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:

- 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.
Answer from jonathanjo on Stack Exchangecisco - What's the difference between Serial DCE and Serial DTE link? - Network Engineering Stack Exchange
Connecting routers with serial cables in packet tracer?
DTE to DCE in Packet Tracer?
Cisco Packet Tracer。ケーブルの種類。 : r/networking
Videos
I have a lab for homework where i have to use a serial cable, DCE or DTE im not sure. The teacher went over it and it looked like he added a module to the back right side and then it would work.
im tring that on both the left and right side and it still dosent work. I watched youtube videos where the guy did the same thing and it worked for him no problem. i tried 2 different versions of pacet tracer too.
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:

- 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.
DCE stands for data circuit-terminating, data communications, or data carrier equipment - this is a modem or more generally, a line adapter.
DTE stands for data terminal equipment which generally is a terminal or a computer.
Basically, these two are the different ends of a serial line.
I’m trying to configure a serial connection between two routers. The connection requires DTE (R1) to DCE (R2), in PT these are only two connections. DTE>DTE and DCE>DCE. What can I do here?