Screw Lock Console Cable, DB9 to RJ45 for Rack Management Ports
Last updated: 7 September 2026
What the Rolled Cable Convention Means
Console ports on managed switches, routers, firewalls and UPS units are wired as data terminal equipment, and the screw lock console cable that reaches them reverses all eight conductors end to end: pin 1 to pin 8, pin 2 to pin 7, and so on. That reversal is what lets two DTE-wired devices talk to each other without a separate null-modem block. Hold the two plugs side by side with the latch facing away from you and the color on the outermost pin of one end will be the color on the outermost pin of the other; that is the fastest way to tell a rolled cable from a straight patch cord in a bag of spares.
Why the DB9 End Is Screwed Down
A console lead is not a lead you unplug. It is patched in once, dressed into the cable management, and then left there for years so that the next engineer with a laptop can reach the box when the network is down. A plain DB9 held only by contact friction will creep out of a vertical or upside-down port over time, and the failure is silent: nothing reports a console link has been lost, so you only find out at three in the morning when you need it. The two jackscrews on a DB9 shell clamp the connector to the equipment and take the weight of the cable off the contacts entirely.
Pinouts Are Not Universal
The rollover itself and the DB9 mapping used by most managed switches are a de facto convention rather than a law. The RJ45 end is normally terminated as DTE with RTS, DTR, transmit, two signal grounds, receive, DSR and CTS across the eight positions, and the DB9 end lands on CTS, DSR, receive, ground, transmit, DTR and RTS in that order. Other vendors move pins around, terminal servers in particular use their own arrangement, and some devices expect hardware flow control while others do not.
- Confirm the device side before ordering, especially on terminal servers and console concentrators.
- Check whether the port expects flow control, or is happy with none.
- Set the terminal to the usual 9600 8N1 default first; some boxes differ.
Build Notes
The assembly is a flat or round eight-conductor cable with a moulded RJ45 plug on the equipment end and an overmoulded DB9 female shell on the laptop end. Flat construction is worth having in a rack because it dresses neatly and stays flat against the panel. Straight or right-angle exits are both available, and the right-angle version keeps the cable clear of neighboring ports on a fully populated console patch panel.
You May Also Need
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Related Cable Ranges
Panel Mount Cable • Signal and Data Cables • Circular M8 M12 Cable
Frequently Asked Questions
Which connectors does Screw Lock Console Cable use?
One end is RJ45 male, 8 position and the other end is DE-9 / DB9 female with jackscrews.
What jacket material does Screw Lock Console Cable use?
The jacket is PVC, black or gray.
What lengths does Screw Lock Console Cable come in?
Build lengths are Made to order.
| Category | Screw-Lock Molded Cable |
|---|---|
| Connector A | RJ45 male, 8 position |
| Connector B | DE-9 / DB9 female with jackscrews |
| Wiring | Rolled (rollover) end to end |
| Use | Console and management ports on switches, routers, firewalls, UPS |
| Contact plating | Gold flash over nickel |
| Cable form | Flat or round, eight conductor |
| Jacket | PVC, black or gray |
| Length | Made to order |
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