The RJ45 end caps had the wiring order printed on them right above the slots into which the wires were to go, and the crimping tool (the ONE tool the two of us had to share) not only had the same wiring legend on the jaws, it would also do the insulation trimming/wire ends exposing/wire cutting/end cap clamping routine.
The other PFY & I couldn't mess up the wiring order if we at least TRIED to follow the guide, it was just the annoyance of having to swap cable ends so PFY would crimp, then I would do the test, until we took a break & swapped whom-did-what to keep us from (mentally/physically) falling asleep on the job.
Hundreds of computers, a server rack unit full of hubs/switches/routers/etc, there were a ZILLION f4ing cables to be made, installed, logged (each cable got an asset tag, the tag number got recorded into which port at the computer, which port at the rack, etc into which it got plugged, to make it easier to track down issues later), any signal issues verified were either the cable (easy to fix) or hardware (a royal PITA) and fixed, all so we could upgrade from the ThinNet to Cat5.
All of it done by two PFY's because we naturally got the stinky end of the stick.
But we got to have fun though.
Since we were also the only ones whom was ever going to go beyond the drop ceiling/lifting floor tiles to get at the access spaces beyond, we got to use a "Wiring Assistance Device" to pull the cables.
As in, a small remote control treaded tank with a thick coil of Velcro(TM) on the back where cables could be affixed & a wireless video camera on the front so we could see where it was going.
One of us would stay at the computer end, affix a bunch of cables to the tank, & zip it through the crawl spaces to where the other one of us would be waiting at the Server side to retrieve it.
Then the pilot would come join the other at the racks to commence the logging & plugging part of the task.
Once that bunch of cables was done, the pilot would stay in the server room while the other went to the next cubical of computers to be the pilot.
Best of all, because we used it for work (and had digital video to prove it), we got to claim it as a legit expense on the department budget.
At least the bean counters never questioned what the "Wiring Assisting Device" on the expense form was for among a bunch of other wiring themed enteries.
=-D |
