Reference
How to wire an RJ45 to 3-pin or 5-pin XLR adapter for DMX512, per ANSI E1.11. Handy for moving heads, and for running DMX down spare Cat5 you already have in the yard.
Pin 1 is on the left with the clip facing away from you and the contacts toward you. Colours are T568B, which is what almost all pre-made patch cable uses.
| RJ45 pin | Signal | T568B colour | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data 1+ | white/orange | Primary data, non-inverting |
| 2 | Data 1− | orange | Primary data, inverting |
| 3 | Data 2+ | white/green | Optional second universe |
| 4 | — | blue | Not assigned by the standard |
| 5 | — | white/blue | Not assigned by the standard |
| 6 | Data 2− | green | Optional second universe |
| 7 | Common | white/brown | Data link common for Data 1 (0 V) |
| 8 | Common | brown | Data link common for Data 2 (0 V) |
| XLR pin | Signal | From RJ45 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common | RJ45 7 (and 8) |
| 2 | Data 1− | RJ45 2 |
| 3 | Data 1+ | RJ45 1 |
| 4 | Data 2− | RJ45 6 |
| 5 | Data 2+ | RJ45 3 |
Pins 4 and 5 carry the optional second universe. Plenty of gear ignores them entirely, but wire them anyway — it costs nothing now and saves rebuilding the adapter later.
| XLR pin | Signal | From RJ45 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common | RJ45 7 |
| 2 | Data − | RJ45 2 |
| 3 | Data + | RJ45 1 |
Most hobby gear uses 3-pin because it is cheap and everywhere. It carries one universe only. Note that a 3-pin DMX cable and a 3-pin audio cable look identical and are not the same thing — microphone cable has the wrong impedance and will give you flicker on long runs.
Ground goes to pin 1, and it is not optional. DMX is a differential pair referenced to a common. Leaving pin 1 floating works on the bench and fails in the yard.
The standard only permits RJ45 for fixed installations. ANSI E1.11 allows 8P8C where gear is not regularly plugged and unplugged. Portable equipment is meant to use 5-pin XLR. In a permanent yard display that distinction rarely bites, but it is why you will not see RJ45 on rental gear.
Never plug a DMX-over-RJ45 line into a network switch. Same connector, entirely different signal. Label both ends.
Terminate the far end with 120 Ω across Data+ and Data−. Short runs often work without it, right up until they do not.
Pinouts from ESTA's DMX512-A guide, cross-checked against ETC and Pathway. Diagrams drawn for this page. If you spot an error, mail [email protected] — a wrong pinout costs someone a controller.