so you need to put something twisted between them - that's called the nullmodem.
Otherwise, you have a humble DCE, or, a slave, which has to have a female connector and pins labelled the other way round, obediently to the big fat computer master, using then a simple straight cable.

I can't count how many times I have used the wrong cable (initially) since the bastards that make null modems and straight cables do not bother to label what the cables are (except on the box which is long lost).

Of course, if those that made RS232 would bother to always use male connectors for DTE units and female connectors for DCE units (and the cables would all have connectors to match) life would be easy, but I wonder how many shops have signs hanging on the wall "don't bother with standards"

Erik

PS it is all wrong anyhow, when IBM designed the first PC they gave the PC a male RS232 connector (a PC would ever be anything but a peripheral)