8P8C network coupler query

Hello everyone

I'm in the middle of a loft conversion, and I'm going to be moving my
computer from my bedroom further upstairs. The computer in the bedroom is
connected to my router downstairs via a 10m ethernet crossover cable (a
legacy from when I used to connect two PCs together and since it works with
the clever routers these days I've left it there!).

Now - I'm moving the computer upstairs but unfortunately the 10m cable won't
reach. So my plan is to buy an 8P8C network coupler and just run a second
cable from where the cable is at the moment.

My question is, because the original cable is crossover, will my second
cable also have to be crossover? Or does a coupler not care either way and I
can just use standard ethernet patch cable?

Thanks for any help you can offer

Best wishes

Reece

Reece Bythell wrote:

> My question is, because the original cable is crossover, will my second
> cable also have to be crossover? Or does a coupler not care either way
> and I
> can just use standard ethernet patch cable?

If you want to extend a crossover cable you need to use an ordinary
patch-cable. Two crossovers in a link would neutralise each other.

Having said that, most modern equipment doesn't care whether you use a
straight-through or crossover cable, it will work with either.



--
(E-Mail Removed)

Bernard Peek wrote:
> Reece Bythell wrote:
>
>> My question is, because the original cable is crossover, will my second
>> cable also have to be crossover? Or does a coupler not care either way
>> and I
>> can just use standard ethernet patch cable?
>
> If you want to extend a crossover cable you need to use an ordinary
> patch-cable. Two crossovers in a link would neutralise each other.
>
> Having said that, most modern equipment doesn't care whether you use a
> straight-through or crossover cable, it will work with either.
>
>
>

As Bernard says, autosensing is (almost) standard on modern equipment,
so whether the cable is cross-over or not doesn't matter - as you have
found.

Couplers are mainly pin-to-pin links (there are some cross-over types)
and can be ignored for the most part (apart from the additional
connections providing additional points of failure).

The additional cable can be either, as two cross-overs = no cross-over
:-) , with the only downside being keeping track of whether the total
length is or is not cross-over. If, at some stage, you are going to use
Gigabit ethernet for an internal network, then I recommend straight
through cables for those segments (as a result, I have never tested a
cross-over in that situation)!

--
PeeGee

The reply address is a spam trap. All mail is reported as spam.
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)

PeeGee wrote:
> Bernard Peek wrote:
>> Reece Bythell wrote:
>>
>>> My question is, because the original cable is crossover, will my
>>> second cable also have to be crossover? Or does a coupler not care
>>> either way and I can just use standard ethernet patch cable?
>>
>> If you want to extend a crossover cable you need to use an ordinary
>> patch-cable. Two crossovers in a link would neutralise each other.
>>
>> Having said that, most modern equipment doesn't care whether you use a
>> straight-through or crossover cable, it will work with either.
>
> As Bernard says, autosensing is (almost) standard on modern equipment, so
> whether the cable is cross-over or not doesn't matter - as you have
> found.

Thanks for these answers, guys. Very much appreciated. Can get on with the
job now.

All the best

Reece