Terminating a Cat5e with a RJ11

[jvilla80]

I really need some help here. I ran a Cat5e cable from my IT Closet to a Printer with a fax machine built in. I need a RJ11 connector to plug in to the printer/fax. Can this be done?

 

[jknichols]

While you could crimp an RJ11 plug onto the CAT5, most RJ11 plugs are designed for stranded wire and eventually work loose from solid wire (or even break the solid wire at the contact points).

I would recommend attaching an RJ11 jack to the CAT5 and use a standard phone line cord between that jack and the FAX.

 

[jvilla80]

Could you link me to an image of what a RJ11 Jack looks like?

 

[RyanEOD]

Pulled from google. You can find these at any local mega store.

http://deepsurplus.stores.yahoo.net/rjsinsurmoun.html

 

[macphoneguy]

well here is my .02 cents, if the fax machine in question is part of some kind of business, small or otherwise, it is VERY important to keep uniformity of wiring i.e. if you are using leviton, ortronics or some other brand for the other existing jacks you are better off in the long run using the same kind of rj45 jack and then using a standard line cord to connect to the fax machine, there are ends that you can crimp on a end of a solid core wire, as well as Stranded wire, and you have to have a "trained Eye" to tell the differance. use the wrong kind and you will have trouble, perhaps immediatly, perhaps down the road, I ALWAYS, double check,

 

[chadmiller]

we just use rj45 jacks and cat5e for everything and make sure to punch down all pairs and then use rj11 cords. you can plug an rj11 cord into an rj45 no problem and then in the future if you want to convert that jack back to being ethernet you just have to repunch the closet end or if you are really anticipating for the future put a patch panel in the closet and punch your wall jacks down to some of the spots on the panel and your incoming lines/pbx lines onto the other spots and then just use a short cord to patch the two together. it makes moving lines really easy and upgrading to ethernet if need be even easier.

 

[Sympology]

Totally agree, RJ-45 was desgined from day one to accept rj-11 cables. So wire everything as RJ-45 and then just plug the cord in.
In the uk, as we use different plugs and jacks so we use BT - RJ45 ballands, but no need in the US.

Most people spend their time on the "urgent" rather than on the "important."