An illustrative cable connector hand tool and associated method are operable to permit cable connection sections to respectively pass through a side opening of hand tool members into a center aperture of the tool members. In one illustrative embodiment, the hand tool members are formed with a recessed portion adapted to receive an end of one of a pair of cable connectors such that mating edges of the cable connectors used to couple the cable connection sections are visible when the cable connectors are in a coupled configuration abutting each other. An illustrative embodiment includes the recessed portion formed with a plurality of keyway indentions or recesses spaced apart in the center aperture that are operable to engage keys, protrusions, or lugs on an outer wall of the cable connectors. Exemplary cable connectors engage each other with respective male and female threaded connection sections so as to apply compressive or coupling force to two ends of the cable when the tools rotate the connectors via the threaded sections of the cable connectors. An embodiment of the cable connectors have a lip or wall region which extends inwardly from the connection sections that defines a connector aperture that is adapted to engage with a corresponding ring wall that is formed on an end of each of the two ends of the cable connection sections.