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.
