On older 100 Mb/s networks, it doesn't matter. What matters is
that the receive pins of one side are connected to transmit pins
of other side. Basically one side of the cable will have the
"straight-through" pin-out and the other will have "cross-over"
pin-out. The cross-over pin-out makes sure that one side's
transmit pins connect to other side's receive pins and you can
connect the "cross-over" side. So if the switch is connected
directly to the "cross-over" side of the cable or the computer
only depends on the way you actually plug in the cable. The
"cross-over" side can be connected so that it is near the switch
or so that it is near the computer. Also you'd use "cross-over"
cables to connect two computers together. For a computer and a
switch, a "straight-through" would be used. Do note that mot of
newer network equipment and all 1 Gb/s equipment automatically
negotiates which pins do what.