# Ethernet Shield internet connection
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ethernet-shield-internet-connection/20004
**Category:** General
**Created:** [7 January 2020 09:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ethernet-shield-internet-connection/20004 "2020-01-07T09:14:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@saeed1](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/saeed1)
#### Post date: [7 January 2020 09:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ethernet-shield-internet-connection/20004/1 "2020-01-07T09:14:16Z")
Hi,
I have connected my (ethernet shield+ Arduino ) directly to my home router. I am publishing "Hello world" on Node-RED.
My question is , is there a way i could connect directly my ethernet shield to my laptop (instead of router) with ethernet cable?
Will it work? how can i connect
Please help me
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### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [7 January 2020 09:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ethernet-shield-internet-connection/20004/2 "2020-01-07T09:53:03Z")
Maybe...try a cross over cable. Will it work? But your request begs the question: Why?
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### Author:  [@Christian-Me](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Christian-Me)
#### Post date: [7 January 2020 10:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ethernet-shield-internet-connection/20004/3 "2020-01-07T10:16:15Z")
It depends on the Ethernet chips used if you can use a standard twisted pair cable or if you need a crossover cable. If the Ethernet shield uses a wiznet W5500 than you have to trust your laptops chipset because the W5500 (and the w5100) do not support auto-MDIX but only one partner needs to.
> 5.5.6 MDIX
> W5500 does not support auto-MDIX feature.
> Thus, user should use straight-through cables to connect to other switches or routers and
> crossover cables to connect to devices such as servers, workstations or another W5500.
> However, user can use either type of cable to connect to other devices with auto-MDIX
> enabled, and the interface automatically corrects for any incorrect cabling.
Either way you have to configure both networks with fixed IP addresses on the same network segment because I do not think you have a DHCP running on your laptop.
for example 192.168.4.1 (laptop) and 192.168.4.2 (arduino) and 255.255.255.0 as subnet mask.The segment should differ from your other networks.
Before you go and get a crossover cable (which are very rare these days) there are USB powered switches available:
I do not think you have to be afraid to simply test it with a standard cable. When the link LEDs on both sides light up you are fine. **But do this on your own risk.** Or you google the datasheet of your laptops LAN chip. But in my experience only switches (and routers) have crossover detection.
Or build your own cable :
> **[Ethernet crossover cable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_crossover_cable)**
>
> An Ethernet crossover cable is a crossover cable for Ethernet used to connect computing devices together directly. It is most often used to connect two devices of the same type, e.g. two computers (via their network interface controllers) or two switches to each other. By contrast, straight through patch cables are used to connect devices of different types, such as a computer to a network switch.
> Intentionally crossed wiring in the crossover cable connects the transmit signals at one end to ...
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### Author:  [@ghayne](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ghayne)
#### Post date: [7 January 2020 11:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ethernet-shield-internet-connection/20004/4 "2020-01-07T11:14:21Z")
Most WiFi extenders have an Ethernet socket too.