Broadband Applications & Construction Manual - Public - CommScope

9.11 Residential Interior Cabling
Connectorization
Connectorizing UTP and Telephone Cable
These instructions refer to general practices. Exact instructions may vary with the maker of the tools and connectors
you are using. Always refer to the manufacturer’s specifications.
UTP - the Twist is Important
Twisted pair cable twins its pairs together in a very precise lay, or frequency of twist. This lay provides a shielding
effect that permits high-speed data signals to travel reasonably long distances with minimum interference. Maintaining
that twist is essential to top performance, especially at the connector.
The majority of UTP data connectors are of the Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC) type in an RJ45 size
(eight wire). As the wires are crimped into place, the insulation is automatically stripped away to permit clean conductor
contact. Other proprietary tools and methods exist; consult your connector maker.
Use a ring tool to remove about 3 in (7.5 cm) of jacketing. Electrician’s snips can be used as long as you are
careful not to nick or cut the insulation. This should expose four twisted pairs color-coded as pair 1/blue, pair
2/orange, pair 3/green and pair 4/brown. When preparing the conductors for connectorization, do
not untwist any more than 1/2 in (1.3 cm) of the pair.
The two most popular UTP wiring schemes
are TIA 568A and TIA 568B. It doesn’t matter
which you choose as long as you are
consistent throughout the installation. Place
the conductors in the appropriate slots in
the jack or the outlet (striped conductors in
the odd slots, solid in the even) and crimp
them into place with the appropriate crimping
tool.
Phone Wire
Follow the same rules as UTP; instead use a standard 4-wire RJ11 jack. The color of the conductors going across
are 1/yellow, 2/green, 3/red and 4/black.