The cable internet connection makes use of the classic RJ-45 cable or also known as Ethernet cable. The problem comes when we find that there is a large number of cables on the market and a detail that nobody pays attention to, the fact that the network cable either direct or crossed. What does this concept mean and which of the two types is better for connecting to the Internet from our PC? We explain it to you.
Many of us have the router close to the computer along with other devices such as video game consoles. The problem comes when the network cable is not the right one and we don’t know it because they all look the same. Actually, we don’t usually pay attention when buying one, only that it supports the speeds of our PC and internet router. Let’s not forget that many systems usually come without the Ethernet cable and we have to buy it in the store, so it will be important to make the correct purchase.
Direct or crossed network cable. What is the difference between them?
In principle, its appearance is the same, since its ends have to be connected to a classic RJ-45 connection. However, they can be differentiated by the color of the internal cables, which indicates whether they follow the standards T568A Y T568B. This will help us to know if the network cable is direct or crossed. And it is not that one type corresponds to another or not.
- If both ends are exclusively T568A or T568B then we are talking about a direct cable.
- On the other hand, if the cable has the two differentiated ends, the cable will be crossed.
As you can see, the difference between the two connection standards is that the order of the pins is different and, therefore, it is necessary to cross the internal wiring. That’s what the two types of network cables owe their names to. As you can see it is a minor difference in appearance. We must start from the fact that each end of the cable has a transmitter and a receiver that sends the data at the same time. This is important to understand the utility of the two wires.
When should each of them be used?
In a direct connection, the data transmission cable is the same at both ends, so data cannot be sent from A to B and back at the same time. This makes them ideal for connecting to the internet, where sending and receiving are done intermittently. However, if we have a local network of two computers and we need to connect one to the other, then it is best to use a crossover cable.
Imagine for a moment that you have bought a new PC and you want to transmit the information that you had in the previous one and this one works perfectly. You will only have to interconnect both with a crossover cable to be able to send data from one point to another directly and without problems. Obviously, you will have to make the appropriate settings in the operating system, but it is the best and most comfortable option to transfer personal files from one point to another.
