Frequently Asked Questions (continued)
30
Why can´t I access the web based configuration? (continued)
What type of cable should I be using? (continued)
What´s the difference between a crossover
cable and a straight-through cable?
The
wiring in crossover and straight-through
cables are different. The two types of cable
have different purposes for different LAN
configurations. EIA/TIA 568A/568B define
the wiring standards and allow for two
different wiring color codes as illustrated in
the following diagram.
*The wires with colored backgrounds may
have white stripes and may be denoted that
way in diagrams found elsewhere.
How to tell straight-through cable from a
crossover cable:
The main way to tell the difference between the two cable types is to compare the
wiring order on the ends of the cable. If the wiring is the same on both sides, it is
straight-through cable. If one side has opposite wiring, it is a crossover cable.
All you need to remember to properly configure the cables is the pinout order of
the two cable ends and the following rules:
A straight-through cable has identical
ends A crossover cable has different ends
It makes no functional difference which standard you follow for straight-through
cable ends, as long as both ends are the same. You can start a crossover cable
with either standard as long as the other end is the other standard. It makes no
functional difference which end is which. The order in which you pin the cable is
important. Using a pattern other than what is specified in the above diagram could
cause connection problems.
