Wow!
Nate,
You're confusing serial with ethernet.
http://pinouts.ru/NetworkCables/Ethernet10BaseTStraightThru_pinout.shtml
Shows how one of the colors, either brown or orange, is separated and twisted over the blue center wires. I didn't see anything like that in the MRC stuff.
Oh wait, I know the kind of crossover cable you are talking about. You're right, but it's a different beast.
OK, lets get some facts straight before everyone out there gets their heads scrambled.
First
Serial cables have 7 or 15 pin D connectors on each end. They have nothing to do with Ethernet, they were the original IBM computer mouse connector which then went to PS2 and now typically use USB. (For the purist, some older ethernet equipment used serial cables to provide terminal management capability.)
Second
Ethernet cables (RJ45 8 wire 4 pair) come in two basic types:
- Straight through where all the pins go directly from one connector to the other, except that in all cases, the twisted pairs are not wired directly pin to pin. (Speeds higher than 10mb are EXTREMELY sensitive to requiring the proper twists between proper pins. (Cat3 has fewer twists than cat5 and cat5 has fewer twists than cat5e.) These cables are for use between hubs and computers and are the most common cables around.
- Crossover cables have certain pins rotated, (not pin to pin) to allow a person to connect one computer to another. Hubs, switches and routers have the 'rotation built into them', which is why they use the straight through cable.
Third
Telephone cords (RJ11) 4 wire
Come in four basic configurations
- Two wire straight through
- Two wire where wires are rotated (This is the standard 2 wire telephone tabel top cord)
- Four wire straight through (Works fine for Lenz & Digitraxx expressnet/loconet)
- Four wire where the wires are rotated (This is the standard 4 wire telephone tabel top cord)
Fourth
Telephone System cords RJ12 (6 wire) typically come 2 ways
- Six wire straight through (What we use for Lenz and Digitraxx with the two outside pins NOT used)
- Six wire rotated
Finally
Lenz and Digitraxx require a minimum of
4 wires straight through. I just tested it as I have both systems (Set 100 Lenz and Super Chief Digitraxx). I used my $400 pair scanner to verify the wiring too.
If you do not have brain damage by now, my suggestion is that unless you have a pair scanner and the proper network tools, stay with RJ12 (6wire) straight through wiring. As a caution here, just because it has 6 wire plugs does not mean it is straight through wired and if it is rotated, things will not work. Does not seem to cause damage, but things don't work, I just reverified this.
This means you could use 4, 6 or 8 wire cable to properly operate Lenz and Digitraxx networks, if they are wired straight through. 4 & 6 are easiest, as you do not have to change any of your connectors.
Hope this helps.
There is lots of detailed wiring information on the net. I am amazed at how complicated people can get with 4, 6 or 8 wires.
Best regards,
Joe