Does anyone know any alternatives to an RJ-45 crimp tool?

Question

I need to crimp an RJ-45 (ethernet) connector to the wires but I do not want to spend the money to get a crimp tool when I will only need it once or twice. Please do not criticize the fact that I don't want to spend the money, I just wondered if anything worked well for anyone.

Answer 1

how much are you thinking that you would spend for a crimp tool? a crimp tool is always a pretty good tool to have even though you will use it once. your only best bet if you want to do this is get those rj45 plugs put in the the wires in the right pin set, and get like a flat head s***w driver so that you can get all the copper pins below it and slighty hammer the s***w driver so that it can push the rj45 pins into the copper wires.

Answer 2

I don't know of a good replacement, unless you get a wallport or patchpanel, and punch down the connection, then use a shorter patch cable for the final run.  If you don't want to buy a good crimper, (and don't buy a cheap one, they are useless) find an electrician, cable installer or PC repair shop and ask them to do it for you.

Answer 3

Personally, I just buy my cables off the rack.

Answer 4

You can buy "Crimpless" RJ45 Plugs. They have a cover that snaps down and "self" crimps the wires into place.  You can get them -- Check with Radio Shack etc.  

However, most everyone I know who has used them have gone back and replaced them with crimp type  (they just aren't all that good) BUT you can get them.