Redjake

I was reminded of this by my brother, Lasereth, whom at work, was told that most of the computing industry calls a LAN cable a "Patch Cable."

I've heard of this like one or two times before! I thought a patch cable was a crossover cable for networking. Anyway, what do YOU call it?

• Patch Cable
• Ethernet Cable
• RJ-45
• Network Cable
• LAN Cable
• Other (Please Specify)

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Lasereth

I call it "Ethernet Cable." Oddly enough, half the people I work with have no idea what I'm talking about unless I call it "network cable."

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catback

I call it both ethernet cable (when I'm talking to those in the know) and network cable (when I'm talking to the clueless). I've referred to it by all your listed names except for LAN cable, a few names that are not on the list that I've used is CAT5, CAT5E, and CAT6 cable.

MikeSty

Agreed with Catback, but most people seem to associate Ethernet with Network/Internets somehow, so I stick with that. My teacher almost always says Cat5 though.

I refer to the connectors as RJ-45. Technically though, I guess the best name for it really is a CAT5 cable, since that's the standard it meets.

CAT6, CAT5e, et cetera are all ethernet cables of different specs.

A patch cable is what I refer to as a short cable used to connect two close devices, or a crossover cable.

steveincolumbus

Normaly patch cable to me is anything 6 foot and under. Such as to connect a pc to a jack, or cableing within a rack. RJ45 is the connectors on the ends of the patch cables.

If I am refering to the lengths of cable that is ran around the building I refer to it as Cat5 or Cat6. These would be terminated by a punch down keystone type jack or patch panel.

Never refer to it as a LAN cable. The building I work in has twinax, fiber, token ring, ethernet, analog and digital phone ran all over. So I refer to it only as ethernetwhen I am talking about the network that the cable would be connected to.

Deltona Couple

Depending on what one I am using, I call it a Cat-5 or Cat-6 cable.

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ratbastid

I call it Cat-5, unless it's actually not Cat-5. But mostly, it is.

Daniel_

To people that understand I use techie jargon.

To most people in the office I say Network Cable.

To the girls in customer service I say "Electric String".

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DEI37

I call it either Cat5 or Cat6.

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Redjake

Wow, I totally forgot about CAT-5. Big one. Sorry about that.

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Halx

I call it Cat-5 or Cat-6. The other names are conditional to me.

RJ-45 - This is not the cable, but the name of the connector.
Ethernet - I guess this is general enough, when referring to a cable used in a LAN behind a router.
Patch cable - more accurate when referring to a cable that runs between a node and a patch panel.
Crossover cable - Only used when directly connecting two devices without the assistance of a router, switch, patch or hub.
Network cable - Good enough, but in some places it might be too general. To be technical, there are many types of "network cables."
LAN cable - see Network cable.

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portwineboy

I am SO stealing "Electric String"!!!

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spindles

another vote for cat-5 from me. Especially useful if you are sending someone shopping - "go get a 3m cat-5 cable". Pretty hard to miss in the local Tandy/Dick Smith store.

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Redjake

man, fuck. can you edit polls? I feel like a jackass. I'm even an IT major.

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cyrnel

We geeks should know RJs are (or were) Bell-spec telecom connections. Real RJ45 plugs don't even fit in the typical modular Ethernet jack. Those are mod8 or mod 8P connectors.

Cat5e is the most common these days. Careful what you ask for.

I like "electric string", too. I've sometimes called it "that cord with the jumbo telephone plugs."

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Jinn

Another vote for ethernet in general, "network cable" to those who don't know..

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skinbag

Me too. Patch Cables have the pins rearranged to crossover. Very different than the intended meaning.

EDIT: I take back the patch cable part..Someone at school used "patch cable" when they meant "crossover". I looked it up and I see that a Patch cable is just an Ethernet cable with the pins set for 768-b. Whups! I should have checked that first, I'm embarassed. We don't use "patch cable often here that I know of, so the one time I remember hearing it, it was used incorrectly. My apologies.

CSflim

Put me down for Ethernet cable

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Sorcha

Ethernet for the most part.