boards that I have fixed onto the joists. But we are getting there and there is no doubt I wouldn't have got anywhere if you guys hadn't been ready to help me.
If ever you need help taking the drum out of a combine harvester, need to know how to plough a field or to be taught how to shear sheep just let me know and I will glady offer some tips !
p.s. On a different note, how do I accept cookies on this site ? I can't get a preview or post a smilie because I get the message that I must accept them and I can't see how to sort that one out !

 

[lloydz1]

Great to hear you have narrowed it down, defo go for the through plugs, if you do decide to replace much much easier.
Here is a good video with a nice tip:

In regards to the combine harvester I live in Wales on a small holding, have a little boy here who is tractor mad, with a selection of pedal tractors.
Any chance of giving a six year old a ride in a combine????

 

[Phil]

Apologies for the late reply but thank you very much for that. Today I bought a very cheap cable tester from Toolstation and together with a jack lead I think I have discovered that one of the cable ends that goes into one of the connectors has a faulty plug. Having said that, and as a last resport, I pushed the cable hard as it goes into the plug, put it back in the connector, and I have got the camera back up again !
And I have watched a few videos on YT and I could be persuaded to buy a kit wihich contains some terminals (the "thru" ones seem to be favourite) together with the crimping tool, cable cutters and strippers although I have already got a few of the last two items. Of course Sod's Law has determined that the faulty plug is right up in a loft where you can't stand up, only crawl along some boards that I have fixed onto the joists. But we are getting there and there is no doubt I wouldn't have got anywhere if you guys hadn't been ready to help me.
If ever you need help taking the drum out of a combine harvester, need to know how to plough a field or to be taught how to shear sheep just let me know and I will glady offer some tips !
p.s. On a different note, how do I accept cookies on this site ? I can't get a preview or post a smilie because I get the message that I must accept them and I can't see how to sort that one out !

Good to hear you are making progress

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[scooby73466]

Thank you for the video link. The PTZis still working this morning and so I am pretty sure I am going to buy the connector kit. With regards to the combine I am 76 years old next month and I don't have a combine any more, just a smallholding where I can play with my toys ! But for a while I did have a farm in Wales and made this ploughing video. Apologies for the quality but video cameras weren't very good in those days. Still got the tractor (and a couple of others) and the plough.

EDIT, I don't appear to be able to quote now so thanks to lloydz1 and Phil.

 

[scooby73466]

Great to hear you have narrowed it down, defo go for the through plugs, if you do decide to replace much much easier.
Here is a good video with a nice tip:

In regards to the combine harvester I live in Wales on a small holding, have a little boy here who is tractor mad, with a selection of pedal tractors.
Any chance of giving a six year old a ride in a combine????

Good to hear you are making progress

I'm afraid that the cookies and other resulting issues are our problem - we're hoping to implement a resolution soon (a new server!).

It goes back as far as this:

Unplanned Downtime - Forum outage yesterday and overnight!

Well that was VERY stressful! :mad: I can only apologise for the loss of the forum for the last 24hrs. I am sorry if you were inconvenienced in any way. Nothing has changed at the forum - you/we just could not get to it for almost 24hrs! :oops: Yesterday, we switched our webshop to a new...

www.use-ip.co.uk

Thanks guys, the quote option on here is different to what I am used to. Give me time please - I'll get there eventually !

 

[vbhoj74]

I generally use the Commscope ceiling connector for such locations, you won't ever have any problems when done this way.

Commscope ceiling connector

Don't really trust two hand crimped RJ45 jacks with an unknown coupler. If you have to go with a RJ45 male jack, try to find one which is suitable to be crimped on a solid conductor.

 

[scooby73466]

I generally use the Commscope ceiling connector for such locations, you won't ever have any problems when done this way.

Commscope ceiling connector

Don't really trust two hand crimped RJ45 jacks with an unknown coupler. If you have to go with a RJ45 male jack, try to find one which is suitable to be crimped on a solid conductor.

Thank you for that. Initially seems like a good idea.

 

[scooby73466]

Could any of you helpful Gents pass any comments about these please ? https://www.amazon.co.uk/CDL-Micro-...oining+ethernet+cables&qid=1645136112&sr=8-19

I'm not sure how the individual wires are secured within the connector and I do fancy having a go with a crimping kit and "through" plugs but although the latter look a bit fiddly I have always enjoyed a challenge !

 

[vbhoj74]

This is for the Commscope ceiling connector, but you would get the idea:

Link

 

[scooby73466]

This is for the Commscope ceiling connector, but you would get the idea:

Link

Thank you but could you tell me how the individual wires are connected securely inside the connector please ? Do you need sme kind of "push down tool" or something like that ?

 

[Phil]

In the video above at #15 that @vbhoj74 shared it shows that particular Commscope device makes the termination simply by you squeezing the connector lid on tightly.

Other similar connectors may require the use of a punch-down tool:

https://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/8pk-3141b/impact-terminal-tool/dp/TL02441

 

[scooby73466]

In the video above at #15 that @vbhoj74 shared it shows that particular Commscope device makes the termination simply by you squeezing the connector lid on tightly.

Other similar connectors may require the use of a punch-down tool:

https://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/8pk-3141b/impact-terminal-tool/dp/TL02441

Thank you. I don't know why but I am favouring the crimping method using "thru" RJ45 connectors at the moment. Commscope and similar couplers look much eeasier to use but are the actual connections as good as the crimping method (always assuming that it is done correctly of course) ?

 

[vbhoj74]

With the COMMSCOPE connector you are actually terminating the solid conductor wires in an IDC (insulation displacement connector) which gives you the best possible termination.

Most RJ45 male jacks are made to terminate on stranded copper (found in factory made patch cords), as they have teeth which pierces the conductor upon crimping.

 

[scooby73466]

With the COMMSCOPE connector you are actually terminating the solid conductor wires in an IDC (insulation displacement connector) which gives you the best possible termination.

Most RJ45 male jacks are made to terminate on stranded copper (found in factory made patch cords), as they have teeth which pierces the conductor upon crimping.

Thanks again for that informative piece of info. I will peruse things for a while.