Faceplate or Crimper?

[drummer]

I have a standard BT NTE5 wall socket with the bell wire removed and the Cat5 cable is hardwired, no phone extensions, alarms, fax or Sky installed.  

No line/noise problems either but the Cat5 cable is about 12-15m and I'd like to reduce it to about 2m as I'm reorganising my workspace.

So, bearing in mind I don't have a crimp tool, how hard or easy is it to replace an RJ11 plug on an existing cable?  Would it be easier/cheaper to just fit a filtered faceplate and uninstall the hardwired Cat5 cable?

If crimping is a viable option, what tool should I ask for when I phone my electrician friends and what components should I be buying?

I've hardwired hundreds of patchbays over the years, but the only thing I've ever crimped was my girlfriend's hair in the 1980s...

Thanks for reading.

PS How do you select the font you want to post with?

[Rik]

Hi Drummer

Is this the sort of thing you are looking for? I've never made up and RJ11 cable, but I wouldn't have thought it would be that difficult. (Famous last words!)

I'm assuming you're using the Cat5 in place of a normal modem lead? Once you're down to 2m, you could use an off-the-shelf product with no problems. A filtered face plate might be a bit tidier than a soap on a rope filter.

Of course, I may have completely misunderstood, in which case feel free to lambast me.

As to font, you can make the change with the red A - Font Face - button. It seems to insert Verdana by default (but it may be picking that up from my machines). Stick to 'safe' windows fonts for predictable results.

I've never really thought of you as a hair stylist before... 

[Inactive]

A 2m CAT5 cable costs around a quid, so not really worth messing around with.

Example; scroll down.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/DataandTelecoms/d190/sd2745

[drummer]

Hi Drummer

Is this the sort of thing you are looking for? I've never made up and RJ11 cable, but I wouldn't have thought it would be that difficult. (Famous last words!)

I was looking at that kit before I posted, but I baulked at £22 for a tool I'll probably only ever use once.

I'm assuming you're using the Cat5 in place of a normal modem lead? Once you're down to 2m, you could use an off-the-shelf product with no problems. A filtered face plate might be a bit tidier than a soap on a rope filter.

Your assumption is correct and again, I'm using the audio principle of minimal signal path (shorter cable=less degradation of signal) but I think I may be taking it too far for the sake of it.

If I do decide to go down the filtered faceplate route, I'm assuming best practice is to unwire the Cat5 cable first, or could I leave it there as backup?  I'm only tweaking, so it's not that important, but thanks for the reply and suggestions.

[Rik]

Hi Drummer

I know what you mean about the price of the tools, for a one-off job, I think buying a ready-made lead is going to be much more cost effective.

If you go for a filtered face plate, the Cat5 cable will be redundant, but it will do no harm to leave it in situ in case you need it at a later date.

[drummer]

Hi Drummer

I know what you mean about the price of the tools, for a one-off job, I think buying a ready-made lead is going to be much more cost effective.

If you go for a filtered face plate, the Cat5 cable will be redundant, but it will do no harm to leave it in situ in case you need it at a later date.

Hi Rik

Thanks for taking the time to reply and thanks for the overview.  Noted and absorbed.

Should you ever require the services of a hair crimper, let me know and I can refer you to someone who will mock you mercilessly until you change your mind...

[Rik]

Should you ever require the services of a hair crimper, let me know and I can refer you to someone who will mock you mercilessly until you change your mind...

Sadly, these days, there's not so much to crimp, but thanks for the offer.