Patent ID: 7356433

Claim:
An apparatus of supporting a plurality of cable types in compliance of standard protocols, comprising: a plurality of transmission interfaces, wherein each of said plurality of transmission interfaces supports one cable type; a port configured to receive network signals transmitted from a cable, wherein said port connects to said cable via a connector; a switch located between said port and said plurality of transmission interfaces, switching to transmit said network signals to one of said plurality of transmission interfaces; a memory having an automatic detection program; and a network controller connected to said memory and said plurality of transmission interfaces, wherein said network controller executes said automatic detection program and determines whether said one of said transmission interfaces is adapted to receive and process said network signals based on said cable's cable type; wherein if said one of said transmission interfaces is adapted to receive and process said network signals from said cable's cable type, setting said switch to a first state enabling said one of said transmission interfaces to process said network signals; and if said one of said transmission interfaces is not adapted to receive and process said network signals from said cable's cable type, setting said switch to a second state to switch said network signals to another one of said transmission interfaces.