Linksys HomeLink Series
References
Types of Cabling
Ethernet Cabling
There are different grades, or categories, of twisted-pair cabling. The most highly recommended type of network cabling is Category 5 UTP Ethernet cabling, since it is the most widely used and the most reliable. Category 3 is an acceptable alternative cabling. Straight-through cables are used for con- necting computers to a hub. Crossover cables are used for connecting a hub to another hub, when there are no uplink ports available.
You can buy Category 5 cabling that is precrimped, or you can crimp your own. Category 5 cables can be purchased or crimped as either straight- through or crossed over. 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 spring clip so that the copper side faces up (the spring clip will now be parallel to the floor).When looking down on the coppers, wire 1 will be on the far left.
Phoneline Network Card and Network in a Box
Straight Through Ethernet Cabling
Crossover Ethernet Cabling
