I agree stick with the factory cables and test them! I just troubleshot a network (peer-to-peer, only 4 machines) which had given the owner trouble from day one. the patch cable between the wall and one machine had one of the metal ends sticking up approx 1cm. The same machine also had a bad nic, and the switch was also bad. As if that weren't enough, code hadn't been followed and plenum cable had not been strung through the walls, just regular UTP Cat 5e. the switch hung by the wires from the patch panel, the network used the guest accounts to connect to the "server" and (btw, this was a tax preparation office) there were no passwords on any of the customer files, no virus protection, and no firewalls. before I could even start checking the wiring, I had to check for viri so that I could keep the network running long enough to troubleshoot it! These were home made patch cables, not factory, and they were poorly done.
Another good reason for having the factory cables, as a woman, I am not strong enough to crimp cables that I would trust to use on my own network, much less on anyone elses! I use a match to strip the wires, because I cut them off when I use a wire stripper. Somethings we women weren't made to do as well as you guys are.
kaycek