cat6? crossover cable?

sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
edited May 2005 in Science & Tech
i have three simple questions:

1) What is a Cat6 cable? I know its faster than a Cat5, but are they compatible with each other?

2) What is the difference between a patch cable and a crossover cable? I think crossover cables are for connected two computers directly together- am I right? Why do they need to be different cables?? Why won't they both work for the same thing??

3) To connect a computer to a LAN plug in a dorm room would need a Cat5 PATCH cable, correct?

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    1) It isn't faster, and yes it is.
    2) Patch and crossover cables are the same. Patch and crossover are used to connect two computers, and <i>sometimes</i> two networking devices. I don't understand your last question.
    3) Incorrect. You need a straight through cable.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited May 2005
    no way... so this wont work http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5777353285&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOAB:US:6 ????? I've bought a bunch of those and they work fine..

    anyways on the cat6 cables i've seen that they are higher mhz, so does that not mean speed? and if patch and crossover cables are the same thing, why are they separate categories in ebay? also, what are raw cat5 cables?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Ergh, I messed my **** up.

    Patch and straight through are the same, crossover are different. You just need patch/straighthrough.

    The MHz rating on the wire indicates the signal frequency it can carry from the network card, which indirectly determines speed.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Cat5E Patch cable, or CAT6 would be better. The larger the CAT number, the better rated and more expensive the cable is, as well as being able to get more "traffic per second" through it. The E stands for enhanced.

    Lets say you hooked up a CAT5 cable to a 10\100 network card (older computer)-- result is a MAX of 10 MB\second. Let's say you hooked same card to a CAT5E cable hookup and network was wired with CAT6 or 5E. Max result would be 100 MB\Second less network ineffectiveness. I use CAT 5E for patch and runs here at home. Now let's say you hooked up a CAT6 and network was fiber or CAT6 with very good routing and switching-- upper end possible is 1000 MB\sec through that cable less network ineffectiveness.

    Conclusion-- average network uses CAT5E rated cable, not just CAT5.

    Now, patch versus crossover. Crossover is used for router to router sometimes, or two computers.

    Patch is straight through and is used to wall or router. Every line on one end must match same position on other end. I run patch from computers to router here, and patch to and from a long run wired as patch to mom's computer. Think of patch as a straight through run, and think of crossover as used where transmission on one end must be reception on other. All network cards have the same pinouts, so to get a connect between two the crossing has to be in the cable.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Patch cable is used in two senses, Thrax. It is used to mean, purely, ANY short cable. Wall to computer (end node) patch is straightthrough (also AUI to normal port on router stack or router to switch normal port). Also, a short cable from router to router (AUI PORTS at both ends) in a router stack is called a patch cable-- but this kind of patch is a crossover as you said.

    I simplify things in my head by thinking straight-through and crossover.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited May 2005
    ahh.. straight_man- thank you very much for that explanation.
    Now, patch versus crossover. Crossover is used for router to router sometimes, or two computers.
    I was thinking that, but not sure...
    Think of patch as a straight through run, and think of crossover as used where transmission on one end must be reception on other.
    Very good way to put it.. thanks

    Well if you go to that link, you'll see that I did buy a Cat5E cable- so that should be perfect. DANG i got a great deal- $3.65 total for a 10ft cable! Very good deal.. I just love ebay! Thanks
    All network cards have the same pinouts
    So the only difference in the construction of the cables are how the wires are INSIDE the cable, but they meet up at the end in the same way?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Pilotwings119, to your most recent question:

    All cable comes off the spool as straightthrough--- nothing in middle to convert it to crossover. To make a crossover, pins 1 and 2 get put into other end of cable as pins 3 and 6. And 3 and 6 from one end are connected to 1 and 2. (1 goes to 3 at other end, 2 goes to 6, and from other end 3 and 6 go to 1and 2). 4,5,7,8 are straightthrough for normal crossover, though some setups have been known to be non-standard.

    NOTE, I have seen inline crossover adapters the can take two patch cables and do crossover in connector also, but those introduce extra connectors to keep clean and are not always of good quality. Cyberguys sells those, for example

    I could tell you more, but then we get into long and heavy acronym (specialized network tech words in this case) definitions-- and this is SHORT-Media.
  • DanGDanG I AM CANADIAN Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    I've found that most cat6 cable tends to be stiffer that cat5e cable, but regardless, they're both rated for gigabit.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Cat5E short runs, yes. longer Gigabit or better is normally fiber or CAT6. Stiffer CAT6 is due to better insulation and thicker by a tiny bit conductors.
Sign In or Register to comment.