Subject: Cable Tester Project

 

Shopping List                                                 Suggested Store

4 Led lights                                                                         Radio Shack           

1 220 ohm resistor                                                              Radio Shack

1 9 Volt battery clip                                                            Radio Shack

1 9 Volt battery                                                                   Radio Shack

1 2 cut RJ45 Face Plate                                                      Home Depot/Lowes/Radio Shack or www.jdr.com

2 RJ45 Female Jacks or Keystone Jacks                         Radio Shack or www.jdr.com

1 blue single outlet box                                                     Any Home Improvement Store

 

Dave Hudson W. Albany High Regional (Oregon)   dhudson@8j.net

 

Category 5 Network Cable Tester

 

Follow the steps outlined below to build your cable tester:

 

1.    Cut two pieces of Cat 5 cable about 6 inches long.

2.    Strip 1.5 inches of the outer jacket from each end of each cable.

3.    Install one end of each cable into each of the RJ45 jacks. Be sure to follow the color code for EIA/TIA 568-B.

4.    Jack A:

On the free end of the cable,

a.    Twist all solid colored wires together along with the negative (black) battery clip lead. Solder the wires together, cover with heat shrink tubing and shrink it with the edge of your soldering iron.

b.    Twist all the striped wires (White) together with one end of the resistor, solder and cover with heat shrink.

c.     Connect the other resistor lead to the positive battery clip lead, solder and cover with heat shrink.

5.    Jack B:

On the free end of the cable,

a.    Follow the diagram and solder wires to the LEDs as shown. The first LED's anode connects to the White/Orange wire and its cathode connects to the solid Orange wire.

b.    Connect the remaining wires to their LEDs, noting the proper anode, cathode connections shown in the diagram.

c.     Cover these connections with heat shrink tubing.

6.    Measure your LED diameter and select a drill bit this size.

7.    Mark and drill four holes in the faceplate for the LEDs to mount in.

8.    Mount LEDs, plug the jacks into the faceplate, connect battery and test your cable tester with a straight through cable.

9.    Mount the faceplate on an outlet box and give it the final test.

 

Cable Tester Schematic Diagram

 

 

 

 

Note that the Cathode of the LED has a shorter lead and the rim around the lens base is flattened off. These MUST be installed with the proper polarity as shown in the diagram.