How to Create a Crossover Cable
Crossover cables are used to connect 1 computer to another or for connecting together 2 electronic devices. They are special cables that swap the send and receive pairs of the cable so 1 end will receive what the other end sends and vice versa. It is easy to create a crossover cable by using Category 5 cable, which you can find at most hardware stores. You will need at least 2 RJ45 cable ends, though you might want to buy more in case you crimp the cable incorrectly the first time.
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Things You'll Need
- Category 5 cable
- RJ45 cable ends
- Cable crimpers for RJ45
- Scissors
- Cable tester (optional)
Instructions
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1
Determine how long the crossover cable needs to be. Use scissors to cut a cable of this length off the roll, plus an extra 5 inches. Use the scissors to score the cable sheathing 2.5 inches from 1 of the ends. Lightly spin the cable while it's in the grip of the scissors so that it scores the outer sheathing but does not hurt the wire inside. Gently pull the sheathing off the 2.5 inches at the end only.
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2
Look at the wires inside your cable. They are color coded with orange, green, blue and brown pairs. Each colored pair consists of a solid wire and a white striped wire. Separate and untwist the wires so they are easier to work with.
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3
Hold the wire pairs in your hand. Move the white and green striped wire to the far left and put the green wire directly to its right. Continue this procedure until you have the following wires from right to left after the green one: white/orange, blue, white/blue, orange, white/brown and brown.
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4
Use scissors to trim the exposed wires down to about 1 inch in length. Make sure they are straight and even. Take an RJ45 end with the tab side up and slide the pairs in, making sure they stay in the same order and butt up against the end of the jack. Place the jack in the crimpers and clamp down.
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5
Repeat Step 1 through Step 4 for the opposite end of your cable. This time, line the wires up in reverse order. Starting on the left, they will go white/orange, orange, white/green, blue, white/blue, green, white/brown and brown. Your crossover cable is now ready for use.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure the wires sit tightly in the jacks. You may have to crimp a few times before you get it exactly right.
