Steps:

1. You and your lab partner should, ideally, go through these steps individually -- but with one another. Supervise each other.
2. Make a mental note of the materials you will need (per person):
   • Length of cable (~2 ft)
   • Two RJ-45 connectors
   • Wire cutters
   • Crimpers
   • Wire strippers
   • Cable testers
   For some of these items, you may have to wait for a bit. Please do not crowd around the equipment areas! Wait your turn -- forming a line, if necessary.
3. If need be, review the relevant materials -- YouTube video, textbook photos, etc.
4. Each of you should get your lengths of cable and pair of RJ-45 connectors.
5. Strip each end of the cable to roughly 1 inch. Be careful not to nick the rubber insulation of the copper wires. Before long, we should have cable strippers; prior to then, you may have to do this using the wirecutters, which will require a certain amount of attention and care!
6. Separate each pair from the other pairs.
7. Untwist each pair -- and separate and straighten the wires.
8. Arrange the eight wires -- neatly and side-by-site -- according to the 568B Wiring Color Scheme. See textbook, Table 2-3 and Figure 2-7b.
9. Hold your RJ-45 connector next to the cable end to determine how much of the wires you need to cut off. You want there to be just enough wires exposed to reach the end of the connector, while also being short enough to get some of the cable sheath inside the connector for crimping.
10. Cut the wires across the perpendicular, as straight as possible.
11. Insert that end into the connector, making sure that the wires can reach the contact points AND enough cable sheath is inside the connector to be crimped.
12. Crimp the connector.
13. Do the same with the other end of the cable.
14. Finally, test your partner's cable to make sure that -- for each number, 1-8 -- the lights on each end are lighting up. If that is not the case, you may need to check each end and redo one or both.
15. Also, if you can, verify that your partner's cable can connect a computer to a network.

• Call me over, and show me your completed cord, which should pass the cable test and have the cable sheath within the crimp.
• In your Admin. Log, complete the entry for this lab, which should include the following questions, along with your answers:
  1. How did the process of making the cable go?
  2. How long did it take to complete the process?
  3. Did you have to redo any of the steps? If so, which ones and why?
  4. Can you use your cable to connect a device to a network? How did you test this, and with what results?
  5. Which steps of the process were easiest to carry out, and why?
  6. Which steps of the process were hardest to carry out, and why?
  7. What are some of the main questions that you have about the material in this lab, moving forward?

• Before crimping:
  • Are the wires in correct color order?
  • Are the wires cut straight across?
  • When you place the wires into the connector....
    • Is the cable sheath/jacket far enough inside the connector to be crimped?
    • Are the wires into the right slots?
    • Are the wires far enough in for pin contact?
• After crimping:
  • Test the cable. Be sure that the numbered light pairs are lighting up at the same time. 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, etc.
    • If mismatched number pairs are lighting up, then some wires may be in wrong positions on either end or both.
    • If number pairs are not lighting up, then some wires may not be making contact with the pins.
  • See if you can connect a computer to an Ethernet jack with it -- and get a connection!
• Before leaving class:
  • Clean up after yourselves. Leave yourself enough time at the end to do this!
  • Make sure tools/leftover materials are organized for collection.