Twisted Pair Cabling - Linksys HPN100 User Manual

Twisted-Pair Cabling
There are different grades, or categories, of twisted-pair cabling. Category 5 is
the most reliable and widely compatible, and is highly recommended. Category
3 is a good second choice. Straight-through cables are used for connecting
computers to a hub. Crossed cables are used for connecting a hub to another
hub (there is an exception: some hubs have a built-in uplink port that is crossed
internally, which allows you to uplink hubs together with a straight cable
instead).
You can buy Category 5 cabling that is pre-made, or cut and crimp your own.
Category 5 cables can be purchased or crimped as either straight-through or
crossed. A Category 5 cable has 8 thin, color-coded wires inside that run from
one end of the cable to the other. All 8 wires are used. In a straight-through
cable, wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at one end of the cable
are also wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at the other end. In a
crossed cable, the order of the wires change from
one end to the other: wire 1 becomes 3, and 2
becomes 6.
The color code for the 4 wires should be as follows:
Wire 1, white with an orange stripe; Wire 2, orange;
Wire 3, white with a green stripe; Wire 6, green. The
other four wires have to be connected as follows: Wire
4, blue; Wire 5, white with a blue stripe; Wire7, white
with a brown stripe, Wire 8, brown.
To figure out which wire is wire
number 1, hold the cable so that
the end of the plastic RJ-45 tip
(the part that goes into a wall
jack first) is facing away from
you. Flip the clip so that the
copper side faces up (the springy clip will now be par-
allel to the floor).When looking down on the coppers,
wire 1 will be on the far left.
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