There are times when working in IT can be frustrating. One of those instances is when you have to deal with cabling. Traditionally with Cat5 and Cat6, you don’t have too much trouble aside from getting the internal cables into the jack end and crimping it. Of course, managing the cable once everything is all connected up is where it gets a little hard, especially in cramped areas like most server and network rooms. In those situations, you can sometimes have little space between the server rack and the wall.
That’s where Platinum Tools’ Bendable RJ45 the Cat6A Flex Connector comes in.
Platinum Tools makes two different kinds, the non-shielded and a shielded version, and both are easy to hook up and terminate. You don’t even need a tool to crimp. The only tools you need are the jacket stripper and flush cutters to expose the insides of the cable. Once it’s crimped, the connector can bend all the way to an “L” shape. The benefits are quite clear, tight spaces are no longer an issue.
Working with this cable is so easy, the instructions are only a single page, and that’s with pictures. It’s pretty much as simple as Platinum Tools’ catchphrase “strip-organize-terminate.” Basically you strip the cable, trim the green and blue pairs, slide the cables into the RJ45, separate the wires, trim and snap it shut. One zip-tie to secure the cable sheath and you’re good to go.
The Flex Connector isn’t just convenient and easy to use, it’s also current and safe technology. “The unique patented design ensures top tier performance for Cat5e/6/6A cabling up to 9.0mm with 24-22 AWG conductors…The Flex Connector is rated for electronic safety and security applications: PoE+ rated, 1GHz, and 10-Gigabit certified for high data traffic…Flex Connector accommodates multiple category sizes (Cat5e/6/6A) up to 9.0mm with 24-22 AWG Conductors. Factory pre-set contacts improve reliability. Meets cable standards: ISO 11801 Edition 2, EIA/TIA 568-C.2, TIA1096-A, BICSI/ANSI D005 & ANSI/TIA-862-A.” All that to say, it’s going to be secure, not going to cause electrical issues and is a reliable connector, all things that are essential in your network. Add to that the flexibility in it offers and you’ve got an invaluable tool for your network.
The RJ45 has gone largely unchanged since it first appeared and the Flex Connector is probably the most significant and helpful change that it’s undergone ever. Platinum Tools has created a revolutionary solution to a common yet seemingly unimportant problem and in doing so has made terminating network cable almost effortless with the added value of working well in limited space. In short, it’s the next step in the evolution of networking and it should be a game changer.