Archived - Apple products that require an Ethernet crossover cable

Summary

This document outlines which Apple products require an Ethernet crossover cable, and which can use a standard Ethernet cable when connecting directly to another Apple product.

You can connect two computers together using an Ethernet cable to form a small network. Depending on the computer model, you may need to use a crossover Ethernet cable instead of a straight-through Ethernet cable.

Many later Macintosh computers are able to use either a straight-through Ethernet cable or a crossover Ethernet cable automatically through the use of Auto-Medium Dependent Interface Crossover (Auto-MDIX). Earlier Macintosh computers require the use of an Ethernet crossover cable because they only work with the Medium Dependent Interface (MDI) .

Auto-MDIX automatically switches between MDI and MDI-X, which allows either type of cable to be connected regardless of whether you are connecting two computers directly, or you are connecting to a hub or switch. MDI devices connected to Auto-MDIX devices do not require a crossover Ethernet cable.