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Why router connect to switch with a straight-through cable?

dazedloong
Level 1
Level 1

Everyone said router need a straight-through cable to connect to switch. Why?

I can't see any spec like that on the standard. Is it a habit?

2 Accepted Solutions

Accepted Solutions

Danilo Dy
VIP Alumni
VIP Alumni

Hi,

Its a standard.

DTE to DTE is crossed cable

DCE to DCE is crossed cable

DTE to DCE is straight cable

Same device is crossed, different device is straight.

But now, new devices support Auto-MDIX. Doesn't matter which cable you use. But sometimes, for troubleshooting sanity, use the standard.

http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/cs-020673.htm

Regards,

Dandy

View solution in original post

bvsnarayana03
Level 5
Level 5

In networking world, devices are identified as Terminal equipments & communications equipments.

Terminal equipments: includes desktops & routers

communication euipments: switches

Similar devices are connected via cross cable & non-similar devices are connected with straight.

View solution in original post

10 Replies 10

Danilo Dy
VIP Alumni
VIP Alumni

Hi,

Its a standard.

DTE to DTE is crossed cable

DCE to DCE is crossed cable

DTE to DCE is straight cable

Same device is crossed, different device is straight.

But now, new devices support Auto-MDIX. Doesn't matter which cable you use. But sometimes, for troubleshooting sanity, use the standard.

http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/cs-020673.htm

Regards,

Dandy

bvsnarayana03
Level 5
Level 5

In networking world, devices are identified as Terminal equipments & communications equipments.

Terminal equipments: includes desktops & routers

communication euipments: switches

Similar devices are connected via cross cable & non-similar devices are connected with straight.

The new feature call AUTO-MDIX adjusts the signaling of the port according to the type of wire attached and signals it recieves through it.

The standards are as stated by the dandy.But now a days the AUTO-MDIX supports all combinations to work absolutely fine.

Regards,

shri :)

Edison Ortiz
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Rule of thumb on cabling.

1) non-switch device to switch device = straight-through cable

2) Any other connection = crossover cable

A router is considered a non-switch device.

Until the introduction of Auto-MDIX, you needed a crossover cable for switch-to-switch connectivity.

One caveat on Auto-MDIX, if you configure your speed/duplex manually, you disable Auto-MDIX.

HTH,

___

Edison.

To add to above posts auto-mdix supports only to speed above 1000Mbps so if your connecting with ethernet then you have to take care of the devices and cable your going to use.

Cheers,

Nikhil E.

dazedloong
Level 1
Level 1

Thank you all. All of you answers are very helpful to me.

Hi Lin,

If we take this question to the physical level, routers, wireless access point Ethernet ports, and PC NICs all send using pins 1 and 2, whereas hubs and switches send using pins 3 and 6. Straight-through cables are used when connecting devices that use the opposite pairs of pins to transmit data (Tx to Rx and Rx to Tx), if the devices are the same (use the same pins for Tx and Rx) then we must use a cross-over cable to cross the transmission.

BR,

Mohammed Mahmoud.

Your comment was like a dessert after dinner.

In fact it was very valuable point. i never came across this explanation ever. Full points to you.

Hi Narayana,

Thank you very much, this is the beauty of NetPro.

BR,

Mohammed Mahmoud.

jose.garcia
Level 1
Level 1

And last but not the least, when using a patch cable, the easiest way to identify if it is a straight-through or cross-over is, to look at both plugs at the same time with the golden pins facing you, look at the wire's color in the RJ45 plugs and read from left to right

A straight-through cable will shown the next config on both plugs:

pin 1: white-orange

pin 2: orange

pin 3: white-green

pin 4: blue

pin 5: white-blue

pin 6: green

pin 7: white-brown

pin 8: brown

A cross-over cable will shown the next config on one plug:

pin 1: white-orange

pin 2: orange

pin 3: white-green

pin 4: blue

pin 5: white-blue

pin 6: green

pin 7: white-brown

pin 8: brown

and will show the next configuration on the second plug:

pin 1: white-green

pin 2: green

pin 3: white-orange

pin 4: blue

pin 5: white-blue

pin 6: orange

pin 7: white-brown

pin 8: brown

But I strongly recommend you if you are buying a cross-over cable, to buy it of a different color, since not always they are labeled as straight-through or cross-over.

Remember, in ethernet:

pin 1: Tx+

pin 2: Tx-

Pin 3: Rx+

Pin 6: Rx-

And memorize this for the cross-over cable: "1 to 3, 2 to 6".

Hope it helps.

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