XtendedView

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Technology
    • How to
    • News
    • Computer
    • Windows
  • Internet
    • WordPress
    • Web
    • Google
    • Marketing
    • Social Media
  • Gadgets
    • iOS
    • Android
    • Games
  • About
    • Our Team
  • Contact us

What are Crossover Cables?

Author: Tushar Thakur   Last updated on: July 11, 2019    Leave a Comment  

What’s a crossover cable? As the world gets more wired and more networked, we find ourselves learning all sorts of terminology we didn’t even dream of in the past. People who grew up before telephone lines were ubiquitous are now grasping the nuances of Facebook. Folks who had to pass around tape recordings of TV shows can now look up their favorite episodes on the internet. The communication and data infrastructure of the world has changed.

Source: https://stocksnap.io/photo/B4I4XD7WY4

With those changes have come new hardware, new tools, new terms. One of those is the crossover cable. What does this mean in layman’s terms? How and where are these used, and why? What makes these different from all the other cables that we might use in our everyday lives?

The Basics

First, let’s look at what crossover cables are, so we can all be on the same page. An Ethernet crossover cable is a type of OTS patch cable that is meant for one purpose. It connects two devices to each other, usually as a means to support temporary host-to-host networks. They fill in for a network device like a router if these aren’t present.

The typical patch cable is designed for multiple devices. For instance, you can link together a computer and a network switch. Crossover cables are the opposite, usable only for the same type of device. They might, for instance, connect a terminal to another terminal or two phones.

Crossover cables are meant to connect two devices of the same category, rather than the model. This means that if you buy a cable to connect two desktops together, you should have no trouble linking a desktop and a laptop together using the same cable. However, you can’t use that same cable to link a desktop to a printer. At that point, what you want is a patch cable.

Physical Distinctions

In general, crossover cables don’t look that different from other patch cables. Physically speaking, they aren’t distinctive and even their connectors look the same. The difference lies in the internal workings and wiring structures.

Internal wiring differences actually have a reversal of how transmission and receiving of signals occurs. Crossover cables have color-coded wiring running through the connectors. The first and third wires (from left to right) are crossed, along with the second and sixth. This is in contrast to the identical sequences you’ll see on standard cabling.

Ethernet crossover cables use special markings to distinguish themselves from other types. If you were looking for physical differences, then there isn’t anything particularly dramatic. What you will find is a red coloring, which isn’t often used in other cables. Some also have “crossover” stamped on the packaging and wire casing.

Common Uses

In the 90s and early 2000s, crossover cables saw a lot of use. The most common forms of ethernet networking didn’t support direct cable connections between hosts. This necessitated a “middle man” that the crossover cable fulfilled. During this period, separate wires were used to receive and transmit, requiring two endpoints to communicate through an intermediary. This was meant to avoid conflict.

In the modern age, this is no longer the case. New wires and technologies have allowed for a single cable to act as transmission and receiver. In addition, a new standard was adopted that helped do away with the need for two separate wires. This removes the need for crossover cables on most network systems.

Connecting Older Hardware

That does not mean crossover cables are useless now, however. They still see use when connecting hardware that isn’t configured for modern Ethernet setups. These are rare instances, but not impossible depending on the industry or field an office works in. Modern devices are built to detect crossover cables and work with them without issue.

Direct Connections

If you still use crossover cables, you’re doing it for direct network connections. Attempting to hook up older routers or switches using a crossover cable can prevent connections from forming. In general, however, unless you’re doing a partial upgrade or an aspect of your operations is reliant on old and irreplaceable hardware, you shouldn’t need these anymore.

Short-Range Networks

As noted, they’re meant to connect two devices of the same category together. This means that if you need to create a short-range, very limited network, the cable is still a viable choice. This is especially true if the devices don’t have Bluetooth connectivity, the other common choice for this purpose.

Converting Cables

Sometimes, you might feel a need a straight-through cable to a crossover one. This can be done by removing the connector and reattaching the wires within. Make sure that you cross the appropriate transmit and receive wires. This should turn it into a crossover cable with little issue.

Conclusion

Modern ethernet infrastructure no longer uses crossover cables in general. There are still some rare instances when this is the case, but they no longer represent the standard. However, modern tech is still compatible with them, so they’re not useless if you still have them around. At least you know now not to get them when you plan a network upgrade.

Filed Under: Technology   

More on XtendedView Right Now!

  • RailYatri: The Smartest App for Train Travelers in India

  • Quincy Air Conditioning Installation Near You – AC Installations in Quincy, IL

  • Projection Mapping: Everything You Need To Know

  • Things to Remember While Choosing a Remote Support Provider

About Tushar Thakur

Tushar is founder of Xtendedview. He love to experiments on different gadgets, software/apps. He is professional blogger and Internet marketer. He is Interested in electronics and computers, Internet technology, Search Engine Optimization, Internet Marketing. Running online business and Blogs

Tushar has written 518 awesome articles for us at XtendedView.

  • Find Tushar On
❮
10 Proven Ways to be More Productive at School
❯
7 Ways to Choose the Best Lights for Your Bar

 Comment Policy

Your words are your own, so be nice and helpful if you can. Please, only use your REAL NAME, not your business name or keywords. Using business name or keywords instead of your real name will lead to the comment being deleted. Anonymous commenting is not allowed either. Limit the amount of links submitted in your comment. We accept clean XHTML in comments, but don't overdo it please. You can wrap code in [lang-name][/lang-name] tags.


Tell us what you're thinking... Cancel reply

If you want a picture to show with your comment, then get Gravatar!

Connect on Facebook

How To Tech

Latest Articles

  • Top 5 Grammar Checkers (Must Have Tools)
  • How to Fix Mouse Lag in Windows 10
  • How To Change MAC Address Of Android With or Without Rooting
  • 8 Best SpeedFan Alternatives for Computers for Windows and Mac

Featured Articles

  • How to Turn off Laptop Screen Manually
  • Best Alternatives for Logic Pro X on Windows 10
  • Digital Ocean Review: Cheapest cloud hosting
  • How to run Android applications on MAC
  • How to remove login password from windows 8
  • How to Play Android games on Windows PC

Trending Topics

  • Android 22
  • Apps 20
  • Automobile 5
  • Blogging 32
  • Business 108
  • Computer 130
  • Education 12
  • Games 13
  • Games 7
  • Google 13
  • How to 75
  • Internet 232
  • Marketing 10
  • Mobile 51
  • Technology 216
  • Windows 16
  • Wordpress 13
  • Some Rights Reserved. Xtendedview | Copyrights 2011-2025 | Site Map | Privacy Policy
  • XtendedView is built on WordPress
  • WordPress Hosting by Bluehost