Black Box 5 User manual

1000 Park Drive • Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 • 724-746-5500 • Fax [phone]
© Copyright 1998. Black Box Corporation. All rights reserved.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
AND
INDUSTRY CANADA
RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio communication.
It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15
of FCC rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against
such interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause interference, in which case the user at his own expense will be required
to take whatever measures may be necessary to correct the interference.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emission from
digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation of Industry Canada.
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de classe A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le
brouillage radioélectrique publié par Industrie Canada.
TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS MANUAL
PS/2, AT and IBM are registered trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation.
Any other trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property
of the trademark owners.
FCC AND IC STATEMENTS, TRADEMARKS
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POW-R-BOOT 5
NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS (NOM) ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT
INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD
1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas
antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado.
2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas
para referencia futura.
3. Todas las advertencias en el aparato eléctrico y en sus instrucciones
de operación deben ser respetadas.
4. Todas las instrucciones de operación y uso deben ser seguidas.
5. El aparato eléctrico no deberá ser usado cerca del agua—por ejemplo,
cerca de la tina de baño, lavabo, sótano mojado o cerca de una alberca,
etc.
6. El aparato eléctrico debe ser usado únicamente con carritos o pedestales
que sean recomendados por el fabricante.
7. El aparato eléctrico debe ser montado a la pared o al techo sólo como
sea recomendado por el fabricante.
8. Servicio—El usuario no debe intentar dar servicio al equipo eléctrico más
allá a lo descrito en las instrucciones de operación. Todo otro servicio
deberá ser referido a personal de servicio calificado.
9. El aparato eléctrico debe ser situado de tal manera que su posición no
interfiera su uso. La colocación del aparato eléctrico sobre una cama,
sofá, alfombra o superficie similar puede bloquea la ventilación, no se
debe colocar en libreros o gabinetes que impidan el flujo de aire por
los orificios de ventilación.
10. El equipo eléctrico deber ser situado fuera del alcance de fuentes
de calor como radiadores, registros de calor, estufas u otros aparatos
(incluyendo amplificadores) que producen calor.
11. El aparato eléctrico deberá ser connectado a una fuente de poder sólo
del tipo descrito en el instructivo de operación, o como se indique en
el aparato.
2

NOM STATEMENT
12. Precaución debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la
polarización del equipo no sea eliminada.
13. Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que
no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra ellos,
poniendo particular atención a los contactos y receptáculos donde salen
del aparato.
14. El equipo eléctrico debe ser limpiado únicamente de acuerdo
a las recomendaciones del fabricante.
15. En caso de existir, una antena externa deberá ser localizada lejos
de las lineas de energia.
16. El cable de corriente deberá ser desconectado del cuando el equipo
no sea usado por un largo periodo de tiempo.
17. Cuidado debe ser tomado de tal manera que objectos liquidos
no sean derramados sobre la cubierta u orificios de ventilación.
18. Servicio por personal calificado deberá ser provisto cuando:
A: El cable de poder o el contacto ha sido dañado; u
B: Objectos han caído o líquido ha sido derramado dentro
del aparato; o
C: El aparato ha sido expuesto a la lluvia; o
D: El aparato parece no operar normalmente o muestra un cambio
en su desempeño; o
E: El aparato ha sido tirado o su cubierta ha sido dañada.
3

POW-R-BOOT 5
Contents
Chapter Page
1. Specifications ............................................................................................. 5
2. Introduction ............................................................................................... 7
2.1 General Overview ................................................................................ 7
2.2 Features ............................................................................................... 7
2.3 The Pow-R-Boot 5 Illustrated ............................................................. 8
3. Installation ................................................................................................ 11
3.1 Setting the Rate Switch ..................................................................... 11
3.2 Rackmounting the Unit .................................................................... 12
3.3 Connecting the Master Device ......................................................... 12
3.4 Connecting the Switched Devices .................................................... 14
3.5 Powering Up the System ................................................................... 14
4. Operation ................................................................................................. 15
5. Troubleshooting ...................................................................................... 17
5.1 Common Concerns ........................................................................... 17
5.2 Calling Black Box .............................................................................. 18
5.3 Shipping and Packaging ................................................................... 19
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CHAPTER 1: Specifications
Compliance — FCC Class A, IC Class/classe A
Interfaces — (2) RS-232 compatible serial (DTE): (1) IBM PS/2,
AT style, (1) proprietary
Protocol — Asynchronous
Data Format — Receive: Either 7 data bits, even or odd parity, and
1 stop bit, or 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit
(autosensing);
Transmit: 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit (fixed)
Flow Control — None
Data Rate — 9600, 2400, 1200, or 300 bps (user-selectable)
Maximum
Distance — 50 ft. (15.2 m) from control port to master device
User Controls — Commands from master device;
(2) Rear-mounted:
(1) 4-position configuration DIP switch,
(1) ON/OFF rocker switch
Indicators — (7) Front-mounted LEDs: (1) POWER ON, (1) DATA
INPUT, and (5) BOOT IN PROGRESS
Connectors — Data: (2) Rear-mounted: (1) DB9 female for
connection to PC or modem, (1) RJ-11 female for
connection to Port Manager Switch;
AC Power Inlet:
SWI020A: (Nondetachable power cord with
NEMA 5-15P plug);
SWI020AE: IEC 320 male;
1. Specifications

POW-R-BOOT 5
Connectors
(continued) — AC Power Outlets:
SWI020A: (5) NEMA 5-15R sockets;
SWI020AE: (5) IEC 320 female
Leads Supported — On DB9 connector: Pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 (RLSD
[DCD], RD, TD, DTR, SGND, and RTS respectively);
On RJ-11 connector: Pins 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 (DTR,
SGND, TD, RD, and CTS respectively)
Input Power — SWI020A: 115-VAC, 60 Hz directly from outlet
through nondetachable 6-ft. (1.5-m) power cord;
SWI020AE: 230-VAC, 50 Hz directly from outlet
through detachable power cord (not included)
No-Load (Standby)
Current Draw
(Consumption) — SWI020A: 500 mA;
SWI020AE: 250 mA
Output Power — SWI020A: 115-VAC, 60 Hz, up to 5 amps on one
outlet (but not more than 10 amps total for all
outlets);
SWI020AE: 230-VAC, 50 Hz, up to 2.5 amps on one
outlet (but not more than 5 amps total for all
outlets);
Temperature
Tolerance — 32 to 122 F (0 to 50˚C)
Humidity
Tolerance — 20 to 80% noncondensing
Size — 1.8" (1U) H x 17"W x 6.5"D (4.4 x 43.2 x 6.5 cm);
when rackmount brackets are added, the unit is
19" (48.3 cm) wide
Weight — 5 lb. (2.3 kg)
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CHAPTER 2: Introduction
2.1 General Overview
The Pow-R-Boot 5 (PRB 5) is a convenient tool you can use to reboot as
many as five AC-powered devices from a remote location. Normally, when
a computer or peripheral device locks up, it must be manually reinitialized
by on-site personnel. But when you plug pieces of equipment into the PRB 5,
you can send a command from a remote site—even from half a world away
across a modem link—to reset any or all of them by toggling AC power
ON and OFF.
The Pow-R-Boot 5’s RS-232 Control Port will accept commands (in the form
of ASCII character strings) to select the desired port and initiate the reboot
routine. You can connect the PRB 5 to a master or control device such as a
PC or one of our Port Manager Switches, either directly (with a serial cable)
or indirectly (through a modem).
The unit also has a DIP switch you can set to (a) select the appropriate
data rate for communication between the unit and the master device,
(b) choose a short or long reboot cycle, and (c) enable or disable
“Quiet Mode.”
If the unit receives and carries out a command, it will respond with
a “PRB OK” message so that you can verify proper communication with the
master device. (You can turn off these messages by enabling Quiet Mode.)
2.2 Features
• Remotely toggle AC power to any of the unit’s five separate outlets.
• Connect a PC to the RS-232 Control Port either directly or indirectly
(across a modem link).
• Directly connect one of our Port Manager Switches (product codes
SW545A and SW546A) to the Control Port.
• Set the length of the “downtime” or “offtime” part of the reboot cycle
(that is, how long the unit denies power to the rebooting device before
restoring it).
• Receive status messages from the unit (or, if you don’t want these, enable
Quiet Mode).
2. Introduction

POW-R-BOOT 5
2.3 The Pow-R-Boot 5 Illustrated
2.3.1 T HE F RONT
P ANEL
Both models of the Pow-R-Boot 5 share the same front panel, which is shown
in Figure 2-1 below.
Figure 2-1. The front panel of the Pow-R-Boot 5.
The unit’s front-panel LED indicators have these functions:
•POWER ON: Lights when the Pow-R-Boot 5 is receiving AC power
and is therefore ready to receive commands.
•DATA INPUT: Flashes when the Pow-R-Boot 5 receives commands
through one of its Control Ports.
•BOOT IN PROGRESS 1 through 5: Light when a reboot cycle
is in progress at the Pow-R-Boot 5’s corresponding AC outlet.
8
Pow-R-Boot 5

9
2.3.2 T HE R EAR P ANEL
The two versions of the Pow-R-Boot 5 have slightly different rear panels,
as shown in Figures 2-2 and 2-3 below.
Figure 2-2. The rear panel of the 115-VAC model
of the Pow-R-Boot 5 (SWI020A).
Figure 2-3. The rear panel of the 230-VAC model
of the Pow-R-Boot 5 (SWI020AE).
The rear-panel components have these functions:
•AC Outlets 1 through 5: The devices whose rebooting you want to
control must be plugged into these outlets. On the 115-VAC model
(SWI020A), the outlets are North American standard NEMA 5-15R
sockets; on the 230-VAC model (SWI020AE), they are international
standard IEC 320 female connectors. Each outlet can deliver up to
5 amps (SWI020A) or 2.5 amps (SWI020AE) of current, but the total
current drawn from all five outlets must not exceed 10 amps (SWI020A)
or 5 amps (SWI020AE). See Section 3.4 for more information.
•Control Area: The master device from which you want to want to send
reboot commands should be connected to one of the two Control Ports in
this area: the DB9 female connector labeled “RS232” if the master device
is a PC or modem, or the RJ-11 connector labeled “CPM” if the master
device is one of our Port Manager Switches (product code SW545A
or SW546A). See Section 3.3 for more information.
The Control Area also contains a 4-position DIP switch labeled
“RATE”for setting the data rate and other parameters as described
in Section 3.1.
CHAPTER 2: Introduction

POW-R-BOOT 5
•The Input-Power Components: The 115-VAC model (SWI020A) gets its
AC power through a nondetachable 6-ft. (1.5-m) power cord; the power
cord has a North American standard NEMA 5-15P plug. The 230-VAC
model (SWI020AE) has an international standard IEC 320 male inlet
to which you can connect a power cord appropriate for your geographic
area.
Both models also have a fuse (rated at 10 amps for SWI020A and
5 amps for SWI020AE) and an ON/OFF switch. Refer to Section 3.5
for more information.
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3.1 Setting the RATE Switch
Use the DIP switch labeled “RATE” on the Pow-R-Boot 5’s rear panel
to set the PRB 5’s data rate and other options, as described below.
Data Rate
Set switch positions 1 and 2 to select the data rate you want the PRB 5 to use
for Control-Port communication. (The device attached to the Control Port
must be set to the same data rate.)
Switch Position Data Rate in bps
12
Down Down 9600 (default)
Up Down 2400
Down Up 1200
Down Down 300
Downtime
Set switch position 3 to select the “downtime” involved in the reboot cycle;
that is, how long the PRB 5 will keep AC power off before restoring it when
you send the PRB 5 a reboot (toggle power) command.
When position 3 is set “down” (the default setting), downtime is 2 seconds.
When position 3 is set “up,” downtime is 5 seconds. Select the 5-second
downtime if the attached device needs to be off longer than 2 seconds to
properly reinitialize. If you need a downtime longer than 5 seconds, call
Black Box for technical support—we may be able to give you a special
quote on a unit with such a capability.
Quiet Mode
Set switch position 4 to turn “Quiet Mode” on or off. In Quiet Mode, the
Pow-R-Boot 5 will suppress all the status messages that it would normally send.
When position 4 is set “down” (the default setting), Quiet Mode is off and
the PRB 5 will send status messages as normal. When position 4 is set “up,”
Quiet Mode is on and the unit will not send any status messages.
3. Installation
CHAPTER 3: Installation

POW-R-BOOT 5
3.2 Rackmounting the Unit
You can use the included screws and rackmount brackets to mount the
Pow-R-Boot 5 in any standard 19" rack. If you would rather mount the
PRB 5 in a 24" rack, call Black Box; we may be able to give you a quote
on special brackets.
3.3 Connecting the Master Device
The Control Area of the rear panels of the Pow-R-Boot 5 consists of a DB9
male connector labeled “RS232” and an RJ-11 jack labeled “CPM.” Use
either of these inputs to connect the PRB 5 to the master device. Figures 3-1
and 3-2 on the next page show interface schematics for both connectors and
summarize the cable layout for a typical Pow-R-Boot 5 installation respectively.
3.2.1 C ONNECTING D EVICES TO THE RS232 P ORT
The PRB 5’s RS232 port is a DB9 male connector wired in a DTE
configuration similar to that of an IBM®PS/2® , AT®computer. Use standard
AT modem cable (our product code EVMBMC) to connect this port directly
to a modem.
3.2.2 C ONNECTING D EVICES TO THE CPM P ORT
The PRB 5’s CPM port is an RJ-11 jack, pinned so that you can run a straight-
through-pinned 6-wire twisted-pair cable (our product code EYN725MS)
or flat-satin cable (our product code EL06MS) from the CPM port to the
RJ-11 jack on one of our Port Manager Switches (product codes
SW545A and SW546A).
NOTE
Do not connect devices to both the RS232 Port and the CPM Port at the
same time.
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Figure 3-1. Pinouts of the RS232 and CPM ports.
Figure 3-1. Typical application for the Pow-R-Boot 5.
Pow-R-Boot 5
Port Manager
Switch
CHAPTER 3: Installation

POW-R-BOOT 5
3.4 Connecting the Switched Devices
Now plug the power cords or the power-supply input cords of each of the
devices whose rebooting you want to control into one of the five AC outlets
on the rear panel of the Pow-R-Boot 5. Make sure that the power switches of
these devices are all turned ON. Once you plug in the PRB 5, each time you
turn it ON with its ON/OFF switch it will immediately provide AC power to
all of its outlets (see the next section).
Each of the PRB 5’s AC outlets is capable of switching up to 5 amps
of AC power. The total current load on all five outlets cannot exceed
10 amps for the 115-VAC model (SWI020A) or 5.2 amps for the 230-VAC
model (SWI020AE).
3.5 Powering Up the System
If your Pow-R-Boot 5 is the 230-VAC model (SWI020AE), connect an
appropriate power cord to the IEC 320 male power inlet on its rear panel.
Now plug the PRB 5’s power cord into a working AC outlet and turn ON
the PRB 5’s ON/OFF switch. The PRB 5 and the devices plugged into it
should begin functioning immediately. (Any time the unit is OFF and is
turned ON, it will provide power to all five of its outlets instantly.) The
PRB 5’s POWER ON LED should light.
The unit is now ready for continuous operation.
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CHAPTER 4: Operation
The Pow-R-Boot 5 will transmit “Pow-R-Boot 5 Ready” out of its Control Ports
approximately 8 seconds after it is powered up (turned ON). If the Pow-R-
Boot 5 is connected to a modem, it will also send the “Pow-R-Boot 5 Ready”
message to the modem approximately 8 seconds after each time the modem
detects carrier. This message indicates that the Pow-R-Boot 5 is ready to
receive commands.
The command character-string that you will use to control the PRB 5
consists of eight contiguous (not separated by spaces) ASCII characters. The
first six characters are ASCII control codes that constitute a “fixed password”
that restricts access to the PRB 5 system. The seventh character is the code
for the operation (what you want the Switch to do). The last character in the
command string is an ASCII carriage return (“^M”).
1. Establish a connection to the Pow-R-Boot 5. If you are contacting it
across a modem link, the PRB 5 will (unless Quiet Mode is on) wait
for eight seconds after the attached modem raises Carrier Detect,
then respond with the “Pow-R-Boot 5 Ready” message.
2. Send the ASCII command string for what you want the Pow-R-Switch
system to do. (When you send the string, the PRB 5’s DATA INPUT
LED should light.) The command string must be in this format:
^B^X^X^B^X^Xn^M
Where:
^B^X^X^B^X^X is the Pow-R-Switch’s fixed password.
“^B” is an abbreviation for the [CTRL] [B]
character (the ASCII control code [STX]
that you can generate by pressing the
[CTRL] and [B] keys simultaneously).
“^X” is an abbreviation for the [CTRL] [X]
character (the ASCII control code [CAN]
that you can generate by pressing the
[CTRL] and [X] keys simultaneously).
4. Operation

POW-R-BOOT 5
nis the single-digit operation code:
If you enter 0 (zero) for the nvalue,
the PRB 5 will (unless Quiet Mode is on)
respond with a “PRB OK” message (followed
by a carriage return and line feed) to show
that it is operating properly. (This feature
is useful for diagnostic testing.)
If you enter a number from 1 to 5 for the
nvalue, the PRB will toggle power (turn it
OFF, wait for the selected downtime period,
then turn it back ON) to the corresponding
AC outlet and will light the corresponding
BOOT IN PROGRESS LED. Unless Quiet
Mode is on, at the appropriate moments it
will respond with “Plug nOff” (followed by
a carriage return and line feed) and “Plug n
On” (followed by a carriage return and line
feed).
If you enter 9 for the nvalue, the PRB 5
will toggle power to all of its AC outlets and
light all of its BOOT IN PROGRESS LEDs.
Unless Quiet Mode is on, at the appropriate
moments it will respond with “Plug nOff”
(followed by a carriage return and line feed)
and “Plug nOn” (followed by a carriage
return and line feed).
^M is an abbreviation for the [CTRL] [M]
character (the ASCII carriage return, [CR]),
which you can generate by pressing the
[ENTER] or [RETURN] key.
For example, you would send the command ^B^X^X^B^X^X3^M to tell the
PRB 5 to toggle the power to AC outlet number 3.
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CHAPTER 5: Troubleshooting
5.1 Common Concerns
5.1.1 N O
P OWER O UTPUT
If the Pow-R-Boot 5 does not seem to be providing power to one or more
of your devices, make sure all of them are actually plugged into the PRB 5
and are turned ON. Also make sure that the PRB 5 itself is plugged in. Now
turn the PRB 5 OFF and then ON again using its master power switch.
If this doesn’t help, try unplugging the PRB 5, then unplugging the
switched devices from the PRB 5 and plugging them directly into the AC
outlet that the PRB 5 was plugged into. If any devices still don’t seem to get
any power, try plugging them into an outlet you know is working. If they
get power then, the outlet you were using is probably not working; have it
examined by a certified electrician. If they still don’t seem to get power,
there is probably something wrong with the devices themselves.
If all of the switched devices get power when they are plugged directly into
the wall outlet you had the PRB 5 plugged into, check how much current
each of the switched devices is drawing. If any individual device is drawing
more than 5 amps (for the 115-VAC model, SWI020A) or 2.5 amps (for the
230-VAC model, SWI020AE), or if all of the devices put together are drawing
more than 10 total amps (SWI020A) or 5 total amps (SWI020AE), you might
have blown the PRB 5’s fuse. If this is the case, replace the fuse with a new
one of the same type. After you replace the fuse, or if the old fuse is OK,
try reducing the current draw to the PRB 5’s specified limits, then plug
everything back in the way it was when you started. If any devices still
don’t seem to get power, there is probably something wrong with the
PRB 5; call Black Box Technical Support at 724-746-5500.
5. Troubleshooting

POW-R-BOOT 5
5.1.2 U NIT D OES N OT R ESPOND TO C OMMANDS
If the Pow-R-Boot 5 doesn’t seem to carry out the commands you send it,
and you are judging this by the fact that you get no electronic responses
from the unit, make sure that Quiet Mode is off (RATE switch position
3 set to “down”).
If this is not the problem, make sure that both the master device and the
PRB 5 are actually plugged in and turned ON. Then make sure that the cable
running from the master device to the PRB 5 is pinned straight-through and
is securely attached at both ends. Also make sure that both the master device
and the PRB 5 are set to the same data rate (see Section 3.1), that the master
device is actually sending your commands out of the port that is connected
to the PRB 5, and that the master device is sending ASCII in the format of
7 data bits (even or odd parity) or 8 data bits (no parity).
If these checks turn up nothing, make sure that neither the cable nor the
master device’s serial port are broken (this might require a cable tester and/
or an ohmmeter). If these seem OK, call Black Box for technical support.
5.2 Calling BLACK BOX
If you determine that your Pow-R-Boot 5 is malfunctioning, do not attempt
to alter or repair it. Contact Black Box Technical Support at 724-746-5500.
The problem might be solvable over the phone.
Before you do, make a record of the history of the problem. We will be
able to provide more efficient and accurate assistance if you have a complete
description, including:
• The nature and duration of the problem.
• When the problem occurs.
• The components involved in the problem.
• Any particular application that, when used,
appears to create the problem or make it worse.
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CHAPTER 5: Troubleshooting
5.3 Shipping and Packaging
If you need to transport or ship your Pow-R-Boot 5:
• Package it carefully. We recommend that you use the original container.
• Before you ship a unit for repair or return, contact Black Box to get
a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number, and make sure you
include everything you received with the unit when you ship it.