| Subject: Crossover cables vs regular ethernet cables |
Author:
N5RDC
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 09:48:57 09/28/05 Wed
I've been asked by many to explain the difference between regular ethernet cables and crossover cables.
In short, a crossover cable acts as a "switch" between two computers - That is to say, that inputs are connected to outputs and outputs are connected to inputs on each computer.
Where in a regular ethernet cable, the connector on each end is the same, and in a crossover cable, the connections are reversed on one end. This can be best explained by the diagram below:
Notice that no matter how the cable is connected, outputs will be connected to inputs and inputs will be connected to outputs of each computer. This allows each computer to utilize the cable at the same time. If a regular cable was used, inputs would be connected to inputs and outputs would be connected to outputs, so no action would take place and a network could not be established.
How to tell the difference? - Hold up both ends of the cable, while looking at the same side of each connector. If the colored wires in each connector are the same from left to right, it is a regular cable. If they are different, it is a crossover cable.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
