Network Cable Color Codes

Read the plug in the correct direction

Hold the plug with its gold contacts facing you, the latch on the opposite side, and the cable pointing down. Pin 1 is on the left; pin 8 is on the right. These drawings show the plug’s contact side. For keystone jacks and patch panels, follow the manufacturer’s A/B markings; the punch-down arrangement can differ.

Compare pin colors

The green and orange pairs exchange positions. The blue and brown pairs stay in the same positions.

Keep the twisted pairs together

Explore the two cable ends

Select the scheme at each end to see the pin connections.

Matching ends give a straight-through cable. A/B ends show the traditional 10/100BASE-T crossover, crossing pins 1 ↔ 3 and 2 ↔ 6. This is not the four-pair Gigabit crossover pattern. Many Ethernet ports support Auto-MDI-X; check the equipment requirements.

Practical installation notes

• Use the same scheme throughout the installation, following project specifications and existing terminations.
• These colors apply to common four-pair Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A terminations. The color scheme alone does not determine speed or cable quality.
• Keep pair twists close to the termination and use connectors matched to the cable category, conductor size, and solid or stranded construction.
• Test for opens, shorts, miswires, and split pairs. A basic continuity check can miss split pairs; use an appropriate wire-map or qualification tester.

Fluke Networks — T568A / T568B reference · Split-pair testing · Crossover / Auto-MDI-X reference

Reference reviewed October 2026.