I/O and Cabling Considerations
3.2
RJ-45 Cabling Options
The 20-port I/O modules use modular cables that are designed for easy cable connections. The
cabling options available from Xyplex include (Chapter 6 lists the order codes for these items):
• Crossover cables (male RJ-45 to male RJ-45, 10 and 25 feet)
• Straight-through cables (male RJ-45 to male RJ-45; lengths: 1, 10, and 25 feet)
• "Octopus" cables (a single 50-pin male or female Telco connector, or a 36-pin male or female
Telco DECconnect connector, fanning out to eight male RJ-45 connectors)
• DECconnect crossover cable (male RJ-45 to male MMJ, 10 and 25 feet)
• Modular adaptors:
-
Female RJ-45 to male DB-25, supporting RING signal
-
Female RJ-45 to male DB-25, supporting RTS/CTS flow control (Modems that
perform compression/decompression typically use this type of flow control.)
-
Female RJ-45 to female DB-25
-
Female RJ-45 to female MMJ
-
Female RJ-45 to female RJ-45
-
Male RJ-45 to female RJ-12
-
Male RJ-45 to female MMJ
• Customer cable-making kits
Standard cabling items available from Xyplex allow you to connect to any serial device that
uses a male or female DB-25 connector. All you need is the appropriate modular cable
(crossover cable for connecting to a DTE device, straight-through cable for connecting to a DCE
device), and the correct modular adaptor (male or female DB-25 connector), which is
essentially an RJ-45-to-DB25 adaptor.
Xyplex also supplies DECconnect-compatible crossover cables and modular adaptors for use
with the 20-port I/O modules. These cables are described later in Section 3.2.4
3.2.1
Making Your Own RJ-45 Cables
If you make your own cables, you should be very careful when using the crimping tool. Make
sure that the RJ-45 connector is fully inserted into the die set cavity of the crimping tool, and that
the wire is fully inserted into the RJ-45 connector, before crimping. The die set might be fragile,
and could break if the RJ-45 connector is not properly seated before you squeeze the handle.
Also, Xyplex recommends that you use different colored wires for straight-through and
crossover cables, in order to keep track of the cable type.
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