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Comment by facepalmz | Hacker News Reader

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No, traditionally a patch cable is a cable that you would use in a networking rack to connect (to "patch") from say a network switch to the desk outlets or to another switch. A patch cable would explicitly be NOT a crossover.

The main difference between patch and "normal" is that the former is using stranded conductors and the latter solid conductors.

That makes the patch cable more flexible (physically)

I have a feeling this is some re-invention of the definitions happening.

It's just a holdover from the telephone networks, where you used a short cable to actually phsyically connect - patch[0] - two lines. Therefore - patch-panel and patch-cord or patch-cable.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patch

I am not sure that I know of any Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) standard cabling which uses solid-core wires rather than twisted-pair stranded wires. I can understand and see that many people consider "structured cabling" to consist of the former, but this article does not seem to mandate that construction, and indeed includes many types of twisted-pair and "patch" cables in the list of acceptable "structured cabling solutions."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_cabling

So I believe that, in the realm of Ethernet in particular, "patch" vs. "structured" is not a useful distinction.

Yeah, it's not patch vs structured. Patch cables are part of structured cabling. But you won't generally find solid core wires outside of structured cabling, because they are inflexible, unwieldly and in many cases can't even be terminated with RJ45 plugs anyway (they are often too thick).

To regular people it's probably enough just to say Ethernet cable. Outside of structured cabling you don't really need to care and probably don't have a choice anyway. If someone says patch cable they probably know a bit about structured cabling and couldn't help themselves.

Within structured cabling the rabbit hole is quite deep. Even within a single standard like Cat6 there are many possible cable constructions with different types of shielding and wire gauge etc. It becomes important when you need the network to certify as Cat6 and support PoE in a high noise industrial environment, for example. And, of course, Ethernet can run over other cable types anyway, like fibre.

Actually, switch to switch would be a crossover cable (pre auto MDI-X, of course). The rule was a crossover would connect devices of the same type, e.g. computer to computer, hub to hub, switch to switch; and patch for devices of different type, like switch to computer. So if you wanted to just plug a hub into the wall you would use a crossover cable, for example.

Or a straight cable to the "Uplink" port.

And some had a switch to select the mode of the uplink port.

A patch cable is just a terminated cable with multi strand leads (as opposed to solid leads in installation cable), it could be straight patch or crossover.

Is the cable connected from say desktop computer to wall socket a patch cable? Or does that only apply to those used in server rooms or switch cabinets?

They're the same thing.

Wouldn't most patch cables also be double male ends ?

Also probably a more flexible jacket and thinner. Vs fire resistant / plénum cables for fixed / in wall stuff.

Ethernet cables are usually always male-male

Patch cables are differentiated from bulk/structured cabling which is installed into a building unterminated, and is most commonly terminated after installation into patch panels or keystone jacks.

yes, they're typically very short cables connecting things like routers and switches, it does not imply any sort of type of cable or wire.

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