Create a Ceragon IP-20A to Cisco Console Cable Adapter

You can use a standard Cisco console cable to connect to a Ceregon IP-20A with some modifications.

Let’s make a Ceragon to Cisco rollover cable adapter.

Parts

• Two RJ-45 jacks
• Scrap CAT5 cable
• Electrical tape
• Cisco console cable, also known as a “Rollover Cable”
• Patch cable
• USB to serial port adapter

Build

Wiring

Pinout chart

Swap white, green, and white blue (pins 3 and 5) on the T-568B jack. The other two pins (4 and 6) are straight through.

Finished product

IP20A Chassis Pin Functions:

Pin	Color	Function
Pin 1	WO	N/A
Pin 2	O	N/A
Pin 3	WG	N/A
Pin 4	B	GND
Pin 5	WB	RX
Pin 6	G	TX
Pin 7	WBr	N/A
Pin 8	Br	N/A

Cisco Rollover Cable Pin Functions:

Pin	Color	Function
Pin 1	WO	N/A
Pin 2	O	N/A
Pin 3	WG	TX
Pin 4	B	GND
Pin 5	WB	GND
Pin 6	G	RX
Pin 7	WBr	N/A
Pin 8	Br	N/A

Console Settings

Configure the following settings for the COM port you are using on your PC or laptop:

Option	Configuration
Bits per Second	115,200
Data Bits	8
Parity	None
Stop Bits	1
Flow Control	None

Thoughts

• If I made another one, I’d use two different color jacks.
• I chose to make it like this so I can use any length of patch cable I need. Sometimes, my laptop can’t sit nicely near the chassis. Also, I don’t particularly appreciate having a cable for every wacky device I might need to console into.

Enjoy!