20 years in and I just learned I been crimping RJ45s wrong

Was doing a network drop in a old office building last month and a young guy maybe 25 watched me terminate a keystone jack. He asked why I was punching down the wires with the clip facing out. I been doing it the same way since I started in 2003 at a shop in Phoenix. My old boss showed me that way and I never questioned it. The kid pulled out a tester and showed me 3 out of 8 wires were barely making contact. Turns out I been putting the clip on the wrong side of the jack for 20 years. I felt like a total idiot but at least the signal was still passing most of the time. Anyone else have a boss teach you something that was just flat wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_henderson14d ago

Man that stings but hey you're not alone, plenty of us learned some janky shortcut from a boss who just knew enough to get by. At least you caught it now instead of 20 more years down the road.

charles_coleman14d ago

Clip on the wrong side of the jack for 20 years" - well at least you were consistent, right? I had a boss once tell me to use tape on coax connectors instead of a proper crimp tool. @abby_henderson is right, some people just learn enough to fake it and pass it on.