CompTIA® Network+ Lab Exercise : Arranging The Color Codes Used In The Tia/eia 568a Wiring Standard

1. Arrange the color codes used in the TIA/EIA 568A wiring standard

Description: This lab exercise helps to identify the color code of the TIA/EIA 568A connector.


1. The following are the shuffled color codes of TIA/EIA 568A connector

color code of the TIA/EIA 568A connector

2. Arrange them in a proper sequence by dragging the text from left to a empty box given on the right


Correct Order is given on Right:

color code of the TIA/EIA 568A connector expaination1

There are two major Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable wiring standards used widely in networking industry. Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)/Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) developed the TIA/EIA 568A & TIA/EIA 568B standards for Unshielded Twisted Pair wiring.

TIA/EIA 568A and TIA/EIA-568B standards determine the order of the wires placed in theRJ45 connector.

Functionally, there is no difference between TIA/EIA 568A and TIA/EIA-568B standards. Only the difference is that the position of Green and Orange wires are switched.

color code of the TIA/EIA 568A connector expaination2

If you terminate the RJ45 jacks at both ends of a patch cable with same standard (either TIA/EIA 568A on both sides or TIA/EIA 568B on both sides), you will get a Straight-through cable. If you terminate RJ45 jacks at both ends with different TIA/EIA 568 standards (one side TIA/EIA 568A and other side TIA/EIA 568B) you will get a Crossover cable.

Memorizing UTP cabling pinouts

First of all, we know that UTP cabling is composed of 8 wires, grouped in 4 pairs. Each wire has a different color. Some have just one color, and others have a color together with white. So, let's take this, as it's the first thing in common between both standards.

(Abbreviations: G=Green, O=Orange, W=White, Bl=Blue, Br=Brown)

color code of the TIA/EIA 568A connector expaination3

As we can see, "odd wires" (cables whose position is an odd number) always have two colors, that is, White + Green/Orange/Blue/Brown. If you have to memorize, first try to remember this fact. Odd wires always have White + some color.

The question marks (?) were put there because these pins will have different colors in the two standards. They will be introduced later in this text.

For the wires left, the "even wires", there's only one color. These are not shown in the previous table. Even wires always have one color

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