Difference between Straight Cable and Cross cable : Make your own Cross Cable

Before you know the difference , you need to know what is the purpose of Straight cable and a crossover cable ?

You need to use a Straight cable when connecting hardware to a computer through some Ethernet hub or switch. We normally use straight cable to connect more than 2 computers through a hub . Use a crossover cable when connecting two similar equipment like Two Ethernet cards without a hub or switch or two hub 's or Two switches . we normally use Crossover to connect two computers directly.

Why is it called Cross Cable ?

A standard CAT 5 cable has a 1-to-1 mapping of pins from one connector to another. A crossover cable connects the transmission pins from one end to the receive pins on the other end (crosses them over, hence the name). When you use a hub , this crossing is automatically done . Hence you can use straight cable when you are connecting through hub or switch .

So How to make your own Crossover cable ?

Last weekend , I thought of connecting two PC's in my room for playing games . But I had only straight cable . I converted straight cable into Cross cable very simply . First see the figure below which depicts wire combination which we have to do .

Remove the outer jacket of your straight cable . Take care so that wires inside do not get damaged . Now you can see wires in the colors as shown in the right side of the figure . That is how your wires are connected in a straight cable . Now cut your green wire and orange wire , and then join green wire with orange and orange wire with green . Similarly Green-white with orange and Orange-white with Green-white . Apply some plaster to this and you are done . No messing with end to end pins and stuff . If you are still facing problems in doing this . Let me know . I will help you .

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