Different cable types

[Jayee]

Hi,

I have a cable with a Male 9-pin connector at one end and a Female 9-pin connector at the other end.

How do I tell if it's a standard serial cable or a null modem cable. I've been told the two types look identical, so how do I tell them apart ?

There is some wording on the cable itself - AWM 2464 800 C 300V 26AWG VW-1 OT LL107286 C5A AWM 1/N - does this mean anything ?

I hope you can help.

Regards,
Jay

 

[SjrH]

Your probably better off asking this in the cabling forum - forum575. If you have access to an interfaker device you could test the pin-outs to see what pins connect, failing that a fluke with buzz-through and a paper clip can do just as well.

 

[Jayee]

Thanks for the tip, especially for including the forum name and a link to it.

I have reposted over there. In the meantime, I have a serial device which I might be able to test it on, see if it works. Because it's in use, I can't go and test it straight away, so I'm still hoping someone could just tell me.

Regards,
Jay

 

[edfair]

Most likely it is is a straight through wired connection that was used as a monitor extension in the MGA/CGA timeframe. But it could have been used to extend a modem or a mouse.
Tell us what it is being used for, that may indicate what it does.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.