Cat 6 cabling, termination

**Think** · 03-14-07, 08:19 PM

I have a pair of 7 foot, pre-terminated cat6 cables in hand but I want to cut-off one end and put a cat 5e wall socket on it.

Basically, the wiring for the Cat5E Is the same for straight through cabling, being either A or B but I'm a bit confused on how to adapt the other end for the Siemans wall plate.

This is a similar wall plate as the Siemens:

and the cat6 wiring is basically the same as Cat5e A:

1 - white/orange
2 - orange
3 - white /green
4 - blue
5 - white/blue
6 - green
7 - white/brown
8 - brown

The pre-terminated end will go directly to my router and the other end ( probably repeating myself) will go the the wall socket and then I'll use a cat 6 patch cord from there to the computer.

When I look at the wall socket, the color choice is different:

8 -stiped/brown
7 -brown
6 -striped orange
5 -orange
4 -striped blue
3 -blue
2 -striped green
1 -green

I thinking I'm making this harder then it looks

I assume you would follow the wall socket plate as if it was a termination end and not use the color codes on the socket?

Thanks

**Philip** · 03-14-07, 08:42 PM

Check out this article we have on the main site:

http://www.speedguide.net/read_articles.php?id=118

Basically, there are two types of color coding. Your cable is "586B" and the wall socket is labeled with the "586A" ... Some wall sockets have both types of labels on them.

Just check the images for 586A / 586B in the article above, it will start to make sense.

The color coding doesn't really matter, as long as both ends of the cable match. In other words, just make sure your cables are straight through (unless you want to do a crossover cable).

***YeOldeStonecat*** · 03-14-07, 08:42 PM

The pairing doesn't change when comparing CAT5 to CAT5e to CAT6. It's still the old white orange/orange/white green/blue/white blue/green/white brown/brown for common 568b.

You'll see the two types..568a and 568b. 568b is the more common one. But the bottom line is..just make sure whatever is on one end of the cable...you use the same on the other end.

As you'll notice though..some of the "snap fit" couplers such as pictured below...have a different order of the colors...but the focus on the pin numbering..and it's correct.

The differences in CAT5, 5e, and 6...are in the cable itself...and the ends...as far as twists, quality, tolerances, etc. But not the order of pins/colors.