3Com OfficeConnect Hub 12 User manual

OfficeConnect®Dual Speed Hub 8
User Guide (3C16750A)
3C16750_booklet.book Page i Tuesday, July 13, 1999 11:18 AM

3Com Corporation ■5400 Bayfront Plaza ■Santa Clara, California ■95052-8145
Copyright © 1999, 3Com Technologies. All rights reserved.
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3
Introduction 5
Creating your Network 6
Dual Speed Hub 8—Front 6
Dual Speed Hub 8—Rear 7
Before You Start 8
Workstation Connections 8
Twisted Pair (TP) Cables 8
Hub Connections 8
Stacking the Units Together 9
The Rubber Feet 9
The Stacking Clip 9
Positioning Your Hub 10
Securing Your Hub 10
Connecting Workstations and Other Equipment to Your Hub 11
Connecting Another OfficeConnect Hub 11
Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) Configuration Rules 11
Ethernet (10Mbps) Configuration Rules 12
Making the Connection to Another Hub 13
Checking Hub Connections 13
Spot Checks 13
Problem Solving 14
Networking Terminology 16
Dimensions and Standards 17
Dimensions and Operating Conditions 17
Standards 17
Environmental Statements 18
End Of Life Statement 18
Regulated Materials Statement 18
Environmental Statement about the Documentation 18
Environmental Statement about the Product Packaging 18
Important Safety Information 19
Wichtige Sicherheitshinweise 20
Consignes importantes de sécurité 21
Technical Support 22
Online Technical Services 22
World Wide Web Site 22
3Com Knowledgebase Web Services 22
Support from Your Network Supplier 23
Support from 3Com 23
Returning Products for Repair 26
3Com Corporation Limited Warranty 27
Electromagnetic Compatibility 30
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4
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5
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the world of networking with 3Com®. In the
modern business environment, communication and sharing
information is crucial. Computer networks have proved to
be one of the fastest modes of communication but, until
recently, only large businesses could afford the networking
advantage. The OfficeConnect®product range from 3Com
has changed this, bringing networks to the small office.
The OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hub 8 is ideal for creating
small networks. It is compact and attractively designed for
desktop use and can be used with other OfficeConnect
products. This product forms part of the OfficeConnect
range which neatly stack together with the OfficeConnect
stacking clip.
The OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hub 8 is an easy-to-use
Class II hub (repeater) with eight 10/100BASE-TX ports. It
allows you to set up a network with both Ethernet
(10Mbps) and Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) workstations and
other devices (a Class II hub can be connected to another
Fast Ethernet hub, a Class I hub cannot).
When referring to the OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hub 8, this
guide uses the term ‘Hub’.
Each port on the Hub can be connected to either a
10BASE-T (Ethernet) or a 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet) device.
The port senses the speed of the connected equipment and
operates at the appropriate speed. If you wish to extend an
existing Ethernet network into Fast Ethernet, adding a Dual
Speed Hub 8 can offer a more cost-effective migration path
than adding both a 100Mbps hub and a 10/100Mbps
switch.
Figure 1 Small Network With OfficeConnect Hub
If you need to connect more workstations, simply use the
stacking clip to connect another OfficeConnect hub to form
a stack.
OfficeConnect
Dual Speed Hub 8
10Mbps 100Mbps
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6
CREATING YOUR NETWORK
Dual Speed Hub 8—Front
OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hub 8
Network Utilization
Alert Power
12345678
Port Status
Green = OK Flash = Partitioned
1% 2% 3% 6% 12% 25% 50% 80%
100M
10M
100M
10M
100M
10M
Collision
Alert LED
orange
Off when the Hub is operating
correctly. Lit for a short period of
time after power on, for self test.
If the LED is continuously lit, there
may be a problem. Refer to the
“Problem Solving” section.
Power LED
green
Indicates that
the power
supply to the
Hub is
present.
Collision LEDs
yellow
Flash each time a
collision is detected on
the Hub's 100Mbps or
10Mbps segment.
Collisions are a normal
part of network
operation.
Network
Utilization LEDs
green/yellow/orange
(top row:100Mbps;
bottom row:10Mbps)
Indicate how much the
100Mbps and 10Mbps
segments of your
network are being
used.
Port Status LEDs
green (top row:100Mbps; bottom row:10Mbps)
If the LED is on, the link between the port and the next
piece of network equipment is OK. If the LED is off,
nothing is connected, or the connected device is
switched off, or there is a problem with the connection
(refer to the “Problem Solving” section). If flashing, the
port is partitioned, possibly due to a network loop.
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7
Dual Speed Hub 8—Rear
Power Adapter socket
Only use the power adapter
that is supplied with this
OfficeConnect Dual Speed
Hub 8. Do not use any other
adapter.
Eight 10/100BASE-TX ports
Use suitable TP cable with RJ-45
connectors. You can connect the Hub
to any workstation or other
equipment that has a 10BASE-T or
100BASE-TX port. Each port is capable
of autosensing for 10Mbps or
100Mbps operation.
10/100BASE-TX
1X
5X
Uplink/Normal switch
Affects the operation of port 8. If
you are connecting another hub to
port 8, set to Uplink (in), otherwise
set to Normal (out). Refer to the
“Connecting Another
OfficeConnect Hub” section.
5V DC
4A MAX
Uplink/Normal
4X
8
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8
Before You Start
Your OfficeConnect hub comes with:
■One power adapter for use with the OfficeConnect hub.
■A Product Registration card for you to fill out and return.
■Four rubber feet.
■A stacking clip.
■Two unit labels and eight cable ties.
■An OfficeConnect Network Assistant CD-ROM.
The extra parts mentioned in the next section are not
supplied with the hub.
Workstation Connections
To connect workstations or other equipment to your hub,
you need:
1One 10BASE-T,
10/100BASE-TX, or
100BASE-TX adapter card
for each workstation. 3Com
produce a range of
easy-to-install network
adapter cards, which
provide your workstations with a suitable connection.
2An operating system (for example, Netware or Windows
95/98) with network support configured, running on
your workstations.
3One suitable TP cable for each workstation.
In order to comply with the 10BASE-T standard, ports
designed for workstation connections have been
marked with the graphical symbol ‘x’. This denotes a
crossover in the port’s internal wiring, for example 1x,
2x, 3x...
Twisted Pair (TP) Cables
To connect your workstations and other equipment to the
Hub, use ‘straight-through’ TP cables with RJ-45 connectors
(all OfficeConnect products use RJ-45 type connectors). A
‘straight-through’ cable is one where each pin of one
connector is connected to the same pin of the other
connector. Cables can be shielded (screened) or unshielded;
we recommend that you use shielded cable. Cables used for
100BASE-TX or 10/100BASE-TX connections must be data
grade (Category 5). Your supplier should stock suitable
cables.
The maximum length of a single cable is 100m (328ft).
Refer to “Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) Configuration Rules” on
page 11 for further information on cable lengths in a
100Mbps network.
Hub Connections
To connect other OfficeConnect units to your Hub, you need
one suitable TP cable for each unit.
3
2
1
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9
Stacking the Units Together
The Rubber Feet
The four self-adhesive rubber feet prevent your hub from
moving around on your desk. Only stick the feet to the
marked areas at each corner of the underside of your hub if
you intend to place the unit directly on top of the desk. Do
not fix the feet if you are going to use the clip.
The Stacking Clip
The blue stacking clip allows you to stack your
OfficeConnect units together neatly and securely.
CAUTION: You can stack up to a maximum of four
units. Smaller units must be stacked above larger
units.
To fit the clip:
1Place your unit on a flat surface.
2Fit the clip across the top of the unit, as shown in
Figure 2 (picture 1), ensuring that the longer sections of
the fastening pieces are pointing downwards.
3Align the fastening pieces over the slots found on each
side of the unit.
4Push the clip down gently to secure it, ensuring the
fastening pieces snap into the slots on the unit.
To fit another unit:
1Rest the second unit on top of the clip and align it with
the front of the unit below.
2Press down gently on the unit to secure it onto the clip,
ensuring the fastening pieces fit into the slots on the unit
below, as shown in Figure 2 (picture 2).
Figure 2 Stacking Your Units Together
To remove the clip:
1Remove the top unit together with the clip. If you hook
a finger around one of the the fastening pieces and then
pull it gently from out of the slot, the clip should come
away with the upper unit attached to it.
2Push the clip in the center, so it bends towards the base
of the unit, and then separate once the clip is loose.
1
Fastening
Piece
2
Fastening
Piece
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10
Positioning Your Hub
When installing your OfficeConnect hub, ensure:
■It is out of direct sunlight and away from sources of
heat.
■Cabling is away from power lines, fluorescent lighting
fixtures, and sources of electrical noise such as radios,
transmitters and broadband amplifiers.
■Water or moisture cannot enter the case of the unit.
■Air flow around the unit and through the vents in the
side of the case is not restricted. We recommend you
provide a minimum of 25.4 mm (1in.) clearance.
Securing Your Hub
There are two slots on the underside of the OfficeConnect
hub which can be used for wall mounting. It is
recommended that you mount the hubs with the LEDs
facing upwards to prevent dust entering the cooling vents.
When wall mounting the unit, ensure that it is within
reach of the power outlet.
You need two suitable screws. Ensure that the wall you are
going to use is smooth, flat, dry and sturdy. Make two
screw holes which are 142mm (5.6in.) apart. Use the
template at the back of this guide to mark the position of
the holes. Fix the screws into the wall, leaving their heads
3mm (0.12in.) clear of the wall surface.
Remove any connections to the unit and locate it over the
screw heads. When in line, gently push the unit on to the
wall and move it downwards to secure. When making
connections, be careful not to push the unit up and off the
wall.
CAUTION:Only wall mount single units, do not wall
mount stacked units.
Also available from 3Com, is the OfficeConnect Mounting
Unit (part number 3C16765). This allows you to firmly
secure a stack of OfficeConnect devices to the desktop or
onto a shelf in a rack.
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