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Learn how to make your own LAN CAT5 Ethernet cables here.
I admire your do-it-yourself attitude in finding this guide. Ethernet cables are expensive in stores. 50ft at BestBuy cost $24.99 or something like that. There are 2 different kinds. This guide is how to make Ethernet cables with twisted-pair cables. A box of 1000ft bulk Ethernet cable is about $40 and about double that if you're going to use higher grade plenum cable. They all work and perform pretty much the same though. The only difference is the quality of the plastic "shield" covering. You can buy RJ-45 connectors only for like $6 for a pack of 100. These RJ-45 connectors look like the phone-jack connectors for your home phone but they are bigger, therefore they are not the same! A good RJ-45 crimping tool will cost you maybe $10 and can be found at all computer stores. Some are included free when you buy bulk cable packages. I recommend you spending at least $25 for a good crimping tool. Some cost $80 and up! They're actually worth it, but it's up to you to decide how often you will be finding yourself making cable. If not too often, a $25 tool will do just fine.
Now that you have the cable and connectors, cut yourself a desired length of cable and grab 2 RJ-45 connectors, and a crimping tool.
Now strip the end of the shield to expose 1" of the twisted wires. With your weak hand, grip the very end of the shield tightly while you unravel the EXPOSED wires. Your grip on the end of the shield should be strong enough to keep the SHIELDED wires from unraveling. (you don't let go until you are done) - You want to unravel the exposed wires in this order from left to right: orange-stripe, orange, green-stripe, blue, blue-stripe, green, brown-stripe, brown. Now that the wires are in the correct order, you want to straighten them up as best as possible. A good tip would be to grab them with your thumb and index fingers and bend them back and forth to strength them up. Or you can hold them against the edge of the table and push the wires with the thumb against the table to flatten them. YOU ARE STILL GRIPPING END OF THE SHIELD WITH YOUR WEAK HAND TIGHTLY THIS WHOLE TIME. Now that the wires are in the correct order AND flattened, you want to cut the exposed wires, so that they are all uniform length of 2/3 inch. Make sure you cut straight across the end of the wires so that they are all uniform and remaining tips form a straight line. Grab a RJ-45 connector and shove your wires into it tightly WITH THE RJ-45 CLIP FACING DOWN! Look at your the wires through the connector and make sure that they are still in the correct order. Now with the RF-45 connector sitting on the wires with the wires pushed in ALL THE WAY, you want to get your crimping tool and insert the RJ-45 connector into it. This should be obvious because there's only one way for the RJ-45 connector to fit into the crimping tool.
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