What's the difference between Serial DCE and Serial DTE link? In the Cisco Packet Tracer we also see the Serial DCE and Serial DTE: `![enter image description here]( but I don't know what's the difference between them.

One side of the link (DCE), has to transmit the clock signal, which controls the data rate, and the other side (DTE) receives the clock signal.

R1 is DCE here:


interface Serial0/0/0
ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.252
clock rate 2000000


R2 is DTE here:


interface Serial0/0/0
ip address 10.0.0.2 255.255.255.252


The difference between the two cables in packet tracer is just which side you click first:

![enter image description here](

* With the **DCE cable** , (red zigzag with clock) the side you click first will be the DCE, the second will be DTE
* With the **DTE cable** (red zigzag no clock) the side you click first will be DTE, the second will be DCE



Whichever way you do it, you'll see one side of the cable shows the clock symbol: this is the DCE.