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  • June 30, 2000 at 5:02 am #2072624

    Crossover Cable

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    by landrew · about 24 years, 3 months ago

    Can anyone explain to me the difference between a crossover cable and a regular CAT5 cable? When might one be used over the other?? The reason I ask is because they look the same to me.

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    • June 30, 2000 at 5:53 am #3767953

      Crossover Cable

      by mwb · about 24 years, 3 months ago

      In reply to Crossover Cable

      Once upon a time there were standards that said crossover cables should be a certain color but even I can’t recall if it was green or blue. You can really only tell by looking at the wires through the clear end-connector of the CAT5 cable. Here isa guide that can help you since there are a few standards out there on what order the “pairs” of colors are placed in:
      http://makeitsimple.com/how-to/dyi_crossover.htm

      Hope that helps.

    • June 30, 2000 at 8:54 am #3767880

      Crossover Cable

      by mcurtis · about 24 years, 3 months ago

      In reply to Crossover Cable

      A crossover cable is essentially a ‘null modem’ cable for Ethernet. In a standard 100BaseT cable, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th wires are used (1 & 2 for transmit and 3 & 6 for receive or vice versa).

      In a ‘crossover cable’, the wires are ‘reversed’at the other end of the connection so you get something like

      Wire 1 -> 3
      Wire 2 -> 6
      Wire 3 -> 1
      Wire 6 -> 2

      It’s used for connecting two PCs directly to each other without a hub (the hub does the ‘crossover’ for you) or connecting a hub toa switch (another type of hub), for example.

      Mike

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