Differences? Cat5 cable and cat5 data transfer cable?

[Denvers Dawgs]

What is the differnece bewteen a normal cat5 cable and a cat5 data transfer cable? Both look completely identical on the outside.

can normal cat5 work as a transfer cable

[jagabo]

The transfer cable is a crossover cable. You can hook it directly between two computers without using a hub. Normally the hub would perform the crossover (ie, connect the output pins of one computer to the input pins on the other and vice versa). Logically:

normal cable:

output >----------->
_input <-----------<

transfer cable:

output >-----\/-----< output
_input <-----/\-----> input

[Denvers Dawgs]

Oh ok, I'll have to take a closer look at the two cables side by side.

[redwudz]

Hint: When you hold the plugs side by side, they should have the same sequence of color codes on the wires from side to side. A transfer cable should have the opposite color coding side to side. Some routers can deal with either version.

But a transfer cable is most commonly used to connect computer to computer directly. Just to make it more interesting, some cable modems need a transfer (Crossover) cable to hook up to the computer or router. But I haven't seen that in a while.

For cables, CAT 5 and CAT 5E (Enhanced) are fairly common. CAT 6 you will see more rarely. More than a few CAT 5E cables are passed off as CAT 6. A good brand of cable is clearly labeled along it's length to show what it is. Crossover cables are not so often labeled as to what they are.

[Denvers Dawgs]

So would I be able to connect to pcs with the crossover cable without having to use a router?

[jagabo]

So would I be able to connect to pcs with the crossover cable without having to use a router?

Yes.

[Noahtuck]

So would I be able to connect to pcs with the crossover cable without having to use a router?

The transfer cable is a crossover cable. You can hook it directly between two computers without using a hub.

For transferring data from one PC to another.... hence the name, data transfer cable

[Denvers Dawgs]

check!

[Nelson37]

Normal color sequence is 1-orange/white, 2-orange, 3-green/white, 4-blue, 5-blue/white, 6-green, 7-brown/white, 8-brown, on BOTH ends.

The crossover sequence is 1-green/white, 2-green, 3-orange/white, 4-blue, 5-blue/white, 6-orange, 7-brown/white, 8-brown on ONE end. Pair 1 + 2 has been swapped with pair 3 + 6.

The actual colors used can be rearranged in any way desired, as long as the end-to-end pairing remains the same. Using standard color sequence is helpful when the cables and jacks are hundreds of feet apart, and work may need to be done months or years after original installation.

There are two functional pairs, 1 and 2, then 3 and 6. All other cables serve no purpose, other than to make the crimp-on connection more solid. The other four wires can be used to run two connections on one cable. Doing this is within spec for 10-base-T, but NOT for 100-base-T. Exactly like using a crossover cable, it is rated to 10, NOT 100, though it may work. I have seen untwisted phone wire used, and test to 100 mbps, though it is not supposed to and I would never install it this way.

The short story is you may only get 10 mbps with a crossover, while using a router or switch with normal cable should get you 100mbps, and if your equipment is rated for it, up to 1000 mbps.

No big deal, unless you are transferring and most especially playing video files. 10 mbps just won't cut it for these situations.

[Denvers Dawgs]

The short story is you may only get 10 mbps with a crossover, while using a router or switch with normal cable should get you 100mbps, and if your equipment is rated for it, up to 1000 mbps.

No big deal, unless you are transferring and most especially playing video files. 10 mbps just won't cut it for these situations.

Thanks for that bit of info.....