I've had trouble with network cables before specially when I rearrange/reposition my routers, PCs, switches and such and at times you want to switch cables. While I've known for a while that crossover network cables connect similar ports and straight-thru network cables connect different ports, that is not necessarily the case now with routers today capable of handling either cables. I've stuck with what I have now cause they still work but are there switches and for that matter network cards that are capable of such?

Many devices will also implement the Cross-Over as required internally while some don't. If both are of the later type, you need a Cross-Over cable but the chances are they won't so i believe Cross-Over cabling will do the job more often, in comparison.