The Crossover Cable allows you to connect two computers directly together by their network cards without using a hub or switch. The functionality of the crossover cable is that the data send and receive functions are crossed over at both ends of the cable, enabling full data transfer between computers, routers, and even networks. A crossover cable is sometimes known as a null modem. A crossover cable might sound like a thing of the past, but it is still in use today in various capacities.
Crossover Cable is the most popular and considered the networking topology standard for most computer connections. Crossover cables are commonly used when temporarily networking two devices in situations where a network router, switch or hub is not present. A crossover cable can also be used to connect two Ethernet devices. These Ethernet devices can be single computers, or they can be networks. The principle is the same, but the connection speed and scheme are different, as is the purpose of the connection.
How to Create the Connection
Here's your step-by-step for direct connection via crossover cable:
1. Make sure the network ports on both PCs are enabled in pre-Vista PCs. To do this, click Start, then Settings, and then Network and Dial Up Connections. Look for a line labeled "Local Area Connection" and be sure that it's marked as "Enabled."
2. Plug one end of the crossover cable into one computer's Ethernet card, and the other end, into the other computer's card. It doesn't matter which end goes to which PC.
3. Run the network setup wizard on both computers. If you plan to connect both computers to the Internet, have the main computer on the Internet as you run the setup. To get to the wizard, click "Start," then "Network Place," and finally "Set up a home or small office network." Restart both computers after the wizard is complete on each.
A crossover cable is a special variety of the familiar Category 5 Ethernet patch cable. It looks almost exactly like an ordinary Ethernet patch cable, but it will be labeled somehow so that you know it's a crossover cable. Look for the abbreviation CRS embossed in the plug on each end or for a label of some other kind.
