Black Box LZ1500A-R3 User manual

1000 Park Drive • Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 • 724-746-5500 • Fax [phone]
© Copyright 2000. Black Box Corporation. All rights reserved.

CUSTOMER
SUPPORT
INFORMATION
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FREE technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax [phone]
Mail order: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Drive, Lawrence, PA 15055-1018
Web site: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: [email protected]
MAY 2000
LZ1500A-R3
LZ1502A-R3
LZ1503A-R4
LZ1504A-R3
Long-Distance Repeaters
UTP/BNC
UTP/(2)BNC
UTP/BNC/RJ-45
UTP/(4)BNC/AUI
LD Repeater
L
D

1
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
AND
CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
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 the Canadian Department of
Communications.
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de la classe A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le
brouillage radioélectrique publié par le ministère des Communications du Canada.
TRADEMARKS
Velcro®is a registered trademark of Velcro USA, Inc.

2
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
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.

3
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
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.

4
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
CONTENTS
1. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.1 Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2 What’s in the Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 Networking Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.4 Customer Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3. Quick-Start Installation Guide for UTP Repeaters and Hubs . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.1 Equipment Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.2 UTP Repeaters Quick Start Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4. Installing Long Distance Repeaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1 The Tools and Parts You Need. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.2 About the Wiring Closet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.3 UTP Phone Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.4 Patch Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.5 About Cable Connections and Lengths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.6 Installation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.6.1 Equipment Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.6.2 Prepare the Site Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.6.3 Measure Phone Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.6.4 Install UTP Repeaters and Attach Patch Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.6.5 Install 10BASE2 Thin Coax and AUI Segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5. Monitoring and Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.1 Monitoring the UTP Repeater LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.2 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
5.3 Hints and Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6. Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
1. Specifications
Protocol—Protocol-independent (Ethernet V2, IEEE 802.3)
Indicators—LZ1500A-R2: (2) LEDs: (1) BNC (Thin Ethernet), (1) RJ
(UTP port) to indicate status; LZ1502A-R2: (4) LEDs: (2) BNC (Thin
Ethernet), (2) RJ (UTP port) to indicate status; LZ1503A-R4: (3)
LEDs: (1) BNC (Thin Ethernet), (1) RJ (UTP port), (1) 10BASE-T
port to indicate status; LZ1504A-R2: (9) LEDs: (4) BNC (Thin
Ethernet), (4) RJ (UTP port), (1) AUI to indicate status
Connectors—LZ1500A-R2: (1) BNC female, (1) RJ-12 female, (1) 5-pin
DIN female for Power; LZ1502A-R2: (2) BNC female, (2) RJ-12 female,
(1) 5-pin DIN female for Power; LZ1503-R4: (1) BNC female, (1) RJ-
12 female, (1) RJ-45, (1) 5-pin DIN female for Power; LZ1504A-R2: (4)
BNC female, (4) RJ-12 female, (1) AUI, (1) 5-pin DIN female for
Power
Power—100-250 VAC, autosensing wallmount power supply, 47-63 Hz,
9 V at 1 Amp
Size—LZ1500A-R2, LZ1502A-R2: 1.5"H x 6.2"W x 9.5"D (3.8 x 15.7 x
24.1 cm); LZ1503A-R4, LZ1504A-R2: 1.7"H x 9"W x 12.3"D (4.3 x 22.8
x 31.2 cm)

6
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
2. Introduction
2.1 Overview
The UTP and Thin Ethernet Repeaters are high-performance Ethernet
repeaters that operate over the spare pair of telephone wires already in the
walls or buried in the ground. They work with any IEEE 802.3 compatible
Ethernet system.
2.2 What’s in the Box
All the Repeaters come in kits. The contents of each kit are listed
below.
LZ1500A-R3:
• (1) LZ1500A-R2 Repeater
• (1) SP528A surge protector
• A mounting kit with Velcro®strips for wall mounting and rubber feet
for table mounting.
• 100-250 VAC, autosensing wallmount power supply, 47-63 Hz, 9 V at
1 Amp
• This user’s manual
LZ1502A-R3:
• (1) LZ1502A-R2 Repeater
• (2) SP528A surge protectors
• A mounting kit with Velcro®strips for wall mounting and rubber feet
for table mounting.
• 100-250 VAC, autosensing wallmount power supply, 47-63 Hz, 9 V at
1 Amp
• This user’s manual
LZ1503A-R4:
• (1) LZ1503A-R4 Repeater.
• (1) SP528A surge protector

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UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
• A mounting kit with Velcro®strips for wall mounting and rubber feet
for table mounting.
• 100-250 VAC, autosensing wallmount power supply, 47-63 Hz, 9 V at
1 Amp
• This user’s manual
LZ1504A-R3:
• (1) LZ1504A-R2 Repeater.
• (4) SP528A surge protectors
• (1) LE2110A transceiver
• A mounting kit with brackets and screws for wall mounting, and rubber
feet for table mounting.
• 100-250 VAC, autosensing wallmount power supply, 47-63 Hz, 9 V at
1 Amp
• This user’s manual
If you do not find all of these components in the box, please call
Black Box at 724-746-5500.
2.3 Networking Terminology
The world of computer networking is full of unique terminology. You will
come across some of that terminology in this manual. If you are new to
networking and do not understand a term used here, please refer to the
glossary in Chapter 7.
2.4 Customer Support
If you have problems when you read this manual or install a Repeater,
contact Technical Support.

8
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
3. Quick Start Installation Guide for
UTP Repeaters and Hubs
If you are an experienced network installer and would like to install your
long distance connection immediately, follow these steps. For more
detailed installation instructions, turn to Chapter 5.
3.1 Equipment Protection
You must be extremely careful to ensure the safety of persons and
equipment whenever using wires that run between buildings. Both
underground cable runs that are near the surface and overhead runs are at
risk of damage from lightning strikes and must be suitably protected.
This protection must be in place or there will be risk of serious injury or
death. The service entrance at each end of the wires should be protected
in strict accordance with local safety codes.
In addition, to further reduce the risk of injury or damage to equipment
due to lightning strikes or accidental connection to hazardous AC line
voltages, secondary circuit protection should be installed at the service
entrance.
Outdoor cabling installed by the phone company is typically installed
with gas discharge protection devices, carbon blocks or no protection
devices at all. If cabling has protection, DO NOT BYPASS these devices—
they will help protect both your equipment and all those who work with it.
If the cable run you will be using is not protected, DO NOT continue with
the installation. STOP. Install suitable protection devices before
proceeding and be sure that the manufacturer’s instructions are followed
fully (including connecting the ground strap)!
This protection is commercially available from a number of
telecommunications distributors and from networking catalog companies.
Before purchasing, make sure that the protective devices are specifically for
use with high-speed data-transmission lines, as some are only for use with
telephone systems and will degrade the quality of the Ethernet signals.
Note that many carbon-block-type protection devices add a significant
load to the line and will not work with our devices. These must be
removed and replaced with suitable protection devices.
Units designed for use with punchdown blocks (“66” blocks) are
available from telecommunications wholesalers as well as through your
telecom installer. A device with RJ-11 or RJ-45 connections, part number
ST512A, is available from your dealer.

9
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
If you have any questions about which protection devices to use, call
Black Box Technical Support at 724-746-5500.
3.2 UTP Repeaters Quick Start Installation
1. Install the repeaters in the wiring closet, near the central punch down
block or patch panel.
2. Repeaters can be placed on a shelf (attach adhesive feet), or wall-
mounted with Velcro strips (LZ1500A-R2, LZ1502A-R2, LZ1503A-R4)
or mounting brackets (LZ1504A).
3. Inspect existing telephone wire to locate the two end points of an
unused pair.
4. Measure the lengths of the phone wire that will connect the repeater
ports to be certain that the distance is less than 1500 ft (457.2 m). To
do so, short-circuit one end of the phone-wire pair and measure the
resistance between the two wires at the other end. Multiply the
resistance by 20 to find the length of the wire in feet. For example, a
reading of 54.6 ohms indicates roughly 1,100 feet of cable (54.6 x 20 =
1092). For a maximum of 1,500 ft., the resistance must measure 75
ohms or less. This formula works for standard 24 gauge phone wire.
5. Check that the wires are properly protected against hazardous voltages
(see Section 6.1).
6. Make patch cables with RJ-11 plugs. Wire the RJ-11 plugs using the two
center pins, 3 and 4. Connect them straight through, pin 3 to 3, pin 4
to 4 (do not reverse polarity).
7. Plug in the power supply and attach it to the repeater. The LEDs on
the repeater will alternate between red and green.
8. Attach patch cables to the repeater ports and phone block. When
repeaters have been interconnected, the LEDs will remain constant;
one Repeater will show a steady red LED, the other will show a steady
green LED.
9. Now connect your existing LAN to the repeater using the appropriate
ports, BNC or AUI.
NOTE
For safety, IEEE 802.3 10BASE2 Ethernet specifications call for each
segment to be connected at one point to an earth ground such as a cold
water pipe. To simplify your system’s installation, we have internally
connected the ports’ grounds in our repeaters together and recommend
that the earth ground connection be made from only one of the ports on
the repeater. Grounding one segment in this manner will properly
ground all the 10BASE2 segments connected to the repeater.

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UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
• Connect 10BASE2 segment(s) directly to the Repeater as if each port is
a 50 ohm terminator. (Do not connect in the middle of a segment or
use a BNC “T” connector.)
• When a segment is properly attached and the far end of the segment is
properly terminated, the LEDs will cease alternating.
• Be sure to connect the shield of one (only one) of the segments to an
earth ground.
Each 10BASE2 port of the Repeaters acts like one terminator on the
10BASE2 segment to which it is connected. Therefore, each segment must
have one (and only one) additional terminator at the far end of the run. If
the terminator is not attached, or there are two or more terminators in
addition to the termination provided by the repeater, that segment of the
network will not operate properly.
Fig. 3-1. 10BASE2 Thin Ethernet Segment Must End at the
Repeater.
Some Network Interface Cards (NICs), hubs, and adapters have
terminators built in that may be enabled or disabled via jumpers. Make
sure that only the NIC at the end of the segment farthest from the
Repeater has its termination enabled and that all the rest are disabled. (If
an external terminator is used, then all the NICs should have their
termination disabled.)
10 Base 2 Thin Ethernet
segment must end at the
repeater. DO NOT use a
T-Connector.

11
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
Fig. 3-2. NIC Termination Enabled.
10. There can be no more than two connections in line in the network
without reclocking. This means that any point in the network must be
able to be connected to any other point in the network through a
maximum of two links (3 hubs). In most, but not all, cases
(depending on the configuration of the rest of the network) it is
permissible to have three connections in a line. If your network layout
requires more than two connections, call for technical support.
Up to 1,500 feet
single UTP
Repeater
Terminator
Terminator
Repeater
RG58 A/U Coax
RG58 A/U Coax

12
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
4. Installing Long Distance Repeaters
This chapter explains how to install Long Distance Repeaters. The
installation consists of 5 major steps:
1. Creating a site plan and marking the location of network connections
and wiring closets.
2. Measuring the lengths of phone wire and preparing the
interconnections.
3. Installing the Repeaters and connecting them with patch cables to the
phone punch down block or patch panel.
4. Interconnecting with 10BASE2 coax, 10BASE-T, or AUI Ethernet
segments, as applicable.
5. Starting the system.
4.1 The Tools and Parts You Need
Installing Repeaters is fast and simple, but does require tools and parts you
may not normally have around the office. Before you begin installation, be
sure you have these tools and parts on hand:
• A site plan for your office showing the locations of the wiring closets in
all locations (a rough sketch will do)
• A punchdown tool (sometimes called an impact tool)
Fig. 4-1. Punchdown Tool.

13
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
Fig. 4-2. RJ-11 Crimping Tool.
• An RJ-11 crimping tool
• A Phillips head screwdriver
• An ohmmeter
You can obtain tools and parts from your dealer.
4.2 About the Wiring Closet
A Repeater is typically installed in a wiring closet to make it possible to
connect the phone wires carrying network signals to the repeater with
short patch cables. While the wiring closet may seem like an intimidating
and confusing place, installing and wiring a Repeater there will be
surprisingly easy.
4.3 UTP Phone Wire
Repeaters are intended for use with 100-ohm unshielded twisted-pair
telephone wire (UTP) already installed in and between buildings.
Buildings, individual floors and wings of a building are often
interconnected with 25-, 50-, or 100-pair Level 2 UTP cables. One pair in
these is usually available for long-distance LAN connections.

14
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
4.4 Patch Cables
A patch cable connects each phone-wire pair to a Repeater port. Each
patch cable extends from the port to the phone punchdown block
containing the phone-wire connection. You must make your own patch
cables for an installation, or obtain them from your dealer. They are not
included with your Repeaters.
Cables, plugs, and the tools to make patch cables can be purchased from
your dealer. When making patch cables to connect punchdown blocks to
repeaters, use only the two center pins 3 and 4 by joining one wire to pin 3
on both plugs and the other to pin 4 on both plugs with a crimping tool. If
you are making patch cords for connecting the repeaters directly to the
punchdown blocks, make sure the wire used is compatible with the
punchdown block. Most blocks do not work properly with stranded wires.
These cables will typically have a connector on only one end, with the
other end connected directly to the punchdown block.
NOTE
Because standard telephone patch cords contain a crossover in their
wiring, they will not function in a network. Neither will flat “Silver Satin”
telephone patch cords since they are not made of twisted-pair wires.
Fig. 4-3. Straight-Through Cabling.
4.5 About Cable Connections and Lengths
Long Distance Repeaters are capable of operating over cable spans up to
1500 feet (457.2 m) in length. You can have up to three Repeaters (2
links) connected in a row. Refer to Fig. 4-4.
3
43 4
Straight through Cabling
1234567
8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

15
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
Fig. 4-4. Connecting Multiple Links.
Building One
Repeater
Repeater
Repeater
Repeater
Repeater
Retiming Repeater
Building Two
Building Three
Building Four
Building Five
Repeater to building 2
(ThinNet Ports)

16
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
4.6 Installation Steps
Before attempting to install your Repeaters, you must have the tools and
parts on hand to complete the operation. Please read Section 5.1.
4.6.1 E QUIPMENT P ROTECTION
NOTE
You must be extremely careful to ensure the safety of persons and
equipment whenever using wires that run between buildings. Both
underground cable runs that are near the surface and overhead runs are
at risk of damage from lightning strikes and must be suitably protected.
This protection must be in place or there will be risk of serious injury or
death.
The service entrance at each end of the wires should be protected in
strict accordance with local safety codes. In addition, to further reduce the
risk of injury or damage to equipment due to lightning strikes or
accidental connection to hazardous AC line voltages, secondary circuit
protection should be installed at the service entrance.
Outdoor cabling installed by the phone company is typically installed
with gas-discharge protection devices, carbon blocks, or no protection
devices at all. If cabling has protection, DO NOT BYPASS these devices—
they will help protect both your equipment and all those who work with it.
If the cable run you will be using is not protected, DO NOT continue with
the installation, STOP. Install suitable protection devices before
proceeding and be sure that the manufacturer’s instructions are followed
fully (including connecting the ground strap)!
This protection is commercially available from a number of
telecommunications distributors and from networking catalog companies.
Before purchasing, make sure that the protective devices are specifically for
use with high-speed data-transmission lines, since some are only for use
with telephone systems and will degrade the quality of the Ethernet signals.
Note that many carbon-block-type protection devices add a significant
load to the line and will not work with our devices. These must be
removed and replaced with suitable protection devices. Units designed for
use with punchdown blocks (“66” blocks) are available from
telecommunications wholesalers as well as through your telecom installer.
Devices with RJ-11 or RJ-45 connections, such as part number ST512A, are
available from your dealer.
If you have any questions regarding which protection devices to use, call
Technical Support.

17
UTP AND THIN ETHERNET REPEATERS
4.6.2 P REPARE THE S ITE P LAN
1. Find or create a site plan. It must show the location of one or more
phone closets where the Repeaters will be installed.
2. On the plan, mark the location of devices (hubs, concentrators, etc.)
to be interconnected.
Fig. 4-5. Prepare the Site Plan.
3. Locate and identify each pair of wire that you will use for the long
distance interconnection. The wire pairs must run only between the
two points to be connected. The link will not connect if there is a
bridge tap anywhere on the link.
Workstations
Location Two
Workstations
Punch Down
Block
Workstations
Location OneLocation One
Location Three
Punch Down
Block
Punch Down
Block
Terminal
Server
1,000 ft.
Existing Level
2 UTP
Punch Down
Block
Workstations