An uplink port is the connectivity device port on a switch, hub, or router that allows transmitting circuits to connect to receiving circuits via a standard type of cable, thus allowing the connection of a network. computer to another network. This type of port differs from a regular port in that a normal port requires a crossover cable to communicate between two types of circuits. The uplink port is capable of communicating between different circuits with a standard cable and is typically used to connect a modem to a router and connect devices. This avoids the need to use a crossover cable when connecting a computer to the Internet or to a network by using a router or by connecting one network to another.
A wireless router with a cable connected to the uplink port.
When a computer is connected to a network device, such as a hub or switch, or when one device is connected to another, only one uplink port is used. If both ends are connected through this port, the connection will not transfer any data and you will not be able to communicate between the two devices. This means that similar devices will need to be connected with one end of the cable to the uplink port on one device and the other end connected to a regular port on the other device. If it is necessary to connect two uplink ports between the devices, a crossover cable must be used.
Most hubs, switches, and routers come equipped with an uplink port to facilitate the types of connections available. On some of these devices, there will be a toggle switch to switch the port between a normal connection and an uplink connection. There are also devices that will change the type of port connection they allow depending on how it is connected, meaning it will detect the need for an uplink port and change accordingly. Some devices do not have dual-purpose ports, but come equipped with 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 medium dependent interface (MRI) ports. A computer cannot be directly connected to this type of port using a normal type of connection cable. 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 receiving circuits to connect to transmit circuits through the cable itself. An uplink does this over a regular cable, connecting the different types of circuits to the port itself.
