I use SBC Yahoo DSL with a speedstream dsl modem. I changed ethernet cables and suddenly couldnt get connected. When I wwent back to the old cable- it connected just fine. I tried yet another cable and it once again didn't work. The problem I am having is I am trying to connect up a router but apprently I need this special ethernet cable. Looking at the cables the one difference I noticed is the one that worked says 75 (degree sign) while the ones that don't work say 80 (degree sign) are there different kinds of ethernet cable? Not all ethernet cables are the same?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Ehternet cable- differences?
- Thread starter Hackcomic.com
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There are different kinds of ethernet cable. Is one a cross-over cable? Usually you use a patch cord to link a modem and a router or computer and a cross-over to connect two computers. The difference is the pins on the cross-over are switched at each end. There may be other kinds too.
Essentially there are two types of ethernet cable, a "patch cable" where all all wires are connected to the same pin number on each end, these are generally the most common. Then there are "crossover cables", which have a couple of the pairs pins transposed, these are generally used for cascading switches or hubs (becoming redundent with most devices supporting polarity sensing and correction). But crossover cables are still used commonly when conecting DSL routers or modems to computers or switches. So i'd say that most likely the cable you need is a "crossover cable".
In terms of what else Cat5e or Cat6 cabling can be used for, it has been put to uses for which it has not necessarily been designed, such as (analogue) video transmission, and cctv. Most common uses, are data, and phone circuits, along with alarm systems.
Layton
In terms of what else Cat5e or Cat6 cabling can be used for, it has been put to uses for which it has not necessarily been designed, such as (analogue) video transmission, and cctv. Most common uses, are data, and phone circuits, along with alarm systems.
Layton
in addition to the other comments:
- assuming the connectors at the end of the cable are transparent, the easiest way to check whether you have a cross-over cable or a straight cable is to place either end of the cable side by side and note which colour wire goes into which pin (each wire is colour-coded). in a straight cable this will be identical on either side, whereas with a cross-over, you'll notice the coloured wires are connected to different pins on the plug.
- a second tell tale sign that you have a cross over cable is an X sign - people often label cross-over cables this way to make them easier to spot.
hope this helps
- assuming the connectors at the end of the cable are transparent, the easiest way to check whether you have a cross-over cable or a straight cable is to place either end of the cable side by side and note which colour wire goes into which pin (each wire is colour-coded). in a straight cable this will be identical on either side, whereas with a cross-over, you'll notice the coloured wires are connected to different pins on the plug.
- a second tell tale sign that you have a cross over cable is an X sign - people often label cross-over cables this way to make them easier to spot.
hope this helps
Here's the color pinout of cables:
EDIT: This is looking at the connector with the gold pins facing you and the clip away from you.
Straight:
Orange/White, Orange, Green/White, Blue, Blue/White, Green, Brown/White, Brown
Crossover:
One end will have the colors above and the other end:
Green/White, Green, Orange/White, Blue, Blue/White, Orange, Brown/White, Brown
You can usually just look at the first two pins on the left, looking at the pins. If the first two are orange on one connector, and the first two are green on the other connector, it's a crossover.
EDIT: This is looking at the connector with the gold pins facing you and the clip away from you.
Straight:
Orange/White, Orange, Green/White, Blue, Blue/White, Green, Brown/White, Brown
Crossover:
One end will have the colors above and the other end:
Green/White, Green, Orange/White, Blue, Blue/White, Orange, Brown/White, Brown
You can usually just look at the first two pins on the left, looking at the pins. If the first two are orange on one connector, and the first two are green on the other connector, it's a crossover.
As probably becomes clear below, the difference is not the shape, but the ordering of the wires internally. The temp difference is irrelevant to thses purposes.
Once you figure out whether a cable is crossover or straight, you should label it. I label with a permanent marker, with a vertical line on the connector body if it's straight, with an X if it's crossover.