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Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

Title:DEChub/HUBwatch/PROBEwatch CONFERENCE
Notice:Firmware -2, Doc -3, Power -4, HW kits -5, firm load -6&7
Moderator:NETCAD::COLELLADT
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:4455
Total number of notes:16761

4345.0. "612EX, how many fast Ethernet ports???" by ROM01::GALLANA (Francesco Gallana) Wed Apr 09 1997 05:53

    Hello,
    
    Is somebody able to tell me the maximum number of Fast Ethernet ports
    available on a MultiSwitch 612EX?
    
    I know that it has 2 modular media slot.
    
    The available modules are:
    
    2 ports, UTP connector 100baseTX
    1 port, SC connector   100baseFX
    1 port ST connector    10baseFL
    
    It is not clear to me if I can insert (and use) 2 "100baseTX modules"
    to reach the maximum of 4 100baseTX ports.
    
    If yes, I will be happy
    
    If not, how many port I will use?
    Which of them will be available and which not? (example, the leftmost
    and the rightmost or the two midlle one...)
    
    I didn't found any document that explain clearily the maximum port
    available for each of our new MultiSwitch modules.
    
    Thanks for the answer
    
    Francesco
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
4345.1Installation and Configuration Guide pg 1-10KERNEL::FREKESLike a thief in the nightWed Apr 09 1997 11:4120
    Francesco
    
    The MultiSwitch 612EX has 12 10BaseT switched ethernet ports.
    
    There are two modular ports, which can be populated with any
    combination of the following type of Mod-MACs:
    
    10BaseFL - 10Mb/s Fibre Optic (2 ST connectors RX & TX)
    100BaseFX - 100Mb/s Fibre Optic (1 ANSI MIC connector)
    100BaseTX - 100Mb/s Twisted Pair (2 UTP ports can work at 10Mb/s too!)
    
    Therefore you can have 12 ports + 10BaseFL + 10BaseFL = 14
    			   12 ports + 100BaseFX + 100BaseFX = 14
    			   12 ports + 100BaseTX + 100BaseTX = 16
    or any combination thereof. You will always have the 12 ethernet ports.
    How you populate the remaining two ports is up to you.
    
    Taken from the Installation and Configuration Guide.
    
    Steven
4345.2A document speaks differently (doc name 612EXFS)ROM01::GALLANAFrancesco GallanaWed Apr 09 1997 12:2919
    Steven,
    
    it is fantastic!
    
    I'm sorry for my doubt but I read in a internal document (if I'm not
    wrong I extraced it from an internal WEB site (document name 612EXFS)
    thats the module can have "... up to 2 Fast Ethernet ports through a
    mix of modular media interface."
    
    It is the first time, besides, that I heat about the ...
    >>> 100BaseTX - 100Mb/s Twisted Pair (2 UTP ports can work at 10Mb/s too!)
    Have you more informations on this behaviour?
    
    Many thanks for your cooperation
    
    Francesco
    (EN&PT; HPN and Network Management consultant in Rome)
4345.3http://www.networks.digital.com/KERNEL::FREKESLike a thief in the nightWed Apr 09 1997 15:1214
    Francesco
    
    The document I was refering to came with the module. 
    Part number EK-DLMWL-IN.A01
    
    There are also some manuals here: 
    http://www.networks.digital.com/dr/multisw/manuals/
    
    Though I amnot sure if they are the same ones. They should contain the
    same info anyway.
    
    Regards
    	Steven Freke
    	833 3017
4345.4Are you sure?MLNOIS::DEQUALThu Apr 10 1997 09:2215
    Steven,
    
    in the Installation and Configuration manual of MultiSwitch 612 EX,
    page 1.17, it's explicitally said
    
    "Do not simultaneously connect a crossover connector and a
    straight-through connector on the same Mod-MAC. Only one 100BaseTX port
    per Mod-MAC can be used at a time."
    
    Now I'm a little confused. Are you sure that I can then have 4 100base
    TX simultaneously connected at the same time? 
    
    Thanks and regards
    Zeno
4345.5NETCAD::GALLAGHERThu Apr 10 1997 10:1915
Sorry to let this thread get this far.  (And we hear "fantastic" used
so infrequently in this conference.)

Zeno is correct.  The 100BaseTx Mod-MAC contains two connectors:  one
for straight-thru connection, and the other for crossover.  (We just
got tired of guessing which connector was appropriate and ticking off
50% of the folks installing the product.)

The 612EX never has more than 14 ports.

Although this is documented, as Zeno noted, on page 1-17 of the "DIGITAL 
MultiSwitch 612EX Installation, Revision B01, March 1997", maybe it needs
to spelled out a little more clearly.

					-Shawn
4345.6100BaseTX is a single port card.NETCAD::CARRAFIELLOThu Apr 10 1997 12:369
Shawn is correct. The 100BaseTX card is a single port card. The two connectors are there
simply to give a customer the flexibility of using either a straight-through or crossover cable.

One should never have a cable in both connectors at the same time. This could cause very
unpredictable network behavior since the connectors are simply wired in parallel on the
card, there is no isolation between connectors.

Thanks,
	Mike
4345.71 100TX port can run at 10Mbps???? is it???ROM01::GALLANAFrancesco GallanaFri Apr 11 1997 05:2411
    Mike,
    
    could you clarify what's writtent in .1 by Steven?
    (1 UTP port can run at 10 Mbps...)
    
    Is it true?
    
    if yes, is it an auto-sensing port?
    
    Thanks for clarification
    Francesco
4345.8Clarification of 100Mb card featuresNETCAD::CARRAFIELLOSun Apr 13 1997 12:5321
    Francesco,
    	This is the way that the 100 Mbit cards work.
    
    	100BaseTX:
    	   a) One twisted pair port with two connectors, straight-thru
    	      and crossover
    	   b) Can run at 10Mb or 100Mb
    	   c) Full or half duplex at either speed.
    
    	100BaseFX:
    	   a) One fiber optic port
    	   b) Runs at 100Mb only
    	   c) Full or half duplex
    
    	You can install any combination of Mod-MAC cards into the DLMWL
    for a maximum overall port count of 14.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    Thanks,
    	Mike