Laboratory 2 – Creating Wire Connections

Learning Objectives – The learning objectives for this lab were to observe the inner workings of cables and to learn how to connect the wires in a way that they would support a secure and effective connection.

Equipment List – 5CAT wires, connection test devices, wire strippers, scissors, crimper, patch panel, punch down.

Notes, Observations, and Questions – This activity was easier than I expected, but then became harder than expected. Preparing and actually assembling the different sections of the lab was easy in theory, and we were successful at first. However, when testing to see if the wires carried a successful connection is where we realized we were in for some hard work. We succeeded in creating a connection with the patch panel, however, creating new wires was more difficult. I, personally, had trouble aligning the wires correctly in the end.

Diagrams, Flowcharts, and Figures – N/A or see above pictures

References – Notes and Directions from Dr. Bill Genereux.

Conclusions – This lab was simple in theory, but in practice was a bit harder. The idea and goals of the lab were clear and I did learn something I had not known before. It is useful to know how these connections work so that in a pinch one could fix the problem quickly and with ease.