Question

What is the difference in using straight through cable and crossover cable in connecting a switch?

Asked by: JackOfPH

What is the difference in using straight through cable and crossover cable in connecting a switch?

I have read some books that to connect a two switch together you have to use crossover cable, but I notice  in our company I am currently working they use straight cable to connect switches together.

What would be the difference between the two? Is there any disadvantages or advantages?

Jack

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Asked On
2007-12-31 at 18:56:43ID23051632
Tags

straight

,

cable

,

through

,

crossover

,

difference

Topics

Network Design & Methodology

,

Network Switches & Hubs

,

Networking Cables

Participating Experts
4
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: MarakkarPosted on 2007-12-31 at 19:07:15ID: 20558568

A crossover cable help to connect two computer devices peer-to-peer by switching Tx and Rx pins by making them one talk and the other listen, and the switches each other are no different.

Most of the switches today will have an uplink port equipped with a button when pressed it works as a crossover.  Otherwise you can use a crossover cable.

 

by: RobWillPosted on 2007-12-31 at 19:35:47ID: 20558642

To add to the above; in the past cross-over cables were used to link like devices, such as a router to a router, a switch to a switch, or PC to PC (directly) where a straight through cable, which is much more common, is used for un-like devices such as a PC to a switch. However, today many switches and routers will automatically detect transmit and receive connections/pins and automatically make the necessary adjustments, allowing you to just use straight through cables.

If interested the pin configurations can be seen in the following diagram:
http://www.incentre.net/incentre/frame/ethernet.html

 

by: 2PiFLPosted on 2007-12-31 at 19:54:53ID: 20558657

When connecting "like" devices you need a "cross over" cable - this cable connects the receive pair of one device to the send pair of the other device.  Some devices have "Auto Cross Over Detetection" to eliminate the need for a cross over cable.

The disadvantage would be in knowing which of your cables ar straight through or cross over.

 

by: RobWillPosted on 2007-12-31 at 23:20:39ID: 20559004

Thanks Jack.
Cheers !
--Rob

 

by: rcasteelPosted on 2008-09-23 at 21:35:59ID: 22556771

there are essentially two types of ethernet ports, crossed and uncrossed.  User equipment typically has uncrossed ports (Network cards for instance)  Switches typically have crossed ports.  Other devices my have either, but typically if it is intended to be an "end" device, it will have an un-crossed port.  Access points for instance typically have an uncrossed port.

The difference is simple...two pins are "transmit" pins and two pins are "recieve" pins.  for two devices to communicate, device #1 must have its transmit pins connected to device #2's receive pins. and vice versa.

If you are connecting 2 PCs together, without a switch, you must use a crossed cable to get the pins to cross correctly.  Likewise when linking two switches together.  

Connecting two switches together is so common, that most switches have a way to uncross a port so you don't need a crossed cable to tie them to another switch.  This can be in the form of an MDI MDX switch, a dedicated uncrossed port a dual-purpose port pair or an auto-uplink port.  be warned, switches that have a dual-purpose port pair normally utilize 2 physical ports into one ethernet port, so the two ports are mutually exclusive.

In general, cross cables are mostly obsolete if you use modern hardware, but there are a few instances when they are needed.  so keep a few around just in case....and mark them clearly as crossed cables...because they can really cause issues if they get mixed in with uncrossed cables.

Rule of thumb...there must be an odd number of crosses between ports for communications to happen.  end devices are typically uncrossed ports, switches are typically crossed ports.  this is easy to remember because many switch manufacturers number their ports as 1X 2X 3X etc. to denote they are crossed ports.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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