> > Thanks, I think I'll try that. This is rhetorical question,
> > but why can't there be just one type of cable for both patch and
> > crossover? It still just uses IP over Ethernet...
>
> Try not to confuse network transport layer 3 (IP) or data link
> layer 2 (ethernet frames) with physical layer 1 (ethernet
> 10/100baseT).
>
> Electrically, two of the wires are treated as a "transmit" pair
> on one side of the cable (tx-/tx+), and the "receive" pair
> (rx-/rx+) on the other side of the cable. As both sides need to
> transmit and receive data, you have two pairs of cables to this
> end.
>
> If two machines try to transmit on the same pair and receive on
> the same pair, they cannot communicate - thus the need for
> a "crossover" cable.
Though there is the question, why straight patch cables at all
:)? What is the technical reason hubs/routers weren't designed
to work with crossed-over pinnage? I thought maybe when cutting
lengths of cable from a roll, leaving it all as straight patch
cable is easier... but in either case you're gonna be slapping an
RJ-45 connector on it, including feeding the wires into the holes,
etc. Seems a crossover wouldn't have been any more difficult. But
then, I don't deal with it much, so I'm not a good judge. And a LOT
of things would be different, anyway, if it weren't for various
historic/legacy baggage reasons, and this might just be one of those
cases?
Oh well, probably not very important... it is how it is.
~ Daniel
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