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A P P E N D I X

Cabling
Diagrams: Serial,
Video, Keyboard,
Parallel, Network
and More

his appendix is probably the most technical offering in

this book. It contains diagrams for five common data
cables and three common connectors used to interconnect
PCs, modems, printers, and other peripherals through serial
and parallel ports. A sixth cable, a parallel null modem, is useful as an extra cable between two systems using LapLink or
similar direct-connection PC file transfer programs, which can
transfer data between PCs through parallel printer ports at
two to five times the rate of serial ports.
Connections are also listed for the four common video standards used on PCs Monochrome, Color Graphics Adapter
(CGA), Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA), and Video Graphics
Array (VGA) and for PC keyboard cables. Weve also included
a special circuit that can save your modem and possibly your
PC system from excessive voltage that may appear on your
telephone line during storms or other electrical disturbances.

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Appendixes

Special Serial Connections

Many of the cables shown in the figures can be bought off the shelf at computer
or electronics stores. All too often, we have found that there are three or four variations of null modems that are not correct. The null modem shown here is correct. If
you have to build a cable, many snap-in wires and connectors are available that take
only a few minutes to assemble with simple tools and no soldering. Refer to Chapter
20 for the specific details of each signal pin.
Our first diagram, Figure G-1, is for a proper 25-pin-to-25 pin serial null modem cable. A
null modem cable is used to interconnect two PC systems for the purpose of transferring files or for remote operation of another PC. With some printers or other devices, a
null modem is required to swap signals to their proper pins to enable devices to work
properly with your PC.

Signal common

Carrier detect

20

20
22

Frame /ground
Transmit data send
Receiving data
Request to send
Clear to send
Data set ready

Data terminal ready

Ring indicator

Figure G-1: A 25-pin-to-25-pin null modem

This is a full-function null modem, providing all the proper hardware handshaking
and device status signals. Many null modems offered for sale or built by hand incorrectly connect the carrier detect signal to the standard hardware-handshake signal
lines, or they loop the handshaking signals back to the originating device. These miswirings can cause loss of data or failure of information transfer. Properly built, one
device should provide active signals to the other, whether the signal is a ready line
or a send line. Looping signals from a device back to itself provides no information
to another device both will try to operate independently, and data loss can result.

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Appendix G Cabling Diagrams

The rules of proper interconnection are applied to the 25-pin-to-9-pin and the 9-pinto-9-pin null modem cabling diagrams (Figures G-2, G-3, and G-4).
The numbered pin connections shown are valid whether the connectors are male
plugs or female sockets. The pin orientations for each type of connector are shown
at the end of this appendix.

Frame /ground
Transmit data
Receive data
Request to send
Clear to send
Data set ready
Signal common

N/C

Carrier detect

Data set ready

Request to send

Carrier detect
Data terminal 20
ready
22
N/C
Ring detect

N/C

Receive data
Transmit data
Data terminal
ready
Signal common

Clear to send
Ring detect

Figure G-2: A 25-pin-to-9-pin null modem

Carrier detect

Receive data

Transmit data

Data terminal ready

Signal common

Data set ready

Request to send

Clear to send

Ring detect

Figure G-3: A 9-pin-to-9-pin null modem

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Frame /ground

20

22

Transmit data
Receive data
Request to send
Clear to send
Data set ready
Signal common
Carrier detect
Data terminal ready
Ring detect

N/C

Figure G-4: A 25-pin-to-9-pin adapter

Video Adapter to Monitor Cabling

Tables G-1 through G-4 show the pin connections for monochrome, Color Graphics
Adapter (CGA), Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA), and Video Graphics Array
(VGA) display adapter to monitor cabling. Notice that the monochrome, CGA, and
EGA cables use the same type and polarity of connector to attach to the display
adapter. Because these cables use the same connections and there is no way to
tell the difference between monochrome, CGA, or EGA display adapters from the
connections, the connections on a PC can be confusing. Do not guess at the type
of display adapter inside a PC. You will have to inspect the display-adapter card
for markings or part numbers and seek technical support if it is not obvious
which display adapter a system has.

Table G-1
Monochrome Display Monitor and Adapter Connections
Pin Number

Signal

Ground

Ground

n/c

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Appendix G Cabling Diagrams

Pin Number

Signal

n/c

n/c

Intensity bit

Video bit

Horizontal sync +

Vertical sync +

Table G-2
Color Graphics Display Monitor and Adapter Connections
Pin Number

Signal

Ground

Ground

Red signal

Green signal

Blue signal

Intensity signal

n/c

Horizontal sync

Vertical sync

Table G-3
Enhanced Graphics Adapter and Monitor Connections
Pin Number

Signal

Ground

Secondary red

Red signal

Primary green

Primary blue
Continued

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Table G-3 (continued)

Pin Number

Signal

Secondary green

Secondary blue

Horizontal sync

Vertical sync

Table G-4
Video Graphics Array Monitor and Adapter Connections
Pin Number

Signal

Red video

Green video

Blue video

Monitor ID bit 2

Ground

Red return

Green return

Blue return

Key no pin

10

Sync return

11

Monitor ID bit 0

12

Monitor ID bit 1

13

Horizontal sync

14

Vertical sync

15

Not used

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Appendix G Cabling Diagrams

Keyboard Connections
Most PCs use a standard 5-pin circular DIN connector for the keyboard-to-motherboard connections. Many newer systems, as well as the IBM PS/2 and later series,
use a mini-DIN plug. The PS/2-style pointing devices use the same connections as
the PS/2-style keyboard connectors (as shown in Table G-5).

Table G-5
Standard and PS/2 Keyboard Connectors
Signal

Standard PC Pin Number

PS/2-Style Signal Pin Number

Clock

Data

Ground

+5 VDC

Not used

2 and 6

Parallel Port Cable Diagrams

The IBM PC parallel port has seen many uses from driving signals into a basic dotmatrix printer to being used as an interface for external disk drives, tape drives,
and scanners. The basic cabling diagram connecting a DB-25 male plug to a
Centronics 36-pin male plug is shown in Table G-6.

Table G-6
Standard PC Printer Cable Connections
DB25
Male pins

<= in
=> out

Centronics
connector pins

Signal
Name

=>

-Strobe

=>

Data 0

=>

Data 1

=>

Data 2

=>

Data 3
Continued

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Table G-6 (continued)

DB25
Male pins

<= in
=> out

Centronics
connector pins

Signal
Name

=>

Data 4

=>

Data 5

=>

Data 6

=>

Data 7

10

<=

10

-Ack

11

<=

11

+Busy

12

<=

12

+PaperEnd

13

<=

13

+SelectIn

14

=>

14

-AutoFd

15

<=

32

-Error

16

=>

31

-Init

17

=>

36

-Select

1825

==

1930

Ground

33,17,16

n/a

For high-quality data transmission, each signal line should be one wire in a twisted
pair of wires, the other of which is one of the ground lines connecting DB25 pins
1825 to Centronics pins 1930.

Note

Table G-7 shows the interconnections between two DB-25 male connectors to make
a direct-connect cable for PC-to-PC data transfer using Windows Direct Connection,
Symantecs pcAnywhere, or Traveling Softwares LapLink.

Table G-7
A Direct PC-to-PC Connection IEEE-1284 ECP Cable Diagram
DB25 Male Pin #

Connection

DB25 Male Pin #

wire

10

1000 ohm resistor

1000 ohm resistor

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Appendix G Cabling Diagrams

Note

DB25 Male Pin #

Connection

DB25 Male Pin #

1000 ohm resistor

1000 ohm resistor

1000 ohm resistor

1000 ohm resistor

1000 ohm resistor

1000 ohm resistor

10

wire

11

wire

14

12

wire

16

13

wire

17

14

wire

11

16

wire

12

17

wire

13

1825

wire

1825

The 1000 ohm resistors in series with each of the data lines on pins 29 are optional
in some configurations. They condition and protect signal lines on the driver chips
on each end of the connection inside the PC. All other connections are a straightthrough wire. Each signal line should be a twisted pair with the ground lines on pins
1825, doubling up with the grounds from the nondata lines on pins 1017.

Common PC Connector Diagrams

Figure G-5 shows the orientation and pin numbering of both the male plug and
female/socket of bare connectors. Because most of the wiring you might do with
these connectors is done from the wire or backside of the connectors, we emphasize that side here.
PC systems usually have female/socket connectors for the video and parallel printer
cables andmale/plug connectors for the serial ports. Only a few odd systems make
any change to this convention, and the change is typically the use of a female connector for the serial port. You may also find that the wiring is completely reversed
for these serial ports, requiring a null modem cable or signal swap to enable interconnected devices to work properly.
Figure G-6 contains diagrams of the 9- and 25-pin serial loopback connectors that
may be used for most diagnostic programs and the 25-pin parallel port loopback
plug for DiagSofts QAPlus diagnostic products.

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Appendixes

RS-232 Serial Port Connectors

Connector
face

Wiring
side

25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
pin 1
pin 1
on female
on male
connector
connector

male
female

9 8 7 6
6 7 8 9

Figure G-5: 9-, 25-, and 36-pin connector layouts

25-Pin Serial
Test Socket

9-Pin Serial
Test Socket

1
2
3
4
5

6
7
8
9

2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Parallel Port
Test Plug
14

14

15

15
16

1
2
3

17

17

18

19

20

21
22

8
9
10
11
12
13

Figure G-6: Typical diagnostic loopback plugs

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Appendix G Cabling Diagrams

Save Your Modem

Figure G-7 shows a simple but effective protection circuit you can use with your
modem, fax, or answering machine. This circuit is not FCC- or AT&T/Bell Systemsapproved. Many modems, answering, and fax machines, as well as electronic and
standard telephones, provide some form of internal protection against excessive
voltage appearing across the phone lines. Unfortunately, the ratings for these protection devices are not always adequate for the line conditions you might encounter.
The standard protection is for short-duration voltages in excess of 400 volts.
Sustained voltages greater than 150 to 200 volts may damage many circuits.

47 ohm

To line

47 ohm

0.01 ufd
1,000 volts

130 volt
MOV
(metal-oxide-varistor)

47 ohm

To modem

47 ohm

Resistors

RJ-11 plug

red
green

MOV .01 Capacitor

red
RJ-11 plug
green

Copyright 1989-91 Jim Aspinwall

Figure G-7: Modem protector diagram

Theoretically, the voltage on your phone lines should never exceed 130 volts AC.
This is the potential of the voltage that activates a ringer, a beeper, or a modems
ring detect circuit. The normal idle line voltage (phone on hook, no ringing) for a
telephone line is 48 volts DC. This drops to between 6 and 24 volts when the line is
in use. The devices you plug into a phone line should be able to operate at these
levels. Lightning can impress well over 1,000 volts on the phone line, which can easily destroy delicate electronic equipment or your PC if this high voltage gets inside.

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Some phone systems, connected between outside lines and a telephone set, can present different voltages at different times and may not be suitable for your modem. If
you can prevent high voltages from reaching your equipment, it will suffer little or no
damage. We recommend you use this circuit or a similar one if you anticipate connecting your modem to unfamiliar phone systems. If the phone system is not designed for
modems, the circuit wont make your modem work with the line, but it can prevent it
from being damaged.
The circuit shown in Figure G-7 was designed for a private, in-house phone system
not directly attached to phone company circuits. It is an alternative to the expensive and less functional off-the-shelf units that costs ten times as much. It can also
dramatically reduce line noise that can cause data errors. If your system or add-ons
are susceptible to high voltage damage, and most are, you may want to try this circuit. This device is easy to build inside a common modular phone jack unit using
parts available at most neighborhood electronics stores.
This device is not certified by the FCC or by telephone companies for use on standard direct lines. Its use on direct lines may violate your local telephone company
or state tariffs. It does not damage lines or equipment, nor does it degrade the performance of your lines or equipment. In most cases, it improves the clarity and it
certainly adds to the protection of equipment.
The four resistors help to slightly reduce the normal line current and absorb most of
the excess energy of voltages over 130 volts. The metal-oxide-varistor (MOV) is the
primary protection device. It sets the limit for the voltages that can pass between
the line and the equipment. The 0.01 microfarad capacitor works with the resistors
to reduce signals above the voice audio range (3 kHz). This has the effect of reducing clicks, pops, and static on the line.
If the resistors are replaced with 10 microhenry, 100 milliampere inductors, this circuit will provide much the same voltage protection and severely reduce any radio
interference. Further reduction of radio interference may require the addition of a
0.001 microfarad capacitor from each end of the MOV to a solid nearby ground
point. Using the capacitors and inductors is a long-standing method of removing
radio interference (which is allowed and common in severe cases) as a repair or
correction to phone lines. In effect, either circuit method should be allowed to be
used as a repair if line noise is in excess of any standard limits.
Reducing the capacitor value from 0.01 microfarad to 0.0001 microfarad (100 picofarad) and changing the connectors to RJ-45 (6-pin) or RJ-48 (8-pin) will enable you
to use this device on Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interface units on
either ISDN connection type S (requires separate NT-1 device) or U (NT-1 device
included in unit).

10BaseT Network Connections

Most network connections today make use of economical twisted-pair cabling
and connectors similar to those used for phone lines. However, the placement or

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Appendix G Cabling Diagrams

attachment of the wires into the connectors is different to accommodate Ethernet

use. You cannot reliably use a straight-through 8-pin or RJ-45 telephone cable for
high-speed network cabling. The following diagrams, Figures G-8 and G-9, illustrate
the pins and wire colors used for network cabling.

Brown
Brown/White
Green
Blue/White
Blue
Green
Orange
Orange/White

Brown
8
7 Brown/White
Green
6
Blue/White
5
Blue
4
3 Green/White
Orange
2
1 Orange/White
End

Each pair is wired PIN-PIN

Clip
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
End view

Figure G-8: Standard 10BaseT interconnections for connecting systems and devices
to a hub

Clip
Brown
Brown/White
Green/White
Blue/White
Blue
Green
Orange/White
Orange

Brown
8
7 Brown/White
Green
6
Blue/White
5
Blue
4
3 Green/White
Orange
2
1 Orange/White
End

Green & Orange pairs crossover each other

Signal Reference Normal

n/a
8
8
n/a
7
7
Transmit6
6
n/a
5
5
n/a
4
4
Transmit+
3
3
Recieve2
2
Recieve+
1
1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
End view

Crossover
8
7
2
5
4
1
6
3

Figure G-9: Crossover 10BaseT interconnections for connecting two systems

without a hub

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