Ethernet Cable Wire Orders

Author: Greg deJong
Date: 30 May 2001

Description

This document describes the order in which CAT-5 ethernet cable wires are set for two types of cables — normal network ethernet cables and cross-link ethernet patch cables.

When constructing your own ethernet cables, it is best to use a cable head tool to ensure proper wire-to-contact merging. Also, avoid using old wire in case the integrity of one or more wires has been compromised.

In the following instructions, the wire order displayed or described is from left to right, looking at the ethernet jack head as shown on the right; the jack release clip is facing you, and the wire enters the jack head from below.

Detail

Although the wire order for normal networking cables is a moot point, provided the same configuration is used on both ends, this is the standard configuration.

Normal wires are arranged as shown here:

As for cross-link cables, the wires are different at either end, as shown here:

While one end is the same as the normal arrangement, the other end has two sets of wires reversed: the solid orange and solid green wires are swapped, as are the orange stripe and green stripe wires.

Note: Sometimes the striped wires are not as apparent as you might hope; however, using the process of elimination, it is usually possible to figure out which wire is which.