An uplink port connects different network circuits without needing a crossover cable. It is used to connect a modem to a router or link devices together. Only one uplink port can be used at a time, and if two devices are connected through it, they will not communicate. Some devices have a toggle switch to switch between regular and uplink connections, while others detect the need for an uplink port. Uplink ports are sometimes called media dependent interface (MRI) ports and require a crossover cable to connect to a computer’s network interface card.
An uplink port is a connectivity device port on a switch, hub, or router that connects transmit circuits to receive circuits using standard cable, thus allowing one computer network to connect to another network. This type of port differs from a regular port in that a regular port requires a crossover cable to communicate between two types of circuits. The uplink port can communicate between different circuits with a standard cable and is typically used to connect a modem to a router and to link devices together. This avoids the need to use a crossover cable when connecting a computer to the Internet or network by using a router or by connecting one network to another.
When you connect a computer to a network device such as a hub or switch, or when you connect one device to another, only one uplink port is actually used. If both ends are connected through that port, the connection will not transfer any data and will fail to communicate between the two devices. This means that similar devices will need to be plugged in with one end of the cable into the uplink port on one device and the other end plugged into a regular port on the other device. If you needed to connect two uplink ports together between devices, you would need to use a crossover cable.
Most hubs, switches and routers are equipped with an uplink port to facilitate the types of connections available. On some of these devices, there will be a toggle switch to flip the port between a regular connection and uplink connection. There are also devices that will change the type of port connection they allow, depending on how it’s connected, meaning it will detect the need for an uplink port and switch accordingly. Some devices do not have dual-purpose ports, but instead have a shared port. This means that the uplink port shares the connection with a normal port and both cannot be connected at the same time.
Uplink ports are sometimes called media dependent interface (MRI) ports. A computer cannot be connected directly to this type of port using a regular type of patch cord. A crossover cable is required to connect the port directly to a computer’s network interface card. Crossover cables work in the same way as uplink ports and allow you to connect receive circuits to transmit circuits over the cable itself. An uplink does this through ordinary cable, connecting the different types of circuits within the port itself.
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