ICT Section 35

Section 35   10.7.14

Network Interface card

Short for Network Interface Card, a NIC is also commonly referred to as an Ethernet card and network adapter and is an expansion card that enables a computer to connect to a network such as a home network or the Internet using an Ethernet cable with a RJ-45 connector.

 RJ-45 connector.

• RJ45 (telecommunications), a connector used for modem connections

Straight cable

Cross cable

A crossover cable connects two devices of the same type, for example DTE - DTE or DCE - DCE, usually connected asymmetrically (DTE-DCE), by a modified cable called a cross link

What is the defference between Cross Cable and Straight Cable

 Straight and crossover cable can be Cat3, Cat 5, Cat 5e or Cat 6 UTP cable, the only difference is each type will have different wire arrangement in the cable for serving different purposes.

Straight Cable
Usually use straight cable to connect different type of devices. This type of cable will be used most of the time and can be used to:
1) Connect a computer to a switch/hub's normal port.
2) Connect a computer to a cable/DSL modem's LAN port.
3) Connect a router's WAN port to a cable/DSL modem's LAN port.
4) Connect a router's LAN port to a switch/hub's uplink port. (Normally used for expanding network)
5) Connect two switches/hubs with one of the switch/hub using an uplink port and the other one using normal port.
If you need to check how straight cable looks like, it's easy. Both sides (side A and side B) of cable have wire arrangement with same color.

Crossover Cable
Sometimes you will use crossover cable, it's usually used to connect same type of devices. A crossover cable can be used to:
1) Connect two computers directly.
2) Connect a router's LAN port to a switch/hub's normal port. (Normally used for expanding network)
3) Connect two switches/hubs by using normal port in both switches/hubs.
In you need to check how crossover cable looks like, both side (side A and side B) of cable have wire arrangement with following different color.
This cable (either straight cable or cross cable) has total 8 wires (or we can say lines), i.e. four twisted pairs (4x2=8) with different color codes. Right now just forget about color codes. It doesn’t matter what color is given to the cable (but there is a standard).