Ethernet cable which is used to connect networking devices through UTP cable and end is terminated with RJ45 connector. In UTP cable consist of 4pair or 8 wire of different color that is used to terminate on RJ45 or 8P8C connector. Ethernet cable color coding as standardized by EIA(Electronic Industries association) and TIA(Telecommunication Industry Association) there are two standard EIA/TIA-568-A and EIA/TIA-568-B.

EIA/TIA-568-A

In EIA/TIA-568-A the eight wire are arranged in Green-White, Green, Orange-White, Blue, Blue-White, Orange, Brown-White, Brown.

EIA/TIA-568-B

In EIA/TIA-568-A the eight wire are arranged in Orange-White, Orange, Green-White, Blue, Blue-White, Green, Brown-White, Brown.

An easy way to remember color code is in odd places(1,3,5,7) color with white strip are present. Two types of Ethernet cable connection are made using EIA/TIA-568-A and EIA/TIA-568-B standard

• Straight-Through cables
• Crossover Ethernet cable

Straight-Through cables

In Straight-Through cable both the end is terminated with the same standard i.e. EIA/TIA-568-A or  EIA/TIA-568-B standard Any of one use at both ends of the cable. Nowadays most patch cable are terminated with T568-B standard.

Straight cable are used to connect  MDI and MDX devices. Straight Cable is used to connect two dissimilar devices MDI and MDIX.

MDI– Medium Dependent Interface type of Ethernet port found on network devices device like  end station, ethernetcard that inside our computer or laptop.

MDIX(or MDI-X) – Medium Dependent Interface Crossover is similar to MDI, but interchange the transmit and receive pins within the interface. Device are generally infrastructure equipment like router, Switch or firewall etc

In straight through 10Base-T and 100Base-T four wire (Two Pair) of UTP cable is used and in 1000Base-T all the eight wire (Four Pair) are used.

Crossover Ethernet cables

In crossover ethernet cable both the end is terminated with different standard i.e. EIA/TIA-568-A and  EIA/TIA-568-B standard.

Ethernet Cross-Over Cables used to connect MDI to MDI and MDI-X to MDI-X. Cross Over cable is used to connect two similar devices.

In Crossover Cable 10Base-T and 100Base-T four wire (Two Pair) of UTP cable are used and in 1000Base-T all the eight wire (Four Pair) are used.

Auto MDI-X A feature in modern Ethernet switches that allows a switch port to dynamically detect if it needs to be operating as an MDI or on MDI-X interface, and adjust its pin out accordingly.

Rollover Cable

This cable is used to console a Cisco router or switch. one end is connected to Laptop or PC and other End connected to router or Switch. It is sometimes called Console Cable or Yost Cable(Serial Cable-Standard proposed by Dave Yost). In this cable on end is RJ45 connector and other ends DB9 serial port connector.RJ45 connector connected to router or switch and DB9 connecter connected to Laptop or PC, Nowadays USB adapters, for serial port to USB or USB type console available in the market.

Rollover cable called rollover because of opposite pin assignments on each ends i.e Pin1 on one side of a connector connected to Pin8 of another side connector Similarly pin2 of one side connector connected to pin7 of other side connector and so on.

Loopback Cable

It is used for testing physical port. A loopback cable redirects the output back into itself. It is used to test network issues.

RJ45 Loopback Cable

Rj45 Loopback cable used in ethernet and FastEthernet where four contacts are used transmitter pair and receiver pair are used. Gigabit Ethernet uses all eight contact where the transmitter and receiver are loop or redirect.

Fiber Loopback Cable

Fiber optic loopback incorporates two fiber optic connectors one receiver and other transmitters which are plugged into the output and input port of the equipment respectively.

Fiber Optic loopback cable is different types bases on fiber connector types such as LC, SC, ST, FC, and also it has multimode and single mode fiber available.