OK... i have a server in a colo datacenter and I have been asked what cable sort I would like running from their switch into the back of my server.

I have these two choices:
1) Cross-over cable
2) Straight through cable

Which one should I be using? I am pretty sure that cross-over cable is only supposed to be used for PC to PC not from Switch to Server... so am I right in assuming I should be asking for a straight through cable, as surely a switch is nothing more than a glorified and more expensive hub, and I work with a PC attached to a hub at home and it uses straight through (normal) cat 5 cable.

Any help would be much appreciated.

James

Depends on the switch, better consult the switch manual. Most switches use straight cables. Some switches need a cross cable on one port, and straight on the others. Some make one port configurable, it can be used with straight or cross cable depending on the setup.

Depends...

What are you using the server for? Configuring the switch? Will the cable go into the console port??


If your using just as a normal node on the network, it will be a Straight through cable.

If you are pluggin into a console port then you are going to need a roll-over/cross-over cable...

Since you question has been answerd, where you bad mouthing switches up there. heh

Originally posted by frostie
...as surely a switch is nothing more than a glorified and more expensive hub,

James


Technically a switch is a LOT more advanced than any hub will ever be.

A Hub is basically a "dumb" device that just replicates info across.
Packet collisions are VERY possible (and likely) with a hub that gets any use.

A switch is FAR more efficient at what it does (each port sends and recieves without affecting the neighboring ports. IE on a hub if you 8 out of 8 ports active, the whole hub slows down.

On a switch, you dont have that problem.

A switch allows you to manage traffic, while a hub does not. (Try getting your stats off a hub).

Hubs have their uses... But comparing a hub and a switch is like comparing a "donut" tire (a temporary replacement tire) with a real spare. One has FAR more capacity than the other does, and is far more versatile.

Most of your points are valid. Some are generally correct but not totally.

Switches are not necessarily managed and may or may not have features to manage traffic.

Likewise, hubs may also be managed. I have 3 sitting in my backroom right now that are - 2 from HP, 1 from Synoptics.

"Try getting your stats off a hub" - Do it all the time.

lab geek is right, you can get stats off hubs(of course the one I saw giving stats was just giving me a headache, never went past 3% transfering a 7 gig file). On a side note, you are also forgetting fullduplex which hubs can not do. Not only does it allow you to use the full speed of the line, but also double it. Id like to see a hub on a network utilize more then 50 percent :)

In answer to The Prohacker:
My server is just a normal "node" which serves a few websites. So i'm guessing it doesn't have a console port, it just has a normal network connection on the Motherboard as most servers do. Therefore I would be right in assuming that from the switch to the server it would just be a straight through cable I am after.

In response to greatbeast:
I do know the difference between a switch and a hub and I realise that switches are in most cases superior, however I was just using it as an analagy of my home network where I connect my PC to my hub, in that I connect my server to a switch.



Here is another question then:
If I was connecting from one switch to another switch would I need a cross-over cable?
A little explanation: i currently have one server which is connected to the ISPs switch via a cat 5 cable, however if i wanted to put more servers on that line I would need a switch (or hub) of my own where I could attach more than one server to MY switch and then that switch to the ISPs switch.
So how would I connect the two switches together?

James

If you're connecting a network interface card to a hub or a switch, you need a straight through cable.

If you're connecting two NICs to each other with no hub/switch, or a hub/switch to another hub/switch, you need a crosover cable (I'm intentionally ignoring the hubs/switches with uplink ports).

Rule of thumb - Corollary 1

When you're going to connect a router / firewall to anything, have handy both a straight through cable and a crossover cable. If one doesn't get a link, try the other one.

hrm, id have to see the setup before hand...like some1 said b4, depends on the device ur using and what that device is conntected to....eg: what if it went into an uplink port on a mini hub, then id need crossover either way :D

Cheers for the info Jimroe and Co. Much appreciated on my part. Now I know why i can't get access to my server. Wrong damned cable :P

James