Which Cable Utilizes Both TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b Standards?

A technician needs to connect two routers using copper cables.

Which of the following cables would utilize both the TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards?

A.

Cat5 crossover

B.

Cat5e straight-through

C.

Cat5e rollover

D.

Cat6 console

E.

Cat6a straight-through.

A.

The correct answer is A, Cat5 crossover.

To understand why, let's first define what TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards are.

TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b are two different wiring standards for Ethernet cables. They dictate the pinout, or the order in which wires are connected, for Ethernet cables.

TIA/EIA 568a uses the following pinout for Ethernet cables:

1. White-Green
2. Green
3. White-Orange
4. Blue
5. White-Blue
6. Orange
7. White-Brown
8. Brown

TIA/EIA 568b uses a slightly different pinout:

1. White-Orange
2. Orange
3. White-Green
4. Blue
5. White-Blue
6. Green
7. White-Brown
8. Brown

Both standards are widely used, but TIA/EIA 568b is more popular in the United States.

Now, let's look at the cable options given in the question.

B. Cat5e straight-through: This type of cable uses the same pinout on both ends and is used to connect a device to a network switch or hub. It does not utilize both TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards.

C. Cat5e rollover: This type of cable is used to connect a computer to the console port of a router or switch for configuration purposes. It does not utilize both TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards.

D. Cat6 console: This type of cable is used to connect a computer to the console port of a router or switch for configuration purposes. It does not utilize both TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards.

E. Cat6a straight-through: This type of cable uses the same pinout on both ends and is used to connect a device to a network switch or hub. It does not utilize both TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards.

A. Cat5 crossover: This type of cable is used to connect two devices of the same type, such as two routers or two computers, directly to each other without the need for a network switch or hub. It does utilize both TIA/EIA 568a and TIA/EIA 568b standards, with the wires crossed over in the middle of the cable to allow for communication between the two devices.

Therefore, the correct answer is A, Cat5 crossover.