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RS-232 (Recommended Standard 232) is the standard for establishing serial data signals connection between DTE (Data Terminal
Equipment) and DCE (Data Circuit-terminating Equipment). For over 40 years this standard is commonly used in computers,
networking and telecommunication. A similar ITU-T standard is V.24. Detailed description of the standard is available from Wikipedia
and many other sources in the Internet. This page provides only the list of signals used in RS232 and pinouts of most commonly used
types of serial cables.
In all the cases the length of the cable should not exceed 25 feet (about 7.5 meters) unless a signal booster is used. Most commonly
used types of serial cable connectors are 9-pin connector DB9 and 25-pin connector DB25. Each of them can be of female or male
type as shown on the following image.

Signal Names and Descriptions

Name

Direction

TD

OUT

Protective/Shielded Ground
Transmit Data (Tx, TxD)

3
4
5
6

2
7
8
6

RD
RTS
CTS
DSR

IN
OUT
IN
IN

Receive Data (Rx, RxD)

Request To Send
Clear To Send
Data Set Ready

7
8
9
10

5
1

SGND
CD
-

IN
-

SDCD
SCTS
STD
DB
SRD
DD
LL
SRTS
DTR
RL/SQ
RI

IN
IN
OUT
OUT
IN
IN
OUT
OUT
IN

Unassigned
Secondary Carrier Detect. Only needed if second channel being used.
Secondary Clear to Send. Only needed if second channel being used.
Secondary Transmit Data. Only needed if second channel being used.
Transmit Clock (TCLK, TxCLK). Used only in Synchronous mode.
Secondary Receive Data. Only needed if second channel being used.
Receive Clock (RCLK). Used only in Synchronous mode.
Local Loopback
Secondary Request to Send. Only needed if second channel being used.
Data Terminal Ready
Signal Quality Detector/Remote loopback
Ring Indicator

CH/CI
DA
-

OUT
-

Signal Rate selector

Auxiliary Clock (ACLK). Secondary Channel only.
Unassigned

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

4
9

23
24
25

Description

Signal Ground/Common Return

Carrier Detect (DCD)
Reserved
Reserved

DB25 to DB25 Cable Pinouts

Straight Through Cable
DB25

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RS232 Cable Pinouts

DB9
Pin #

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RS232 Cable Pinouts

DB25
Pin #
1
2

Register

Null Modem Cable

DB25

DB25

Pin #

Connects To

Pin #

Pin #

<-------->

<-------->

Loopback Connector

DB25
Connects To

Pin #

DB25
Pin # Connects To

Pin #

1
<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

8,20

<-------->

8,20,22

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

6,20

<-------->

6,20,22

<-------->

10

<-------->

10

10

10

11

<-------->

11

11

11

12

<-------->

12

12

12

13

<-------->

13

13

13

14

<-------->

14

14

14

15

<-------->

15

15

15

<-------->

17

16

<-------->

16

16

16

17

<-------->

17

17

17

<-------->

15

18

<-------->

18

18

18

19

<-------->

19

19

19

20

<-------->

20

20

<-------->

6,8,22

21

<-------->

21

21

22

<-------->

22

22

22

<-------->

6,8,20

23

<-------->

23

23

23

<-------->

23

24

<-------->

24

24

24

25

<-------->

25

25

25

<-------->

6,8

20
21

<-------->

22

DB9 to DB9 Cable Pinouts

Straight Through Cable
DB9

Null Modem Cable

DB9

DB9

Pin # Connects To Pin #

Loopback Connector

DB9

DB9

Pin # Connects To Pin #

Pin # Connects To Pin #

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

4,6,9

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

1,6

<-------->

1,6,9

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

1,4,9

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

1,4,6

DB9 to DB25 Cable Pinouts

Straight Through

Null Modem

DB9

DB25

DB9

DB25

Pin # Connects To

Pin #

Pin # Connects To

Pin #

<-------->

<-------->

20

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

20

<-------->

6,8

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

20

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

22

<-------->

22

DB9 and DB25 to RJ45 Cable Pinouts

There are many different ways to interconnect DB9 or DB25 with RJ45. The tables shown below represent just few examples that
may not be applicable for your particular case.
Console Cable
DB9

DB25

Pin #

Pin #

Cisco Console Cable

RJ45

DB9

DB25

Connects To

Pin #

Pin #

Pin #

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

20

<-------->

7,8

<-------->

<-------->

22

Null Modem Cable

RJ45

DB9

DB25

Pin #

Pin #

Pin #

Connects To

Pin #

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

20

<-------->

20

<-------->

<-------->

4,5

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

1,2

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

<-------->

22

22

Connects To

RJ45

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