xStack DES-3500 Series Layer 2 Stackable Fast Ethernet Managed Switch User Manual
1
Section 1
Introduction
Gigabit Ethernet Technology
Switch Description
Features
Ports
Front-Panel Components
Side Panel Description
Rear Panel Description
Gigabit Combo Ports
The DES-3500 layer 2 Gigabit Ethernet switches are members of the D-Link xStack family. Ranging from 10/100Mbps edge
switches to core gigabit switches, the xStack switch family has been future-proof designed to provide a stacking architecture with
fault tolerance, flexibility, port density, robust security and maximum throughput with a user-friendly management interface for
the networking professional.
The following manual describes the installation, maintenance and configurations concerning members of the xStack DES-3500
switch series. These three switches, the DES-3526, DES-3526DC, and the DES-3550 are all very similar in configurations and
basic hardware and consequentially, most of the information in this manual will be universal to the whole xStack DES-3500
switch series. Corresponding screen pictures of the web manager may be taken from any one of these switches but the
configuration will be identical, except for varying port counts.
Please take note that if this device was purchased outside of Europe, certain cosmetic differences between the actual switch and
images in this document will be apparent to the reader, such as the faceplate and the manual cover. The DES-3500 Series has
already joined the xStack family for the European market and is soon to be xStack converted, universally. Changes are made to
the appearance of the device only and no configuration or internal hardware alterations occur.
Gigabit Ethernet Technology
Gigabit Ethernet is an extension of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet utilizing the same packet structure, format, and support for CSMA/CD
protocol, full duplex, flow control, and management objects, but with a tenfold increase in theoretical throughput over 100Mbps
Fast Ethernet and a one hundred-fold increase over 10Mbps Ethernet. Since it is compatible with all 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ether-
net environments, Gigabit Ethernet provides a straightforward upgrade without wasting a company's existing investment in
hardware, software, and trained personnel.
The increased speed and extra bandwidth offered by Gigabit Ethernet are essential to coping with the network bottlenecks that
frequently develop as computers and their busses get faster and more users using applications that generate more traffic.
Upgrading key components, such as your backbone and servers to Gigabit Ethernet can greatly improve network response times
as well as significantly speed up the traffic between your sub networks.
Gigabit Ethernet enables fast optical fiber connections to support video conferencing, complex imaging, and similar data-intensive
applications. Likewise, since data transfers occur 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet, servers outfitted with Gigabit Ethernet NIC's
are able to perform 10 times the number of operations in the same amount of time.
In addition, the phenomenal bandwidth delivered by Gigabit Ethernet is the most cost-effective method to take advantage of today
and tomorrow's rapidly improving switching and routing internetworking technologies.
Switch Description
The DES-3500 Series switches are equipped with unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable ports providing dedicated 10 or 100 Mbps
bandwidth. The Switch has 24 UTP ports (48 UTP ports for the DES-3550) and Auto MDI-X/MDI-II convertible ports that can be
used for unlinking to another switch. These ports can be used for connecting PCs, printers, servers, hubs, routers, switches and
other networking devices. The dual speed ports use standard twisted-pair cabling and are ideal for segmenting networks into small,
connected sub networks for superior performance. Each 10/100 port can support up to 200 Mbps of throughput in full-duplex
mode.
In addition, the Switch has 2 Mini-GBIC combo ports. These two-gigabit combo ports are ideal for connecting to a server or
network backbone.
