Which Ethernet cable do I need?

Ricki · 23 Dec 2007 at 15:18

I have an Orange Livebox in my office and will be connecting my main PC to that via a standard Ethernet cable, but I want to connect it to a wireless router in the other end of the house (the range is not good enough to allow me to use the wireless router from my office), so I can run a PC and a Laptop from it.

So, will I need a Ethernet Crossover cable or will a standard Ethernet cable suffice to connect the Livebox to a wireless router?

blastman · 23 Dec 2007 at 22:25

just to confirm,

you have a orange router (wired) that is the adsl router. you want to attach a pc to it and then attach a access point to the orange box as well via a cable?

if so then a standard cat5 should do the trick.

there was a thread a little while ago about using crossover cables with routers but I believe the outcome was that most routers/AP have special ports to allow standard cat5 as technically because they are on different layers it should be a crossover.

thread link..

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17813674&highlight=username_blastman

Verbium · 23 Dec 2007 at 22:43

Some people will probably kill me for saying this as you should keep to the standards but it doesn't really matter. The rule of thumb is that if you're connecting two of the same device you use a crossover cable (such as a switch to switch).

But all new routers/switches etc are auto sensing so they will just do the work for you, the cable does not matter.

Snapshot · 24 Dec 2007 at 06:24

Mr Sniper said:
Some people will probably kill me for saying this as you should keep to the standards but it doesn't really matter. The rule of thumb is that if you're connecting two of the same device you use a crossover cable (such as a switch to switch).

Quite right too. You're a pedant after my own heart. :cool:

mejinks · 24 Dec 2007 at 09:32

Is the remote wireless device a router or an access point just to clarify?
This may not work depending on if you can actually configure the router to act as just a wireless bridge.

I agree with Mr Sniper BTW.

csmager · 24 Dec 2007 at 09:32

NB - you don't want to be using another wireless router, you just want a wireless access point. If you've already got an extra wireless router you're going to be using, then disable DHCP (at least).