19
3 Connect the other end of the cascade
link cable to one of the
CATx USER
PORTS
sockets on the rear panel of
the lower unit. Due to the way in
which ports within a link group are
dynamically allocated, it is not usually
important exactly which user port
is connected to each computer
port of the upper unit.
4 Repeat steps 2 and
3 for each of the
links within the
group, adhering
to the
Group
numbering
diagram
for the correct
link group boundaries on
the
COMPUTER CONNECTIONS
ports of the upper switch.
Once the MC5 units and computers have been connected, you can edit their
names to make it much easier to locate them. See the
To create/edit computer
names
section in the Configuration chapter for more details.
Connecting MC5 units in cascade
Please consider the following when making cascade connections between MC5
units.
Tips for successful cascading
• The maximum number of levels for a cascade is three.
• The maximum number of computer systems that can be controlled within a
cascade installation depends upon the MC5 unit placed at the top level. If
the top level unit is a non-IP version, a maximum of 512 computer systems
can be controlled. However, if the top level unit is an MC5-IP, the maximum
number of computers drops to 128. This is due to the extra burden placed
on the unit’s memory of administering global (IP) users.
• The number of links between units (three or four) determines the number of
users that can simultaneously access the computers situated further down
the tree. Link groups of one and two links should not be used.
• Ensure that cascade links (within a group) between units are approximately
the same length.
• Triple and quad link groups may be mixed on one unit providing the
links lie within the appropriate port boundaries designated in the
Group
numbering diagram
.
• MC5-
IP
models can only be used at the top level of the cascade tree
because they have only two
CATx USER PORTS
sockets and the minimum
number of links required for a cascade group is three.
• For each cascade link, use a standard category 5, 5e or 6 twisted-pair cable,
terminated at each end with an RJ45 connector. There must be no crossover
connections within the cable, i.e. do not use patch cables. The cascade
link cables can be up to 50m (160 feet) in length. However, remember
that the overall length between any remote user (via a User Station) and
any computer (via a CAM) must not exceed 300m (980 feet) - that figure
includes the cascade link cables. Ensure that each of the links within a
cascade group all conform to the same length.
• The procedure given opposite may be carried out in any order but for clarity
the instruction will begin at the higher level MC5 unit (here called the
upper
unit
), i.e. the one that is being fed into by a unit at the cascade level below
(here called the
lower unit
). The procedure remains the same regardless
of exactly which cascade levels are being connected. The basic rule is that
each link is made by connecting a
COMPUTER CONNECTIONS
port of the upper
switch to a
CATx USER PORTS
of the lower switch.
To connect units in cascade
1 Ensure that power is disconnected from the MC5 and all other units to be
connected.
2 Connect one end of each
cascade link cable to an
appropriate
COMPUTER
CONNECTIONS
port on the rear
panel of the upper unit. Refer
to the
Group numbering
diagram
for the correct link
group boundaries.
OPTIONS
1
3
2
4
5V
WARNING
!
RJ45
CONNEC
TORS
ON
THIS
PANE
L AR
E FO
R CO
NNECTIO
N
TO KVM
EQUIPM
ENT
ONL
Y.
DO
NOT
CONNECT
TO NETW
ORK
OR
TELEPHONE
SYSTEM
S
4A
AUX
PWR
IN
PWR
IN
POWER
CONTRO
L
CATx
USER
PORTS
1
2
3
ON
See also
•
Testing specific links to cascaded computers
