APPENDIX

Connector and Cable

Specifications
This appendix provides connector and cable descriptions for the following ports on the hub:

10/100 network and uplink ports

Console port

This appendix also provides:

Ethernet and FastHub cabling guidelines

Cabling information for avoiding cabling problems in Token-Ring environments

10/100 Ports
Table B-1 lists the 10/100 network and uplink ports on the FastHub 400 models.
Table B-1

FastHub 10/100 Ports

Model

Network Ports

Uplink Port

FastHub 412 models

1x through 12x

12

FastHub 424 models

1x through 24x

24

Connector and Cable Specifications B-1

10/100 Ports

The 10/100 network ports and 10/100 uplink port use standard RJ-45 connectors. Table B-2
lists the pinouts for these ports.
Table B-2

10/100 Port Connector Pinouts

Pin

Signal

RD+

RD-

TD+

NC

NC

TD-

NC

NC

Network Ports
The 10/100 network ports are internally crossed (shown with an X next to each port
number). Use an Ethernet crossover cable to connect these ports to other network devices,
such as switches or other hubs. Use a straight-through cable to connect these ports to
workstations, servers, or routers. Use the following types of cable, appropriately:

10-Mbps network devicesCategory 3, 4, or 5 cable

100-Mbps network devicesCategory 5 cable

Caution When cabling an Ethernet network that contains autosensing 10/100 repeaters

like the FastHub 400 series, use caution when using Category 3 and Category 4 cable.
These cable types do not support 100BaseTX networks.

Note Use a straight-through cable to connect two ports when one of the ports is designated

with an X. Use a crossover cable to connect two ports when both ports are designated with
an X.

B-2

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

Uplink Port

Uplink Port
The 10/100 uplink port is not internally crossed. Use an Ethernet crossover cable to connect
this port to other network devices, such as workstations, servers, or routers. Use a
straight-through cable to connect this port to switches or other hubs. Use the following
types of cable, appropriately:

10-Mbps network devicesCategory 3, 4, or 5 cable

100-Mbps network devicesCategory 5 cable

Caution When cabling an Ethernet network that contains autosensing 10/100 repeaters

like the FastHub 400 series, use caution when using Category 3 and Category 4 cable.
These cable types do not support 100BaseTX networks.

Note Use a straight-through cable to connect two ports when one of the ports is designated

with an X. Use a crossover cable to connect two ports when both ports are designated with
an X.

Caution If you connect to both port 12x and 12 (or port 24x and 24), you will disable both

ports.

Connector and Cable Specifications B-3

10/100 Ports

Ethernet Cable Schematics

Figure B-1 is a schematic of the types of cable (straight-through and crossover) used to
connect the hub to network devices.
Figure B-1

Hub

Ethernet Cable Schematics

Adapter

Hub

Hub

3 RD+

3 TD+

3 TD+

6 TD-

6 RD-

6 TD-

6 TD-

1 RD+

1 TD+

1 RD+

1 RD+

2 RD-

2 TD-

2 RD-

2 RDH5462

3 TD+

Straight-Through

B-4

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

Crossover

Console Port

Console Port
The console port uses an 8-pin RJ-45 connector, as shown in Figure B-1. The supplied
RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover console cable and adapter are used to connect the console port of
the hub to a management station or modem. The following sections describe the supplied
rollover console cable and adapter for the console port.

Identifying a Rollover Cable

You can identify a rollover cable by comparing the two modular ends of the cable. Hold the
cable ends side-by-side, with the tab at the back. The wire connected to the pin on the
outside of the left plug should be the same color as the wire connected to the pin on the
outside of the right plug (see Figure B-2).
Figure B-2

Identifying a Rollover Cable

Pin 1 on one connector and
pin 8 on the other connector
should be the same color.
Pin 8

H10632

Pin 1

Connector and Cable Specifications B-5

Console Port

Connecting to a PC
Use the thin, flat, RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover console cable and RJ-45-to-DB-9 female DTE
adapter (labeled TERMINAL) to connect the hub console port to a PC running terminal
emulation software. Figure B-3 shows how to connect the console port to a PC. Table B-3
lists the pin assignments for the console port, the RJ-45-to-RJ-45 rollover cable, and the
RJ-45-to-DB-9 female DTE adapter (labeled TERMINAL).
Connecting the Console Port to a PC

FastHub 400M models

PC

RJ-45-to-RJ-45
rollover cable

RJ-45-to-DB-9 adapter
(labeled TERMINAL)

Table B-3

Console Port Signaling and Cabling Using a DB-9 Adapter

Console
Port (DTE)

RJ-45-to-RJ-45
Rollover Cable

Signal

RJ-45 Pin
1

RJ-45-to-DB-9
Terminal Adapter

Console
Device

RJ-45 Pin

DB-9 Pin

Signal

RTS

CTS

DTR

DSR

TxD

RxD

GND

GND

GND

GND

RxD

TxD

DSR

DTR

CTS

81

RTS

B-6

14511

Figure B-3

Pin 1 is connected (inside the terminal adapter) to Pin 8.

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

Ethernet and FastHub Cabling Guidelines

Ethernet and FastHub Cabling Guidelines

This section provides cabling guidelines for building networks using the FastHub 400
series and other repeaters.

Repeater Types
The IEEE 802.3u standard defines two different classes of Ethernet repeaters, Class I and
Class II.
The FastHub 400 series are Class II repeaters with the following advantages:

Class II repeaters support two repeaters for building a single network. (Class I repeaters
limit a network to one repeater.)

Class II repeaters support longer cable segments in single repeater configurations than
Class I repeaters.

Switches with Internal Repeaters

Many switches have internal repeaters or plug-in repeater modules. In this type of device,
the switch is actually attached to a port on the internal repeater. When connecting the hub
to a switch, find out whether the port you are connecting to is a repeater port, and then take
one of the following steps:

If it is not a repeater port, the switch acts as an ordinary end-station, and you do not have
to take any special steps.

If the port is a Class I repeater port, do not connect the FastHub 400 series or any other
repeater to the port.

Connector and Cable Specifications B-7

Ethernet and FastHub Cabling Guidelines

General Guidelines for Ethernet Networks

Table B-4 describes some guidelines when creating Ethernet networks with multiple
repeaters. Exact figures could vary, depending on the manufacturer of the network
equipment.
Table B-4

10BaseT and 100BaseTX Guidelines

Specification

10BaseT

100BaseTX

Maximum segment length

100 meters

100 meters

Maximum number of segments per network

Class II2
Class I1

Maximum number of hops1

Class II1
Class Inone

Maximum number of stations per segment

1024

1024

Cable type supported

Category 3, 4, or 5

Category 5

Hops = other repeaters.

FastHub Example Configurations

The IEEE 802.3u standard specifies network configurations using Class II repeaters. These
configurations were designed to satisfy the requirements of most networks that are built to
the EIA/TIA-568 wiring standard. This standard specifies 100-meter Category 5
connections from wiring closets to desktops.
Note In any configuration, the maximum Category 5 cable length is 100 meters. Longer

segment lengths are possible only when using multimode fiber-optic cable (hereafter
referred to as fiber cable).

Note In the following configurations, each FastHub model can be a single unit or a

FastHub stack.

B-8

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

FastHub Example Configurations

Single FastHub Unit with Category 5 Cable Segments

With only Category 5 cable segments, the maximum length for any cable segment is
100 meters, as shown in Figure B-4.
Figure B-4

Single FastHub Unit with Category 5 Cable Segments

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

UTL 100
MODE

Category 5 straight-through cable

15705

100 meters
maximum

Connector and Cable Specifications B-9

Ethernet and FastHub Cabling Guidelines

Single FastHub Unit with Category 5 Segments and One Fiber-Cable Segment
The example in Figure B-5 shows the hub connected to stations through its 10/100 ports
and the optional 100BaseFX module port. The hub is also connected to a server through its
100BaseFX switched uplink module port. The maximum Category 5 cable segment length
is 100 meters. The maximum fiber-cable segment length is 412 meters if the link is
operating in half-duplex mode (2 kilometers in full duplex).
If all Category 5 cable segments connected to the FastHub unit are less than 100 meters, the
length of the fiber-cable segment can be increased.
Figure B-5

Single FastHub Unit with Category 5 Segments and One Fiber-Cable

Segment

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

UTL 100

MODE

2 kilometers
maximum

Category 5 straight-through cable

Multimode fiber-optic cable

B-10

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

15671

100 meters
maximum
segment

FastHub Example Configurations

Two FastHub Units with Category 5 Cable Segments

The maximum Category 5 cable segment length is 100 meters. When stations are connected
to the FastHub units with 100-meter cable segments, the cable connecting the two FastHub
units is limited to a distance of 5 meters, as shown in Figure B-6.
If all of the cable segments connecting stations to one or both of the FastHub units are less
than 100 meters, the length of the cable segment connecting the two FastHub units can be
increased.
Figure B-6

Two FastHub Units with Category 5 Cable Segments

10BaseT/100BaseTx

RPS
10 100

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM
1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

RPS
10 100

24

UTL 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

UTL 100

MODE

MODE

100 meters
maximum
segment

5 meters

100 meters
maximum

Category 5 straight-through cable

15706

SYSTEM

Connector and Cable Specifications B-11

Ethernet and FastHub Cabling Guidelines

Increasing the Distance Between Two FastHub Units By Reducing Maximum Cable
Segments
You can increase the distance between two FastHub units by reducing the maximum cable
segments connecting them to stations. The maximum Category 5 equivalent distance
between any two stations separated by two FastHub units is 205 meters.
In the following example, you need to separate the two repeaters by 60 meters
(see Figure B-7). Using A + B + C = 205 meters and substituting 60 meters for segment B,
we arrive at A + C 145 meters. Neither segment A or C can be greater than 100 meters.
Figure B-7

Increasing the Distance Between Two FastHub Units

B

FastHub stack

FastHub

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

10BaseT/100BaseTx

RPS
10 100

SYSTEM
1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

RPS

24

UTL 100

10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24

24x

UTL 100

MODE

MODE

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

UTL 100

MODE

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

12x

13x

UTL 100

16213

MODE

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

12x

13x

UTL 100

MODE

C
A + B + C 205 meters
Where A is longest segment connected to stations on FastHub 1
Where B is longest segment connected to stations on FastHub 2
Category 5 straight-through cable
Multimode fiber-optic cable

B-12

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

FastHub Example Configurations

Increasing the Distance Between Two FastHub Units by Connections through Switched
Uplink Modules
You can increase the distance between two FastHub units by connecting them through their
switched uplink modules (10BaseT/100BaseTX or 100BaseFX). As shown in Figure B-8,
the maximum length for segment B is 100 meters for Category 5 and 412 meters for fiber
in half-duplex mode (2 kilometers in full duplex). Segments A and C can be no greater than
100 meters.
Figure B-8

Increasing the Distance Between Two FastHub Units

B

FastHub

FastHub

10BaseT/100BaseTx

RPS
10 100

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM
1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

RPS
10 100

24

UTL 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24

24x

UTL 100

MODE

MODE

C
A + B + C 205 meters
Where A is longest segment connected to stations on FastHub 1
Where B is longest segment connected to stations on FastHub 2
Category 5 straight-through cable
Multimode fiber-optic cable

17608

SYSTEM

Connector and Cable Specifications B-13

Avoiding Cabling Problems in Token-Ring Environments

Avoiding Cabling Problems in Token-Ring Environments

Shielded twisted-pair cable is the most commonly used cable in Token-Ring environments.
The media interface connectors (MICs) and balunsused to connect shielded twisted-pair
and unshielded twisted-pair cablingcreate a loopback when they are disconnected; the
loopback might cause anomalies with the hub.
To prevent loopback problems when using shielded twisted-pair cabling in a Token-Ring
network environment, make sure the MICs and baluns are never left unconnected when they
are part of a link connected to the hub (see Figure B-9).
Figure B-9

Shielded Twisted-Pair Cable Connections

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

Foil twisted-pair cable

UTL 100

MODE

Incorrect

Ethernet
cable

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

MIC/Balun

MIC/Balun

Foil twisted-pair cable

UTL 100

MODE

Correct

Ethernet
cable

MIC/Balun

UTP

UTP

MIC/Balun

10BaseT/100BaseTx

SYSTEM

RPS
10 100

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

8x

9x

10x

11x

12x

13x

14x

15x

16x

17x

18x

19x

20x

21x

22x

23x

24x

24

UTL 100

MODE

Ethernet
cable

B-14

MIC/Balun

FastHub 400 10/100 Series Installation and Configuration Guide

MIC/Balun

UTP
14516

Foil twisted-pair cable

Correct
(no connection)