Installing the Switch
5
Connecting the Switch System
The SMC-EZ108FDT provides 8 RJ-45 ports on the base unit. Each of these ports
supports connection to 10Mbps Ethernet or 100Mbps Fast Ethernet, and supports
full or half-duplex operation. The transmission speed for each port is automatically
set by the switch to match the highest speed supported by the connected device.
The transmission mode can be set for each port using auto-negotiation .
Making a Connection to an RJ-45 Port
You can use straight-through twisted-pair cable to connect any RJ-45 port on the
switch to any device that uses a standard network interface such as a workstation or
server, or to a network interconnection device such as a bridge or router (depending
on the port type implemented).
1.
Prepare the network devices you wish to network. Make sure you have installed
10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX network interface cards for connecting to the
switch’s RJ-45 station ports.
2.
Prepare straight-through shielded or unshielded twisted-pair cables with RJ-45
plugs at both ends. Use 100-ohm Category 3, 4 or 5 cable for standard 10Mbps
Ethernet connections, or 100-ohm Category 5 cable for 100Mbps Fast Ethernet
connections.
3.
Connect one end of the cable to the RJ-45 port of the network interface card,
and the other end to any available RJ-45 port on the switch. All RJ-45 ports
support 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet connections. When inserting an RJ-45
plug, be sure the tab on the plug clicks into position to ensure that it is properly
seated. Using the switch in a stand-alone configuration, you can network up to
8 end nodes.
Caution:
Do not plug a phone jack connector into any
RJ-45 port. This may damage the switch.
Instead, use only twisted-pair cables with RJ-45
connectors that conform with FCC standards.
Notes: 1.
When connecting to another compatible switch
or hub, run straight-through cable between
MDI (daisy chain) and MDI-X (station) ports.
You may also attach to MDI-X (station) ports at
both ends if you use crossover cabling. (Refer to “Port and Cable
Assignments” on page 10 for a description of crossover cable).
2.
Make sure each twisted-pair cable does not exceed 100 meters (328 feet).
3.
We advise using Category 5 cable for all network connections to avoid any
confusion or inconvenience in the future when you upgrade attached devices
to Fast Ethernet.
Restrictions on Cascade Length
- The IEEE 802.3 standard recommends restricting
the number of hubs (i.e., repeaters) cascaded via twisted-pair cable to 4; while IEEE
802.3u provides even stricter recommendations for Fast Ethernet. Therefore, when
cascading devices other than this switch, please refer to the accompanying
documentation for cascade restrictions. However, note that because switches break up
the path for connected devices into separate collision domains, you should not include the
switch or connected cabling in your calculations for cascade length involving other devices.
