How does a crossover cable's pinout configuration differ from a patch cord?

A crossover cable's pinout configuration is specifically designed to facilitate direct connections between similar devices, such as connecting a computer to another computer or a switch to another switch. This cable uses two different pinout configurations on each end to effectively swap the transmit and receive signals.

For instance, on one end of a crossover cable, the sending pin from one device is connected to the receiving pin of the other device, and vice versa. This is essential for enabling communication between devices of the same type, which typically would not be able to communicate with one another using a straight-through patch cord that connects different device types (like a computer to a switch).

In contrast, a patch cord features the same pin configuration on both ends and is used primarily to connect different devices on a network, such as connecting a computer to a network switch. Thus, the different pinout configurations on a crossover cable facilitate appropriate signal transmission between like devices, making option B the accurate choice.