AMPCOM STP CAT8 RJ45 Connector Zinc-Alloy Tool-Free Ethernet Field Termination Modular Plug -6 Pack

I needed to make up some custom cables, and ordered this as an alternative to the cheap plastic plugs I had used for CAT5 cables. The color-coded load bar makes it easy to line up the wires properly. Snip off any excess wire. Then put the load bar into the shell, squeeze tight with an ordinary pair of pliers, and tighten the boot. No special crimping tool required. Unlike the cheap plastic plugs, this supports shielded cable. These are great if you need to create custom CAT6 cables.

This product is easy to use, instructions lacking the package gives you everything you need. You will need a pair of wire cutters and a pair of wire strippers. Unlike any other standard pressed connector, this one can be reused if the cable becomes problematic.

I bought these and another brand several months ago because I was running new ethernet cable through the house. I leapfrogged cat 6 (had cat5e) to Cat 8 and needed the bigger connectors. Now I bought these before I had fakespot installed, and just came back and noticed that fakespot gave this brand a big fat F. Not sure if they're paying for reviews or what to trigger that, but since they actually did work for me and I'm buying more right now, I wanted to drop a real review to let other actual real people know that they are legit, they do work and as long as you wire them the same on both ends (which yeah, I screwed up a couple times on that) they do the job. I'm getting fantastic speeds with my PoE system. The connectors are e very forgiving and can be rewired even if you do screw up. Tools you do need (for the wire not the connector) are a wire stripper (box cutter can be used instead--carefully) and I'd recommend a pair of flush cut snips too.

First, it's not tool-free. You don't need a crimper, but you will need a stripper and a very precise, small cutting tool. I first tried using on my shielded CAT6a. The problem with that is that my cable is 26awg which doesn't stay put in the load bar as that only works with 23-24awg AFA as keeping the individual wires in place while inserting the load bar into the connector. This leads to the next issue which is that shielded 23awg CAT6a is only available in 1000 foot rolls. Anything under 1000 feet and you are stuck with 26awg. I tried multiple times to get my cable to work with this, and it failed every time. I did get a good connection with some regular CAT6 that was 24awg, so at least it wasn't a defective connector (thus two stars instead of one). The next issue is the copper wrap is nearly impossible to keep in place while screwing on the strain relief boot. I gave up trying. But the most pain was in having to make sure the wires in the lower part of the load bar can be cut flush given that there can be nothing extending from the end of the shorter portion of the load bar (as seen in the second pic) or the connector cannot be closed. Most other connectors have load bars that only require cutting all 8 wires at the same place. I would not purchase this brand again.

Purchased as a gift for someone! They didn’t have any complaints so I feel they were a good buy!