All About Couplers and How to Choose Them

Whether you are setting up a new stereo or computer system, it can be frustrating to discover that the cords don’t connect correctly. Attempting to fix this problem will probably have you looking for a coupler. However, that can be even more confusing. And for good reason, too. With the vast amount of cable styles available, there needs to be at least as many couplers in order to connect them all. Couplers exist solely to connect a single pair of cables. Here are a few of the common questions surrounding couplers and a little bit of information on how to find the right one for your needs.

First, you’ll need to know the difference between straight and crossover connections. Straight connections are made directly from pin to pin. When you use a network hub and switch, these are the types of connectors you’ll need. Straight cables connect electronic devices right to the hub or switch you’re using. By contrast, crossover cables are used to connect devices to each other. If you try to connect them directly, without a hub or switch, the signals will be mismatched since both will transmit and receive simultaneously. Each device will attempt to send output to the other’s output, which will completely mix up the signals. A crossover cable connects the right pins together, even when they are organized differently. If you take a close look at the two cables, you’ll see that the colored wires are in a different order on each. The crossover connector untangles the signals so that the information is sent and received properly. Therefore, crossover couplers can connect two straight cables.

Next, you might be interested to know what a reverse coupler does. Reverse couplers work similarly to a crossover coupler. However, instead of crisscrossed wires, the two connections will have the same color wires only in a reverse order, not all mixed up. This type is used for telephone connections.

Another confusing detail is shielded and non-shielded couplers. Shielded ones decrease the interference from other outside devices. The more peripheral devices there are, the higher the chance that interference will be a problem. 

Finally, one last option you’ll see is both printed and non-printed circuit board couplers. This is another technique used to reduce interference; only this style looks at internal, not external, noise.  Both CAT-5 and CAT-6 couplers utilize printed circuit boards. Printed circuit boards use a crisscrossed technique of wiring the board to decrease the amount of internal interference.

So how does this affect you? First, it’s important to determine which type of cables you need to connect. There is a good chance you can find this information in the user’s manual of the devices you’re trying to connect. Short of that, you can physically look at the wires within the cables themselves. With Ethernet, the clear connector on the end allows you to clearly see the wire coloring. You’ll need a coupler that has an end matching each device. And don’t allow the vast selection to scare you off. With so many choices out there, you can guarantee that there’s a coupler that will work for you.