Memorizing UTP cabling pinouts

I've seen some tips to memorize the UTP cabling pinout for standards EIA/TIA - T568A and
EIA/TIA - T568B. Everyone has its own preferred method and the best method is the one that
works for you. However, I thought of writing something in regards to this topic. It's about breaking
up the process by showing what is equal and what is different between the two standards. If we
memorize what is equal, we will have to just do it once, because we are talking about equal patterns
in the T568A and T568B. Then, we go to the differences. I'm trying to use this approach, let's see if
it works for who is reading this (and if it still works for me in the future!).
First of all, we know that UTP cabling is composed of 8 wires, grouped in 4 pairs. Each wire
has a different color. Some have just one color, and others have a color together with white. So, let's
take this, as it's the first thing in common between both standards.
(Abbreviations: G=Green, O=Orange, W=White, Bl=Blue, Br=Brown)

T568A

T568B

1 = ?/W

1 = ?/W

2=

2=

3 = ?/W

3 = ?/W

4=

4=

5 = Bl/W

5 = Bl/W

6=

6=

7 = Br/W

7 = Br/W

8=

8=

As we can see, odd wires (cables whose position is an odd number) always have two colors,
that is, White + Green/Orange/Blue/Brown. If you have to memorize, first try to remember this
fact. Odd wires always have White + some color.
The question marks (?) were put there because these pins will have different colors in the two
standards. They will be introduced later in this text.
For the wires left, the even wires, there's only one color. These are not shown in the previous
table. Even wires always have one color.
As a short note, odd wires and even wires are terms that I made up here as an easy
reference to each group of wires. They were not based in any literature, so notice these are not
official terms.
Now, there's another thing to memorize for the two standards at once. We all know that
essentially the two standards differ in the order of the pair 2 and the pair 3. This implies that two
other pairs don't change their order:
T568A
1 = ?/W

T568B
1 = ?/W

2=?

2=?

3 = ?/W

3 = ?/W

4 = Bl

4 = Bl

5 = Bl/W

5 = Bl/W

6=?

6=?

7 = Br/W

7 = Br/W

8 = Br

8 = Br

Now, we can memorize another part of the cables. As a suggestion, if you like, you can first
memorize the previous table as part of the structure, because all that was left is going to be different
between the two standards.
Now we would just have to memorize the T568A and T568B standards. What we have done so
far is to memorize the common structure for both standards. Only with that information we couldn't
say if we are talking about T658A or T568B. The difference will come in the pairs 2 and 3, or in the
wires/pins 1, 2, 3 and 6. These are the most important wires to memorize because they define each
standard.
As a suggestion, you could memorize this:
Standard
1 2 3 6
T568A = G G O O
T568B = O O G G
This way you could complete the table this way:
T568A

T568B

1 = G/W

1 = O/W

2=G

2=O

3 = O/W

3 = G/W

4 = Bl

4 = Bl

5 = Bl/W

5 = Bl/W

6=O

6=G

7 = Br/W

7 = Br/W

8 = Br

8 = Br

Some people would also suggest that we form phrases that begin with the letters of the colors,
which is also very clever and helpful. I've even seen an example recently in someone else's files in
the CCNA Study Group.
From my point of view, it's possible to adapt this technique to memorize the different portions
of each standard (which is apparently easier) and complete the rest with the common portion (pins
4, 5, 7, 8).
Now, as another suggestion to see for yourself if these steps could help you at all, try to write in
a piece of paper one of the patterns. Also, after some trials you may start to memorize the whole
table after writing it so many times.

Example:
Writing T568A standard:
Step 1:
1 = /W
2=
3 = /W
4=
5 = /W
6=
7 = /W
8=
Step 2:
1 = /W
2=
3 = /W
4 = Bl
5 = Bl/W
6=
7 = Br/W
8 = Br
Step 3:
1 = G/W
2=G
3 = O/W
4 = Bl
5 = Bl/W
6=O
7 = Br/W
8 = Br
Or, if you like,
Step 1:
1
2
3
W
W
Step 2:
1
2
3
W
W
Step 3:
1
2
3
G/W G
O/W

5
W

7
W

4
Bl

5
6
Bl/W

7
8
Br/W Br

4
Bl

5
6
Bl/W O

7
8
Br/W Br

I hope this can help you in case you have difficulty with some other methods. Memorizing the
entire set of letters (like GGOOBlBlBrBr) could also work and be a more direct method. If you
want to try this, then I suggest that you create a sentence that makes sense to you, which seems
more easier to memorize (because it makes sense to you).
Elias Meira dos Santos, Brazil, So Paulo, 2013