What Are The Differences

Between
Crossover And Patch Cables

Ethernet Page 1
Ethernet cables are used to connect several components of a local area
network together. They generally categorized into two forms, crossover cables,
and patch cables. These two types are different in terms of different, so they
are used for different roles in a local area network. Selecting the right cable to
link your network devices will dictate whether or not they will work.

Patch cables

A patch cable is often called a “straight-through” cable due to the fact both of
its ends are configured in the same way, either T568A or T568B layout, but not
both. Most Ethernet cables you can find in the market are standard, straight-
through cables. More specifically, the most popular type of ready-to-use
Ethernet cables are Cat 5e Patch Cables.

Category 5e patch cables can provide you with 10/100/1,000 Megabyte per
second Ethernet connections. They are an improved type of the Cat 5 cable
which allows only 10/100 Mbps Ethernet connections. Compared to other
variants of patch cables, Cat 5e cables are sold at a lower price point, making
them a well-likedchoice for both residential and commercial networking
applications.

Other patch cables to choose from include Cat 3 cables that have been used
for voice-over Internet protocol and other voice solutions. Unfortunately,
interference was a big problem with this variant, and was quickly succeeded by
better quality cables. Cat 5 cables succeeded the Cat 3 and they are designed
differently which considerably lessened the intensity of interference. Cat 6

Ethernet Page 2
cables are quite comparable to Cat 5e but are not as preferred because unless
the network is operating at close to full speed, this type of cable does not give
any obvious benefit as the latter.

Crossover cables

With regards to physical appearance, Crossover Ethernet cables are just about
similar to regular Ethernet cables, but they are actually different with regards
to the order with which the wires are arranged. This type of Ethernet cable is
made to directly connect two network devices of the same kind over Ethernet.

They are widely used when linking two devices

temporarily without the use of a network router,
switch, or hub. Larger LAN set-ups, for instance those
which have 32 ports or more, may demand this kind of
cable too so as to link one hub or switch to another. If
you try to hook up a computer to a hub with a
crossover cable will prevent that network link from running. However, modern
residential broadband routers have logic which enables them to automatically
recognize crossover cables and permit them to work with other kinds of
Ethernet devices.

Ethernet Page 3