Network Cables....

[BFMF]

I'm trying to set up a network between my laptop and my desktop computers, and I can't remember what type of network cable I need.

For a direct network, do I use a crossover cable or not? It's one or the other, and the other is for linking a computer to a hub.

I was just at the local computer shop a little while ago, and I was looking at their cat 5 patch crossover cables. What does the Cat 5 mean? And what does it mean if it's a 'patch' cable?

Thanks...

[ctjoyce]

RJ-45 or Cat5 is what you need. Crossover

Cheers
Cameron

[BFMF]

Thanks Cameron!

[Joe_D]

Cat5 (catagory 5)  is a desigination of quality and approved fitness for type of use.

For example cat5 is approved for use installed in walls.
Cat5 has more or less become the net cable standard.

[legoalex2000]

*sigh* you lot are behind on the times.
Esselbach, here's a rundown...

Straight-through cable - a cable from say a router to router, or hub, or computer to router (switch, hub, etc...)

Crossover cable - used in conecting computers to switches or hubs. it's not really used anymore since computers can auto detect hubs & switches

Rollover - used between 2 computers connected to eatch other.

(btw im certified to make all types of RJ-545's)

RJ-45 is the standard (to compare, RJ-11 is a phone line)

Cat5 is obselete. it is no longer the standard.

your looking for Cat5e, that is the current standard, and we are currently making the switch to Cat6.

the difference between cat5e and cat6

Cat5e uses 4 wires (Orange, white/orange, blue, and white/green) to send & recieve. the other 4 wires were for grounding.

ever heard of Gigabit ethernet? that runs on Cat6 cables, which uses every wire in the cable instead of 4.

Cat means Category.

if you see UTP and STP, here's whats up with that

your going to pay more for STP, it means Shielded Twisted Pair. and you can take a lucky guess that UTP is Unshielded. all it means is that in STP, each wire has 2 coatings of protection, as compared to UTP which has one.

also also, if you ee 100baseT, it means it can go 100 meters (until it needs a repeater, switch, or router), it's baseband, and its *T*wisted (so it means if you see 1000baseF, it means *F*iber optic)

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so all in all, if your connecting te laptop to the comptuer directly, use rollover. if going through a router (switch, or hub) use Straight. crossover is obselete.

and look for Cat5e or Cat6

Thank you Cisco class i just passed!

ramos

[ctjoyce]

Lol I'm takeing the Cisco networking class next year. Good to have a preview into what I'm going to be doing.

Cheers
Cameron