Crossover Cables (Networking DSL/Cabling Issues)

[Jonathan Hutchins]

Crossover cables are easy to spot, since almost all RJ45 plugs are clear. 
 
Just hold the two ends up next to each other, facing the same direction.  If 
all the wires match, you have a "standard" or "straight through" cable.  If 
the order is different (the orange and green pairs swapped), you have a 
crossover. 
 
Most hubs and switches will have either a switch on one port or a special dual 
port that's a "crossover" or "uplink" port.  This allows you to connect two 
hubs, which would ordinarily call for a crossover, using a standard cable. 
 
You may occasionally find a hub or switch with a dedicated uplink port, you 
can always use that as a regular port by using a crossover cable. 
 
Crossovers are also handy for linking one computer directly to another without 
having to use a hub or switch. 
 
Someone said that the router had to be connected to a computer - I think he 
was thinking that the modem has to go directly to a router of some sort, 
rather than being plugged into a switch or a hub.  RoadRunner will sometimes 
let you have multiple systems on one modem by patching directly to a 
hub/switch, but they charge for each IP that way. 

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