Black Box MX550A User manual

1
Multiplex two, four, or
eight async RS-232
data streams onto one
sync line.
Quick, intuitive on-
screen configuration
on a PC or terminal
attached to Port 1.
New configurations
are automatically
cross-loaded from the
local mux to the
remote mux.
Channel data rates
from 300 to 19,200 bps;
composite data rates
from 9.6 to 64 kbps.
Set Composite output
to RS-232 or V.35 via a
switch.
Y
ou know that the phone bill will
be ugly (if it isn’t already) if you
don’t consolidate your multiple
data lines into one. You could use
a multiplexor to cut down on
costs—but you know what that
will mean. Charts. DIP switches.
Opening up the case and fiddling
with jumpers every time you move
equipment…
Not with our MultiMuxes it
won’t. You can multiplex two, four,
or eight async lines onto one sync
line with very little fuss and
absolutely no hassle.
To get the mux ready, just plug
a PC or terminal into channel port
1, disconnect the composite link,
enter a hotkey sequence and a
password, and the MultiMux
displays a configuration menu
right on your screen. You can step
through all the available options in
moments, using only the spacebar
and the [Enter] key.
Sharing a line has never been easier:
On-screen configuration, automatically sent
from mux to mux, makes setting up
these units as smooth as silk.
KeyFeatures
MULTIMUXES
Even better, as soon as as you
reconnect the active line to the
composite port of a MultiMux
you’ve just configured, it will
automatically send the new
configuration to the remote mux.
The MultiMuxes’ channel
ports are asynchronous RS-232
serial interfaces. They are ten-pin
RJ-50 female jacks, but short
adapter cables are included for
each port that patch to DB25
female connectors.
Their default data rate and
format are 9600 bps, 8 data bits,
no parity, and 1 stop bit, but you
can set them to any of twelve
speeds up to 19,200 bps, and you
can choose any of a number of
different data formats (see
Specifications on the next page).
You can set the channel ports to
use eight wires or only three; if
you choose the eight-wire option,
you can also choose between
software and hardware flow
control. (But, again, a few fast
presses of [Space] and [Enter] is
all it takes to get going.)
The composite port is a
synchronous serial port in the
form of a DB25 female connector.
Slide a switch on the back of the
MultiMux to make the port either
an RS-232 interface (for connec-
tion to an RS-232 synchronous
modem and an analog line) or a
V.35 interface (for connection to a
CSU/DSU and a digital line). (To
attach regular V.35 cables to this
port, you will have to purchase
our V.35 Adapter, product code
FA058.)
Data rates on the composite
side range from 9.6 to 64 kbps; the
MultiMuxes will automatically
negotiate the highest speed they
can get.
Black Box Corporation • 1000 Park Drive • Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 • Tech Support: 724-746-5500 • www.blackbox.com • e-mail: [email protected]
© 2005. All rights reserved.
Black Box Corporation.
11/2/2005 #17075

2
Leads/Signals Supported —
Channel:
With three-wire interface selected:
RJ-50 Pins 5, 6, and 7 (SGND, RD,
and TD) respectively;
With eight-wire interface selected:
RJ-50 Pins 2 through 9 (DSR, CD,
DTR, SGND, RD, TD, CTS, and
RTS) respectively;
Composite:
Set to RS-232:
DB25 Pins 1 through 7, 15, 17, and 20
(SHD, TD, RD, RTS, CTS, DSR,
SGND, TC, RC, and DTR
respectively);
Set to V.35:
DB25 Pins 1 through 7, 9, 12, 14
through 17, and 20 (FGND, SD A,
RD A, RTS, CTS, DSR, SGND, RC
B, TC B, SD B, TC A, RD B, RC A,
and DTR respectively)
Compliance — CE, FCC Part 15
Subpart B Class A, IC Class/
classe A, UL, CSA
Protocol —
Channel: Asynchronous;
Composite: Synchronous
Multiplexing Method — Statistical
Data Format —
Channel: 5, 6, 7, or 8 data bits; 1, 1.5,
or 2 stop bits; even, odd, or no
parity (user-selectable)
Flow Control —
RTS/CTS (hardware) or
X-ON/X-OFF (software), user-
selectable
Operation —
Composite: Full duplex
Data Rate —
Channel: 19,200, 9600, 4800, 2400,
1200, 600, or 300 bps, user-
selectable;
Composite: 9.6 to 64 kbps,
autosensing/autoadjusting
User Controls —
(1) Rear-mounted RS-232/
V.35 slide switch;
On-screen menus at the PC or
terminal attached to Port 1 (when
unit is offline only)
Interface —
Channel: EIA/TIA RS-232;
Composite: Either EIA/TIA RS-232 or
ITU-T V.35 (user-selectable)
Connectors —
All rear-mounted:
Channel: RJ-50 female (RJ-50 male
to RS-232 adapters included):
MX550A: (2);
MX551A: (4);
MX552A: (8);
Composite: (1) DB25 female
Indicators —
(6) Front-mounted LEDs: In Sync,
Carrier Detect, Request to Send,
Clear to Send, Send Data, and
Receive Data
Power —
From external power supply:
Input:
“A” version: 117 VAC, 47 to 63 Hz;
“AE” version: 230 VAC, 50 or 60 Hz;
Output: 12 VAC at up to 2 amps (1.2
amps nominal);
Consumption: 15 watts nominal, 24
watts max.
Maximum Altitude —
Operating: 10,000 ft. (3048 m);
Nonoperating: 40,000 ft. (12,192 m)
Temperature Tolerance —
Operating: 32 to 104˚ F
(0 to 40˚ C);
Storage: 32 to 158˚ F
(0 to 70˚ C)
Humidity Tolerance —
Up to 95% noncondensing
Size — 1.8"H x 8.6"W x 8.4"D
(4.6 x 21.8 x 21.3 cm)
Weight — 2.6 lb. (6.6 kg)
Specifications
You can con-
figure a pair of
MultiMuxes even
for applications this
complicated in
less than five
minutes.
PCs
connected to
host
Modem
(host)
Modem
(LAN)
To
remote
LAN
To local
LAN Local router
connected to
remote LAN
Remote
router
CSU/
DSU
DDS
8-Port
MultiMuxes
(MX552A)
CSU/
DSU
Remote
host
Terminals
connected to host
Server
connected to
remote LAN
• The MultiMux itself.
• Its power supply.
• A users’ manual.
• (1) RJ-50 male to DB25 female pigtail adapter cable for each of the
MultiMux’s channel ports.
What’sIncluded
Ordering Information
ITEM CODE
MultiMuxes:
115-VAC
2-Port.....................................................................MX550A
4-Port.....................................................................MX551A
8-Port.....................................................................MX552A
230-VAC
4-Port ..................................................................MX551AE
8-Port ..................................................................MX552AE
You might also need…
V.35 Adapter, DB25 male to M/34 female..................FA058
CSU/DSU MS ........................................................MT132A-R2
V.35 Data-Line Surge Protector.........................SP143A-R2
RS-232 (DB25, All Wires) Data-Line
Surge Protector .......................................................SP360A