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What you should know about telephone and RJ45 Cat5e wiring codes
The following contains information and instructions on 4 or 6 position communication wiring codes and pin configurations. These instructions are for 4 pin or 6 pin configurations and will cover both wiring colour codes commonly used in small business and residential applications. We will also cover the pin configuration and codes for standard telephone jacks and Keystone modular (punch down) inserts.
Residential wiring for telephones is generally straight forward. The standard home will have 1 or 2 telephone lines. The confusing part is usually in the colour coded wiring. They are many different colour codes, we will cover the standard and the alternate wiring code. The inside pair of wires pins 3 and 4 (see Diagram 1) is line 1. If you have one telephone line (phone number) this is the pin position that all jacks in the house will be connected to.
If you have 4 or 6 conductor wiring (red/green/yellow/black/blue/white) in your house the color codes are as follows:
Pair 1 Line 1 Red wire and Green wire
Pair 2 Line 2 Black wire and Yellow wire
Pair 3 Line 3 Blue wire and White wires
Pair 2 Line 2 Black wire and Yellow wire
Pair 3 Line 3 Blue wire and White wires
If the wiring in the house is new it will most likely be using the alternate color code, as follows:
Pair 1 Line 1 White wire with blue strip and blue wire with white strip
Pair 2 Line 2 White wire with orange strip and orange wire with white strip
Pair 3 Line 3 White wire with green strip and green wire with white strip
Note: the white strip is optional and may not be on some wire.
Pair 1 Line 1 White wire with blue strip and blue wire with white strip
Pair 2 Line 2 White wire with orange strip and orange wire with white strip
Pair 3 Line 3 White wire with green strip and green wire with white strip
Note: the white strip is optional and may not be on some wire.
(Diagram 1)
STANDARD MODULAR JACKS
Generally these jacks will have screw terminals to secure the wire onto the jacks. The screw terminals will usually have markings that indicate the original color code – Red/Green for line one and Black/Yellow for line two. The terminals may be abbreviated IE: Red (RD), Green (GR), Yellow (YL), Black (BL)
PUNCH DOWN STYLE MODULAR JACKS
If you are using punch down type jacks or Keystone modular jacks they have a slightly different layout, but they use the same color codes. (See Diagram 2)
Generally these jacks will have screw terminals to secure the wire onto the jacks. The screw terminals will usually have markings that indicate the original color code – Red/Green for line one and Black/Yellow for line two. The terminals may be abbreviated IE: Red (RD), Green (GR), Yellow (YL), Black (BL)
PUNCH DOWN STYLE MODULAR JACKS
If you are using punch down type jacks or Keystone modular jacks they have a slightly different layout, but they use the same color codes. (See Diagram 2)
Pair 1 would be installed in pins 3 and 4
Pair 2 would be installed in pins 2 and 5
Pair 3 would be installed in pins 1 and 6
Therefore if you had the Red/Green/Yellow/Black wiring code in your house, the wires to connect your phone would be Red to pin 3 and Green to pin 4.
If you have the other wiring code it would be Blue wire with a white strip to pin 3 and White wire with a blue strip to pin 4.
If you only have one telephone number at your house, the other wires do not need to be connected.
Pair 2 would be installed in pins 2 and 5
Pair 3 would be installed in pins 1 and 6
Therefore if you had the Red/Green/Yellow/Black wiring code in your house, the wires to connect your phone would be Red to pin 3 and Green to pin 4.
If you have the other wiring code it would be Blue wire with a white strip to pin 3 and White wire with a blue strip to pin 4.
If you only have one telephone number at your house, the other wires do not need to be connected.
8 Conductor wiring codes
Cat5e/RJ45 (T568A)
Use when installing Cat5e communication wire for computer applications or RJ45 configuration for communication business applications. The wiring code for this application is classified as T568A. (See Diagram 3)
Generally speaking, this type of wiring code will use punch down type pin connections. Punch down tools are available at most hardware stores, in a pinch you can use a small flat blade screwdriver.
The pair/pin configuration is different on Cat5e/RJ45 (8 position) then on the 6 position.
The color code is as follows :
Pair 1 Pins 4 and 5 Blue w/white strip and White w/blue strip
Pair 2 Pins 3 and 6 White w/orange strip and Orange w/white strip
Pair 3 Pins 1 and 2 White w/green strip and Green w/white strip
Pair 4 Pins 7 and 8 White w/brown strip and Brown w/white strip
Cat5e/RJ45 (T568A)
Use when installing Cat5e communication wire for computer applications or RJ45 configuration for communication business applications. The wiring code for this application is classified as T568A. (See Diagram 3)
Generally speaking, this type of wiring code will use punch down type pin connections. Punch down tools are available at most hardware stores, in a pinch you can use a small flat blade screwdriver.
The pair/pin configuration is different on Cat5e/RJ45 (8 position) then on the 6 position.
The color code is as follows :
Pair 1 Pins 4 and 5 Blue w/white strip and White w/blue strip
Pair 2 Pins 3 and 6 White w/orange strip and Orange w/white strip
Pair 3 Pins 1 and 2 White w/green strip and Green w/white strip
Pair 4 Pins 7 and 8 White w/brown strip and Brown w/white strip
(Diagram 3)
Note: white strips are optional and may not be on the cable.
