Wiring a Category 5 Patch Panel

To install a Category 5 patch panel, also known as Cat5, might be a frustrating work as you need to be careful when handling the task. Make sure that you have the cables placed to proper connectors correctly. It's advisable to find a punchdown to easily help connect the wires of Cat5 cable into suitable connectors.

To do so, first of all, pull a sufficient of Cat5 cable to reach the patch cable and allow a few inches left over.

Then, unclothe about 1-1/2 inches of the cable's outer jacket and spread out the inner wires on your hand. Check a user guide book of patch panel and you will see where each colored wire should go.

Next, find the RJ-45 jack on the upper left and place the colored wire to the connector accordingly to the user guide.


After that, put the punchdown on the wires that placed at the connector. Be careful when handling the tool since it can be used two ways. While one side of the punchdown will punch the wire into the connector, the other side is able to cut all the wire without punching. To punch the wires, hold the punchdown tool the way that the 'cut' sign turns away so you can't read it and hold the tool against the connector. Press the punchdown firmly until there's a click sound. Let go of the tool but not to leave it from the connector. Push the tool again to chop off remaining wire.

Finally, repeat the previous step for all the eight wires of Cat5 cable and get rid of all the extra wire once you are done punching them all.