This cable has a female DB-25 connector on one end and a male DB-25 connector on the other end. Either end of the CAB-R23 cable can be the Cisco end or the network end, depending on whether the Cisco router is designated as a DCE device or a DTE device. If the router is designated as a DCE device, the female DB-25 connector is the Cisco end. If the router is designated as a DTE device, the male DB-25 connector is the Cisco end.