Jul
5th

DIY Cisco Console Cable

Files under Cisco, Networking | Posted by calvyn

Do you have any idea how much a pieces of Original Cisco Console Cable? Does DIY Cisco Console Cable cheaper?

According to the vendor ,the Original Cisco Console Cable worth approximate RM100 above (60USD++). Usually Cisco console cable only come with each Cisco product you bought, but I found that ebay just sold at around 5USD to 10USD exclude shipping fees, while local website sold at RM60 above.

Should be those user who bough a lot Cisco switches and router, and they only use few to configure their Cisco device.

DIY Cisco Console Cable

I was thinking does any Cisco’s Freak out there custom DIY their own Cisco Console Cable? I guess I am one of the “freak” who plan to do it.

Before I get start to DIY Cisco Console Cable, I require to know the arrangement of the cable. Arrangement on the RJ45 pin and another end at DB9 port.

Let study on the serial port numbering location 1st (DB9),  and RJ45 numbering location 1st. below are the port number for DB9 connector and RJ45 port number:

female serial cable

DB 9 Port Pin Number

rj45 pin arrangement

RJ45 Pin Number

The color code for Cisco Console Cable as below:

rj45-1 to db9-8

rj45-2 to db9-6

rj45-3  to  db9-2

rj45-4 to db9-5

rj45-5 to db9-5

rj45-6 to db9-3

rj45-7 to db9-4

rj45-8 to db9-7

To confirm the above Cisco Console Cable color code correct, I require to do some verification. I require a Multimeter, mostly I will prefer tone mode, which mean the positive (Red) and negative (Black) touch together, will hv beep sound from the multimeter.

multimeter

I require a  mini gender changer, male to male type, shown as below:

db9 male to male changer

I connected this mini gender changer to the Cisco Console Cable’s Serial Port end as shown the picture below:

DIY Cisco Console Cable

I need to use either 1 end of the multimeter to point to the RJ45′s Pin 1, and another end touching each pin on the DB9 serial connector until the beep tone occur. Record down which pin is come from RJ45′s Pin 1 (as above stated, RJ45′s Pin 1 connected to Db9′s Pin 8)

Repeat the same step for RJ45′s Pin 2 until Pin 8, the result will be as above Cisco console cable color code.

After get known all the color code, now you require to get a soldering iron, and also a female db9 connector.
solder iron

db9 female connector

Solder the RJ45 cable to the DB9 Connector according to the cisco console cable color code above

You can get variety of db9 connector which come with cover, just like as below. I does not know what this kind of connector call, but it is very convenience just to have 1 pcs of this DB9 to RJ45 connector.

db-9 adapter

db-9 adapter

If you interested to DIY your own Cisco Console Cable, you can have a try, the above Cisco Colsole Cable color code has been proven correct by me. To ensure all the thing goes smoothly, it is advice to test it your self before you create your own console cable.

Happy “Do it Your Self” Cisco Console Cable.


10 Responses to “DIY Cisco Console Cable”

  1. By Ah Hong on Jul 7, 2009 | Reply

    Wow! Very techie equipment you are dealing here. I only play with RJ-45 connector :D

  2. By Mitz on Jul 11, 2009 | Reply

    I use to use the original one, never try to DIY my self

  3. By Ike on Feb 19, 2010 | Reply

    Good stuff… worked like a charm!!

  4. By dgfsg on Mar 13, 2010 | Reply

    are you sure about:

    rj45-4 to db9-5

    rj45-5 to db9-5

  5. By Raven on Apr 3, 2010 | Reply

    Will this work for com data cable for data transfer for PC with baud rate of 9600 ?

  6. By mahendra singh chouhan on May 10, 2010 | Reply

    good explain about the console cable. but plz sow the console color coding with colored coding wiar.

  7. By Alex on Oct 2, 2010 | Reply

    On picture of DB9 female pinout, what face of DB9 is? front or back?

    Thanks

  8. By clinton on Nov 23, 2010 | Reply

    Thank you, this is the very well explained will definetly make my own cable. thanks a ton.

  9. By Olystretch on Aug 12, 2011 | Reply

    What type of Cat5e cable do you use on the connector, as this makes a huge difference. Cisco’s website recoments using a rollover cable for the above pinout. You should mention that a standard “straight-through” cable does not have the correct pinout and you must make a rollover cable. I am going to figure out what the pinout is for a straight-through and I will repost.

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