Cable Academy

Check out our in-depth blogs, white papers, and instructional videos about everything going on in the low voltage industry. Have questions? Our networking experts have answers!

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Featured Blog

Beginner

How to Choose the Right Fiber Optic Cable for Your Business

Choosing fiber optic cable is a sequence of clear decisions. Start with performance: distance and speed drive the multimode (OM4/OM5) vs singlemode (OS2) choice. Size your strand count for today and future growth, consider BiDi options, and match construction to the environment (indoor, outdoor, or dual‑rated). Select the correct fire rating (plenum, riser, or general use), then align connectors and transceiv...

July 30, 2026

Selecting the Right Ethernet Cable for You

The Difference Between Cat6 vs Cat6A Ethernet Cable

June 9, 2023

Shielded vs. Unshielded Cable

September 8, 2022

Selecting the Correct Outdoor Ethernet Cable

February 17, 2022

Beginner's Guide to Network Cables

June 19, 2025

Ethernet Cable Finder

So many cables, so little time! Answer a couple of questions and let trueBOT guide you to the perfect Ethernet cable.

Your Solution is Here

All About Connectors

Choosing the Right Termination - Keystone Jack vs RJ45 Connector vs Field Termination Plug

January 13, 2025

Terminating Pass-Through RJ45 Connectors onto Solid Copper Ethernet Cable -- A Really Bad Idea?

May 26, 2022

Toolless Keystone Jacks vs Punch Down Keystone Jacks: What's the Difference?

February 11, 2021

Load Bar Staggered RJ45 Connectors: Do They Increase Ethernet Cable Performance?

June 21, 2021

Connector Finder

So many connectors, so little time! Answer a couple of questions and let trueBOT guide you to the perfect connecting hardware to pair with your low voltage cabling.

Connect With Confidence

Termination: Step by Step

How to: Terminate an Unshielded Punch Down Keystone Jack

January 11, 2021

How to: Terminate an Unshielded Toolless Keystone Jack

November 24, 2022

T568a vs T568b, Which to Use

April 16, 2026

How To: Terminate an Unshielded Pass Through RJ45 Connector

July 30, 2021

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat6/6A External Ground Pass Through RJ45 Connector

November 16, 2023

How To: Terminating a Cat6-6A Standard Load Bar Unshielded RJ45 Connector

July 7, 2022

Ethernet Installation Made Easy

Top 5 Things to Consider When Running Ethernet Cable

January 5, 2023

How To: Install Fiber Optic Cable for Success

September 19, 2024

How To: Install Copper Ethernet and Coaxial Cable for Success

September 5, 2024

Calculating Ethernet Cable Overall Channel Length for Success

June 22, 2023

Temperature's Effect on Ethernet Cable Length

December 30, 2021

Obey the Bend: Calculating Wire Bend Radius

December 15, 2023

Blogs by Skill Level

Beginner Intermediate

tool comparison cable stripper vs all in one tool

Tools Comparison: Cable Stripper vs All-In-One Tool

Choosing between a dedicated cable stripper and an all‑in‑one crimp tool? This guide compares trueCABLE’s MULTISTRIP and trueCRIMP v3 side...

August 06, 2026

t568a vs t568b hand drawn header image with a woman pointing to the text

T568a vs T568b, Which to Use

Data cabling, it can be confusing sometimes. If you are just getting started on your network, or if you need...

April 16, 2026

What is an RJ45 Connector?

What is an RJ45 Connector? How does it work? What do you do with it? We've answered all these questions...

October 17, 2024

Selecting the Correct RJ45 Connector

Discover the art of selecting the perfect RJ45 connector for your Ethernet cable termination. Unlock the differences between keystone jacks,...

January 11, 2024

Picture of Don and Dave with text saying are you terminating ethernet wrong?

Q&A: Are YOU terminating your Ethernet cable all wrong? You probably are!

In this informative Q&A session, True Cable's Don and Dave share valuable insights on properly terminating Ethernet cables. Discover the...

June 30, 2023

How to: Terminate an Unshielded Toolless Keystone Jack

One of the best ways to achieve a clean and professional-looking network install is to run a solid copper structure...

November 24, 2022

How To: Reterminate an IDC Connector

Sometimes when you terminate an Ethernet cable, the termination just doesn’t turn out right. Maybe it fails a test, or...

August 18, 2022

How To: Open Cat6A Shielded and Unshielded Field Term Plugs

trueCABLE sells two great pieces of Ethernet cable termination hardware that makes putting male ends onto your cable runs easy...

April 21, 2022

Give it the Boot! Putting Boots onto Ethernet Cable

Introducing trueCABLE’s new line of strain relief boots. Commonly seen on factory made Ethernet patch cables, you now have the option...

April 07, 2022

How To: Universal RG6 Compression F Connector on Quad Shield Coaxial Cable

One would think that RG6 F-Connectors on coaxial cable would have been totally sorted out by now. Considering this technology...

March 31, 2022

Cat6A 3-Way Unshielded Field Termination Plug: Have it Your Way!

Field termination plugs are a key way of achieving good performance when you need a male plug end as opposed...

March 10, 2022

How To: Open Shielded and Unshielded Tool-Less Keystone Jacks

You are excited! You have waited patiently for your order to arrive from trueCABLE and of course you cannot resist...

November 11, 2021

How To: RG6 Quad Shield Coaxial Strip and Termination

Sometimes you just have to go heavy duty! RG6 coaxial cable is the mainstay for broadband applications like CATV, satellite,...

October 21, 2021

How To: RG6/U Dual Shield Coaxial Strip and Termination

Coaxial cable has been around for some time. You may never have terminated it, but you almost have certainly handled...

October 18, 2021

A Better Way of Flush Cutting Ethernet Cable Conductors

We learn something new every day! Today I learned there are two methods to flush cutting your Ethernet cable conductors...

August 13, 2021

How To: Terminate an Unshielded Pass Through RJ45 Connector

Termination means to attach something to the raw end of the cable so it can be plugged into something else...

July 30, 2021

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat5e Internal Ground Pass Through RJ45 Connector

April 26, 2021

Using trueCABLE's EZ Termination Keystone Jack Tool

trueCABLE developed our very own EZ punch down jack termination tool. We call it the trueTERM. This tool will greatly speed...

March 25, 2021

How to: Terminate an Unshielded Punch Down Keystone Jack

Meet the punch down keystone jack. The punch down keystone jack, generally speaking, remains extremely effective and costs less per jack than...

January 11, 2021

How to: Terminate a Shielded Toolless Keystone Jack

December 25, 2020

How To: Terminating a Cat5e Standard Push On Unshielded RJ45 Connector

This combined video and written blog will show you how to put on one of the most challenging styles of...

November 20, 2020

Preparing your Fiber Optic Cable for Connectors or Splices

In this blog, we'll walk you through the essential tools, techniques, and safety measures needed to master the art of...

August 29, 2024

How To: Terminating a Standard RJ45 Onto Cat6A Direct Burial Unshielded Ethernet

A step-by-step guide to terminating an RJ45 connector onto Cat6A direct burial unshielded Ethernet cable including tools needed, cable preparation,...

February 15, 2024

how to terminate a field termination onto cat6a unshielded direct burial

How To: Terminating a Field Term Plug Onto Cat6A Direct Burial Unshielded Ethernet

When terminating Cat6A Ethernet cable of any kind, including Cat6A direct burial unshielded Ethernet cable, it is good to have...

February 08, 2024

terminating a keystone jack onto a cat6a cable with a cord coming out of the ground

How To: Terminating a Keystone Jack Onto Cat6A Direct Burial Unshielded Ethernet

Learn the secrets to expert Cat6A keystone jack termination for direct burial Ethernet connections. Our step-by-step guide ensures that your...

February 01, 2024

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat6/6A External Ground Pass Through RJ45 Connector

One of the most challenging Ethernet cable terminations, is the shielded Cat6 or Cat6A RJ45 connector. Let's walk you through...

November 16, 2023

Slaying the Dragon: RJ45 Termination of Cat6 & Cat6A Shielded Direct Burial Ethernet

If you want the biggest challenge of all when terminating Ethernet cable, then take on our Cat6 Shielded Direct Burial cable and...

April 13, 2023

How to: Terminate a Cat6A Shielded Field Term Plug

Is it a RJ45 connector plug or a tool-less keystone jack? We have a potential personality disorder going on here!...

March 16, 2023

Terminating Cat6A Shielded Direct Burial Ethernet for Performance

4K HDBASE-T and 10G Internet over coaxial is here, and you should be ready for it! Up until now, our...

July 28, 2022

How To: Terminating a Cat6-6A Standard Load Bar Unshielded RJ45 Connector

This combined video and written blog will show you how to put on one of the most easy to terminate...

July 07, 2022

Terminating Pass-Through RJ45 Connectors onto Solid Copper Ethernet Cable -- A Really Bad Idea?

A question that keeps coming up is “Do pass-through RJ45 connector plugs not work as well as the standard solid...

May 26, 2022

Tips to Put RJ45 Connectors on Thick Ethernet Cable

Sometimes you need to make your cable thinner. Will a diet of celery and lettuce get results? For you, perhaps. For...

September 02, 2021

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat6/Cat6A Standard Load Bar RJ45 Connector With External Ground

Just bought yourself a nice outdoor surveillance camera or Wi-Fi Access Point? But confused around the misinformation out there regarding the...

June 15, 2020

Blogs by Product Category

Ethernet Cable Fiber Optic Coaxial Cable Cable Management Tools

Tools Comparison: Cable Stripper vs All-In-One Tool

Choosing between a dedicated cable stripper and an all‑in‑one crimp tool? This guide compares trueCABLE’s MULTISTRIP and trueCRIMP v3 side...

August 06, 2026

How to Use a Field Term Plug for Patch Cables

Need a patch cable that’s the perfect length—without a crimp tool? This step‑by‑step guide shows how to terminate a high‑performance...

May 21, 2026

T568a vs T568b, Which to Use

Data cabling, it can be confusing sometimes. If you are just getting started on your network, or if you need...

April 16, 2026

What is an RJ45 Connector?

What is an RJ45 Connector? How does it work? What do you do with it? We've answered all these questions...

October 17, 2024

How To: Terminating a Standard RJ45 Onto Cat6A Direct Burial Unshielded Ethernet

A step-by-step guide to terminating an RJ45 connector onto Cat6A direct burial unshielded Ethernet cable including tools needed, cable preparation,...

February 15, 2024

How To: Terminating a Field Term Plug Onto Cat6A Direct Burial Unshielded Ethernet

When terminating Cat6A Ethernet cable of any kind, including Cat6A direct burial unshielded Ethernet cable, it is good to have...

February 08, 2024

How To: Terminating a Keystone Jack Onto Cat6A Direct Burial Unshielded Ethernet

Learn the secrets to expert Cat6A keystone jack termination for direct burial Ethernet connections. Our step-by-step guide ensures that your...

February 01, 2024

Selecting the Correct RJ45 Connector

Discover the art of selecting the perfect RJ45 connector for your Ethernet cable termination. Unlock the differences between keystone jacks,...

January 11, 2024

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat6/6A External Ground Pass Through RJ45 Connector

One of the most challenging Ethernet cable terminations, is the shielded Cat6 or Cat6A RJ45 connector. Let's walk you through...

November 16, 2023

Q&A: Are YOU terminating your Ethernet cable all wrong? You probably are!

In this informative Q&A session, True Cable's Don and Dave share valuable insights on properly terminating Ethernet cables. Discover the...

June 30, 2023

Slaying the Dragon: RJ45 Termination of Cat6 & Cat6A Shielded Direct Burial Ethernet

If you want the biggest challenge of all when terminating Ethernet cable, then take on our Cat6 Shielded Direct Burial cable and...

April 13, 2023

How to: Terminate a Cat6A Shielded Field Term Plug

Is it a RJ45 connector plug or a tool-less keystone jack? We have a potential personality disorder going on here!...

March 16, 2023

Terminating Cat6A Shielded Direct Burial Ethernet for Performance

4K HDBASE-T and 10G Internet over coaxial is here, and you should be ready for it! Up until now, our...

July 28, 2022

How To: Terminating a Cat6-6A Standard Load Bar Unshielded RJ45 Connector

This combined video and written blog will show you how to put on one of the most easy to terminate...

July 07, 2022

Terminating Pass-Through RJ45 Connectors onto Solid Copper Ethernet Cable -- A Really Bad Idea?

A question that keeps coming up is “Do pass-through RJ45 connector plugs not work as well as the standard solid...

May 26, 2022

How To: Open Cat6A Shielded and Unshielded Field Term Plugs

trueCABLE sells two great pieces of Ethernet cable termination hardware that makes putting male ends onto your cable runs easy...

April 21, 2022

Give it the Boot! Putting Boots onto Ethernet Cable

Introducing trueCABLE’s new line of strain relief boots. Commonly seen on factory made Ethernet patch cables, you now have the option...

April 07, 2022

Cat6A 3-Way Unshielded Field Termination Plug: Have it Your Way!

Field termination plugs are a key way of achieving good performance when you need a male plug end as opposed...

March 10, 2022

Tips to Put RJ45 Connectors on Thick Ethernet Cable

Sometimes you need to make your cable thinner. Will a diet of celery and lettuce get results? For you, perhaps. For...

September 02, 2021

A Better Way of Flush Cutting Ethernet Cable Conductors

We learn something new every day! Today I learned there are two methods to flush cutting your Ethernet cable conductors...

August 13, 2021

How To: Terminate an Unshielded Pass Through RJ45 Connector

Termination means to attach something to the raw end of the cable so it can be plugged into something else...

July 30, 2021

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat5e Internal Ground Pass Through RJ45 Connector

April 26, 2021

How to: Terminate a Shielded Toolless Keystone Jack

December 25, 2020

How To: Terminating a Cat5e Standard Push On Unshielded RJ45 Connector

This combined video and written blog will show you how to put on one of the most challenging styles of...

November 20, 2020

How To: Terminate a Shielded Cat6/Cat6A Standard Load Bar RJ45 Connector With External Ground

Just bought yourself a nice outdoor surveillance camera or Wi-Fi Access Point? But confused around the misinformation out there regarding the...

June 15, 2020

Preparing your Fiber Optic Cable for Connectors or Splices

In this blog, we'll walk you through the essential tools, techniques, and safety measures needed to master the art of...

August 29, 2024

How To: Universal RG6 Compression F Connector on Quad Shield Coaxial Cable

One would think that RG6 F-Connectors on coaxial cable would have been totally sorted out by now. Considering this technology...

March 31, 2022

How To: RG6 Quad Shield Coaxial Strip and Termination

Sometimes you just have to go heavy duty! RG6 coaxial cable is the mainstay for broadband applications like CATV, satellite,...

October 21, 2021

How To: RG6/U Dual Shield Coaxial Strip and Termination

Coaxial cable has been around for some time. You may never have terminated it, but you almost have certainly handled...

October 18, 2021

How to: Terminate an Unshielded Toolless Keystone Jack

One of the best ways to achieve a clean and professional-looking network install is to run a solid copper structure...

November 24, 2022

How To: Reterminate an IDC Connector

Sometimes when you terminate an Ethernet cable, the termination just doesn’t turn out right. Maybe it fails a test, or...

August 18, 2022

How To: Open Shielded and Unshielded Tool-Less Keystone Jacks

You are excited! You have waited patiently for your order to arrive from trueCABLE and of course you cannot resist...

November 11, 2021

How to: Terminate an Unshielded Punch Down Keystone Jack

Meet the punch down keystone jack. The punch down keystone jack, generally speaking, remains extremely effective and costs less per jack than...

January 11, 2021

Tools Comparison: Cable Stripper vs All-In-One Tool

Choosing between a dedicated cable stripper and an all‑in‑one crimp tool? This guide compares trueCABLE’s MULTISTRIP and trueCRIMP v3 side...

August 06, 2026

How to Use a Field Term Plug for Patch Cables

Need a patch cable that’s the perfect length—without a crimp tool? This step‑by‑step guide shows how to terminate a high‑performance...

May 21, 2026

How To: RG6 Quad Shield Coaxial Strip and Termination

Sometimes you just have to go heavy duty! RG6 coaxial cable is the mainstay for broadband applications like CATV, satellite,...

October 21, 2021

Using trueCABLE's EZ Termination Keystone Jack Tool

trueCABLE developed our very own EZ punch down jack termination tool. We call it the trueTERM. This tool will greatly speed...

March 25, 2021

Recently Read Blogs