Ethernet connections advice needed

tinmar49 · Feb 3, 2022

I have just bought some pass through ethernet connections for use with cat6 cable. As my hands are very arthritic, this type is easier for me to work with. Some of my older connections date back about 15 years, and I found that some vary in the wire connections.
I have just wired LO O LG BL LBL G LBR BR

The old wiring is LG G LO BL LBL O LBR BR

Am I right in thinking that as long as both ends of a cable have matching connections, that both variations work?
Is it ok to mix cable variations connected to the same switch?

Ghot · Feb 3, 2022

tinmar49 said:
I have just bought some pass through ethernet connections for use with cat6 cable. As my hands are very arthritic, this type is easier for me to work with. Some of my older connections date back about 15 years, and I found that some vary in the wire connections.
I have just wired LO O LG BL LBL G LBR BR

The old wiring is LG G LO BL LBL O LBR BR

Am I right in thinking that as long as both ends of a cable have matching connections, that both variations work?
Is it ok to mix cable variations connected to the same switch?

If the color codes on both ends of the cable are the same, then it's not a crossover cable.
All non-crossover cables should be interchangeable. The colors don't matter.
(as long as they have the same number of pins and are the same size physically)

Be careful mixing crossover cables with non-crossover cables.
A crossover cable will have the different color codes on the opposite ends of the cable.

So if you have a regular cable on one side of the pass through... then you need another regular cable on the other side of the pass through.

If color codes on both ends of a cable are the same... it's a regular cable.

If color codes on both ends of a cable are different... is it a crossover cable.

The-Hive · Feb 3, 2022

Yes you are correct, colour is immaterial as long as they do not get crossed over go with what @Ghot has posted

NavyLCDR · Feb 3, 2022

Actually, I believe that "colors don't matter" is incorrect. Ethernet is based upon twisted pair wires. I believe that messing with the combinations of twitested pairs will introduce noise which will reduce the signal-to-noise ratio SNL, and result in degradation of network performance. If it was I, I would just stick with the well-defined specification for CAT 6. Additionally, CAT6 ethernet no longer requires crossover cables to connect client-to-client, the modern ethernet adapters now handle that conversion internally:

That being said, as long as the split of the twisted pairs that occurs in positions 3-6 is maintained, there should be no effect on the signal-to-noise ratio as long as both ends of the cable are the same (unless you are truly trying to create a crossover cable).

pparks1 · Feb 3, 2022

As long as they match on both ends you are good. I usually just buy premade cables myself from monoprice or amazon. You can find inexpensive cable and you don't have to go through the effort of building them.

While I know how to build cable, I'm honestly not good with it. It's more frustrating that it needs to be.

AdvancedSetup · Feb 3, 2022

Yes, as long as the correct wires match the color is irrelevant. However, for anyone that comes along later and looks at the cable they will be confused. I used to build electronic control cabinets and we had thousands of wires in them and we used the color codes. However, we then built some equipment for France and they mandated that ALL wires were to be white and labeled at each end. So we did as they requested but working on that cabinet in the future was much harder as labels over time have a tendency to get dirty, fall off, etc. Had they used the color code as recommended they wouldn't have such support issues.

I'm not into building cables myself anymore and buy them pre-built when possible.

Ghot · Feb 3, 2022

They are pretty cheap these days, and even have colored outer insulation...

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-160021-Snagless-Ethernet/dp/B00E5I7VJG/ref=sr_1_29?crid=2Z3782R3XE9Z&keywords=CAT6%2Bpatch%2Bcables&qid=1643947034&sprefix=cat6%2Bpatch%2Bcables%2Caps%2C55&sr=8-29&th=1

AdvancedSetup · Feb 3, 2022

Yep, pretty cheap. I'm currently installing a 10GB network in the home and the CAT 8 cable is still pretty cheap too

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Outdoor-Connector-Weatherproof-Resistant/dp/B07QLXC6QR

AdvancedSetup · Feb 3, 2022

But to be fair, the tolerances on Cat-6 are beyond the ability to do at home and still pass good quality control, much more so for Cat-8

NavyLCDR · Feb 4, 2022

AdvancedSetup said:
But to be fair, the tolerances on Cat-6 are beyond the ability to do at home and still pass good quality control, much more so for Cat-8

I have to disagree. It's easy to maintain CAT-6 specifications with good parts and tools, even at home.

obelix · Feb 4, 2022

You wrote it well, there is nothing to add, thanks for the expertise

tinmar49 · Feb 4, 2022

My problem is to get another wire through a small hole between two rooms. Thats why I have been putting my own ends on. On one side of my computer room, I'm getting about 224 Mbits and the other side 89 Mbits. And from the same 8 way switch. I was going to complain about the speed being below the minimum guaranteed when I tried a speed test on one of the other pc's.
I have used the T568B, but noticed the code for T568A on my tester.
Now I have found that some of my cat6 cable is single strand and some is multi strand wire. This may affect the connection quality.

AdvancedSetup · Feb 7, 2022

NavyLCDR said:
I have to disagree. It's easy to maintain CAT-6 specifications with good parts and tools, even at home.

Yes, it is possible and I'll take you at your word, but many people at home do not make good cables. Even supposed commercially built cables do not always pass testing.