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Topic:
MonoPrice RJ45 Connectors
This thread has 21 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Thursday May 4, 2017 at 18:45
tca
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We have used Monoprice rj45 connectors for years with no issues. Today we have many failures. We didn't even realize for a while we were only getting 100mbps on many connections.

Do you think this is a bad batch, or would you stay away?

If you would stay away, what is the best source for reliable connectors?
Post 2 made on Thursday May 4, 2017 at 19:00
Audiophiliac
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What!?

My boss has been ordering those for a couple of years now. I have not seen any issues. I normally observe things like gigabit lights on switches, etc. But there is always a chance of something going awry. I have had problems with my crimper and had to adjust it...but never causing this particular issue.
"When I eat, it is the food that is scared." - Ron Swanson
OP | Post 3 made on Thursday May 4, 2017 at 21:50
tca
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maybe it's my crimper too. It's old.

I just wanted to see if anyone else was having issues.
Post 4 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 01:32
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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For years must mean CAT5. You don't say.

The Monoprice CAT5 connectors, Product 7245, cost $5.77 per hundred. Six cents apiece.

How much does one failure cost?

Platinum EZ-RJ45 cost about 62 cents each. Since switching to them, I've NEVER had a failure except by my own hand. But we know of problems and doubts about those connectors.

The Belkin R6G088, recommended at [Link: ipcamtalk.com], costs about 47 cents. See [Link: amazon.com]

This should be a wake-up call that it's not worth it to buy them from monoprice.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 5 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 10:28
kgossen
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On May 5, 2017 at 01:32, Ernie Gilman said...
This should be a wake-up call that it's not worth it to buy them from monoprice.

Yet you use EZ connectors that every single manufacturer we deal with says NOT to use. Great advice as usual Ernie.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
OP | Post 6 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 10:40
tca
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I'm not trying to bash any company. We've used Monoprice for so many years with no failures. I just wanted to see if it was possibly a bad batch and if anyone else was experiencing what we were. The more likely culprit is my 10+ year old Ideal crimper which I use every day.

I bet they make most of the brands rj45's in the same factory anyway.

We are not cheaping out. We use what works, and if we can get it really cheap so be it. If we have to spend more, that's fine. You are correct, failures are a huge problem. I just want to know where the failure lies.
Post 7 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 10:40
gerard143
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Lol
Post 8 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 12:00
Brad Humphrey
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RJ45's are absolutely not all made in the same factory (I know you meant not just 1 but you were thinking only a few).
This is very apparent if you order a bunch of different brands and compare. There is a huge difference in the quality from cheap ones to more expensive ones.

Monoprice does just copy the designs from other manufactures in those Chinese factories. But they usually only knock-off the cheaper brands to begin with. So even if it is cheaper than a comparable product, doesn't mean the product was a good choice to begin with.

Of RJ45s, the Panduit stuff is awesome but very expensive and special tools on the Cat6 stuff. Belden makes some good stuff as well (not to be confused with Belkin).
Post 9 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 12:41
Ernie Gilman
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On May 5, 2017 at 10:28, kgossen said...
Yet you use EZ connectors that every single manufacturer we deal with says NOT to use. Great advice as usual Ernie.

You motivated me to search for that advice. I found only one thing, a pdf from Atlona, which my virus protection didn't want me to open. Can you find three notices from manufacturers telling us not to use EZ RJ45s? I totally agree that we have been warned not to use EZ RJ45s with HDMI, which is one of the first statements in this RC thread: [Link: remotecentral.com]

You'll see there's no single issue about EZ RJ45s and no general agreement that there are problems with them except for with the guys who are trying to avoid buying the EZ crimper. Installers are jamming CAT6 into CAT5 connectors... can it be that the problem is not the EZ RJ45?

I spoke with Platinum engineers several years ago, who pointed out that if the blade is dull, there will be problems. Also, early crimpers didn't cut the brown wire as well as the other wires.

The RJ45s I've got in the field are only up to about ten years old, and are in dozens, not hundreds or thousands, but there have been zero failures.

YMMV, of course.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 10 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 13:21
adamav
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On May 5, 2017 at 10:40, tca said...
The more likely culprit is my 10+ year old Ideal crimper which I use every day.

That is most likely the issue here. We had same problem ( although not a monoprice connector ). I noticed it when UNIFI contrloller was was showing 100Mb connection to the switch, instead of 1gb. Getting a new crimper solved our problem.
Post 11 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 13:42
Jeff at Zektor
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We recommend against using them but we know that integrators do. High humidity environments can corrode the exposed ends causing a short. That is one of the biggest reasons I know of.

I haven't terminated a lot of CAT cable, but the small numbers that I have done was a PIA. When a client complains about the price in a proposal, you should hand them a foot of CAT cable offering a discount if they can terminate both ends in 10 minutes then and it has to work. Then tell them you have to do this 50 to 100 times in your project.
Jeff Haynes
The CA Guy
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Post 12 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 14:58
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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On May 5, 2017 at 13:42, Jeff at Zektor said...
We recommend against using them but we know that integrators do. High humidity environments can corrode the exposed ends causing a short. That is one of the biggest reasons I know of.

If slot drive screws were the most common kind of screw, I don't think anybody here would use an old butter knife as a screwdriver, yet many of us tolerate ten year old crimpers, dull razors, wire cutters that mash the wire instead of cutting crisply, etc.

I haven't terminated a lot of CAT cable, but the small numbers that I have done was a PIA.

It gets better when you do more. It gets substantially worse when you go to CAT6, and practice has not, so far, helped me very much. But it gets WAY BETTER when you do EZs! And you have to crimp it correctly.

When a client complains about the price in a proposal, you should hand them a foot of CAT cable offering a discount if they can terminate both ends in 10 minutes then and it has to work. Then tell them you have to do this 50 to 100 times in your project.

That is such a genius idea!
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 13 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 15:46
King of typos
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I've made over 500 RJ45 crimps, with more or less the same crimper. All at the same company.

At one point I was consistently making bad connections, as well as my coworkers. It took us a long time to figure what the heck our problem was. But comparing the new connections to the old, it became apparent when looking at the sides.



You can clearly see where the jacket of the cat5 can be pushed into and where only the wire can proceed to the pins. Well we were use to the RJ45 connectors that allowed a shorter wire. Then the new connectors came in and it required more of the jacket to be stripped off, but of course we didn't know that. 80% of the time we weren't making connections. But when we did, it was slow.

That was one set of RJ45 we didn't like.

An other set had larger holes. So instead of 22-24 gauge wire. It allowed 16-18, well at least something larger. And we kept on cross crimping wires into different pins. Or crimping 2 wires under one pin.

So if you can, compare the new RJ45 connections to old to see if you see any differences and adjust as needed.

KOT
Post 14 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 17:00
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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On May 5, 2017 at 15:46, King of typos said...
I've made over 500 RJ45 crimps, with more or less the same crimper. All at the same company.

At one point I was consistently making bad connections, as well as my coworkers. It took us a long time to figure what the heck our problem was. But comparing the new connections to the old, it became apparent when looking at the sides.



You can clearly see where the jacket of the cat5 can be pushed into and where only the wire can proceed to the pins. Well we were use to the RJ45 connectors that allowed a shorter wire. Then the new connectors came in and it required more of the jacket to be stripped off, but of course we didn't know that. 80% of the time we weren't making connections. But when we did, it was slow.

Didn't the manufacturer have instructions, or a drawing showing what lengths of strip for the outer jacket?

Another set had larger holes. So instead of 22-24 gauge wire, it allowed 16-18, well at least something larger. And we kept on cross crimping wires into different pins. Or crimping 2 wires under one pin.

What product was this? Seriously, I'd like to know.
Wasn't there a spec on their website to tell you how to strip it and what size wires fit into it? Was it perhaps made for 24 stranded, which is not the same size as 24 solid?
So if you can, compare the new RJ45 connections to old to see if you see any differences and adjust as needed.

So if you can, don't make an entire network worth of connections depend on you eyeballing a connector and deciding what to use from that inspection. Look up the actual data for that connector online. If you must, telephone them!
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 15 made on Friday May 5, 2017 at 17:18
King of typos
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On May 5, 2017 at 17:00, Ernie Gilman said...
Didn't the manufacturer have instructions, or a drawing showing what lengths of strip for the outer jacket?

What product was this? Seriously, I'd like to know.
Wasn't there a spec on their website to tell you how to strip it and what size wires fit into it? Was it perhaps made for 24 stranded, which is not the same size as 24 solid?
So if you can, don't make an entire network worth of connections depend on you eyeballing a connector and deciding what to use from that inspection. Look up the actual data for that connector online. If you must, telephone them!

By the time I got them, the data sheet was tossed and the person who ordered them was gone for the day. Honestly, I never seen a data sheet for any connectors.

You maybe correct for the 24 strand / 24 solid, again never seen the paper work. And I advised the parts guy not to order those connectors again and showed him why.

KOT
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