I'm getting old
I read it as the old MDI / MDI-X problem - before (almost) universal auto-sense
BTW I've never encountered a uni-directional ethernet port
Plusnet FTTC (Sep 2014), Essentials (Feb 2013); ADSL (Apr 2009); Customer since Jan 2004 (on 28kb dial-up)
Using a TP-Link Archer VR600 modem-router.