splicing Cat5E patch cable to an RJ45 socket

[Adam Funk]

There's a phone socket on the wall just outside the "networking cupboard" at home (well, built-in wardrobe with the router & modem on a shelf). I'd like to change it to a double --- phone beside RJ45 on one faceplate & connect the RJ45 to the router inside. Instead of wiring a socket on the wall to a socket inside the cupboard, then connecting a patch cable to the router, is there any reason not to just put an RJ45 plug on one end of a piece of cable & the RJ45 socket on the other end?

If so, what is the colour-coding to use?

Thanks.

[John Rumm]

You can, although it makes it a little less flexible in use, and you also need to take care that you don't move the connections about too much since the solid core wiring cable does not last as well with repeated flexing as the stranded patch lead stuff.

You can in theory get special RJ45s designed for solid core, but I have never had any problem with "normal" ones on solid core cable in applications were its mostly going to be plugged in and left.

Stick to TIA 568B in most cases (unless your sockets are only colour coded for A). Most are marked with both colours, although B only ones are becoming more common.

[Andy Burns]

It's not impossible, but you're looking for a mixture of bits, normally sockets expect solid core cable, and plugs expect stranded core flexible cable.

Using flex in the krone punch-down of a socket *will* be unreliable (been there had to fix someone else's f*ck-up) you can get plugs for solid cable, but they're a little harder to come by, or you can get plugs that claim to work with both solid and flex.

[Mike Barnes]

Others will answer on the practical aspects of doing what you ask, but I'd stick with the two-socket approach, unless there was a really pressing reason not to have a second socket.

[The Natural Philosopher]

And the first time it takes you an hour to find the fault, you will resolve never to do it again

[Robert]

+1 The socket and patch cable approach is more reliable and far easier to fix if a problem does develop.

[Bob Eager]

You could do both sockets outside the cabinet and just cross-wire there.

Get a double box that holds two single sockets and it can look quite neat:

Just make a hole between the two halves for the link cable. Solid core naturally.

[Adam Funk]

Based on what I've read here, I now agree.

That would involve having a patch cable running out under the wardrobe door. (Maybe I didn't make it clear, but the router is on a shelf inside a built-in wardrobe & the socket position is on a wall just outside the wardrobe.)

[Adam Funk]

Point taken!

[Adam Funk]

That's an interesting point ... as it happens, I've been using the same cable for some socket-to-socket connections & 1 patch cable where I needed a strange length.

B is what I've been using. Thanks (to others as well) for the advice

--- I'll just put a socket on both sides of the wall (1 inside, 1 outside the wardrobe/network-cabinet) & connect them the usual way.

[John Rumm]

Or use a small patch panel - then you always have expansion room.

[Dave Liquorice]

colour

Provided you stick with same both ends it doesn't matter the mapping of pairs to pin numbers is the same for A or B. It's only the mapping of colours to pins that changes and I'm pretty sure the electrons don't care about insulation colour (Russ Andrews' universe excepted).

A cable with A one end and B the other is a cross over cable sometimes useful if you want to connect two bit's of kit that would normally connect to a switch. Not often needed these days as the kit can work out that the pair swap is needed and do it itself.

[Adam Funk]

I suspected that, but I figure I'm better off being consistent.

Right.

[Peter Johnson]

Or use something like: