Cabletron Systems MRX User manual

The Complete Networking Solution
MRX/MRX-2 AND
MRXI/MRXI-2
10BASE-T HUB
INSTALLATION GUIDE
CABLETRON SYSTEMS, P.O. Box 5005, Rochester, NH 03867-5005
INC.

NOTICE
i
NOTICE
Cabletron Systems reserves the right to make changes in
specifications and other information contained in this document
without prior notice. The reader should in all cases consult Cabletron
Systems to determine whether any such changes have been made.
The hardware, firmware, or software described in this manual is
subject to change without notice.
IN NO EVENT SHALL CABLETRON SYSTEMS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
LOST PROFITS) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS
MANUAL OR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, EVEN IF
CABLETRON SYSTEMS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF, KNOWN, OR
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
© Copyright March 1991 by:
Cabletron Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 5005, Rochester, NH 03867-5005
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Order number: 9030313 March 91
MRX, MRX-2, MRXI, MRXI-2, LANVIEW, SPIM-T, SPIM-T1,
TMS-3, FOT-F, TPT-T, SPIM-F1, SPIM-F2, SPIM-C, SPIM-A,
Remote LANVIEW/Windows, SPECTRUM, and LAN-MD are
trademarks of Cabletron Systems, Inc.

FCC NOTICE
ii
FCC NOTICE
This device complies with Part 15 of FCC rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
WARNING: This equipment uses and generates and can radiate
radio frequency energy and if not installed properly and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause interference to
radio communications. It has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of FCC
Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against
such interference 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 steps may be necessary to correct the interference.
If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
• Re-orient the receiving antenna.
• Relocate the antenna with respect to the MRX/MRXI.
• Move the MRX/MRXI away from the antenna.
• Plug the MRX/MRXI into a different outlet so that the
MRX/MRXI and the receiver are on different branch circuits.
If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced
radio/ television technician for additional suggestions. The user may
find the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communication
Commission helpful:
“How to Identify and Resolve Radio TV Interference Problems”
This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington D.C. 20402 - Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.
ii

CONTENTS
iii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Using This Manual ..................................................................... 1-2
1.2 The 10BASE-T HUB................................................................... 1-2
1.3 Related Manuals ......................................................................... 1-4
1.4 Getting Help................................................................................ 1-4
CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS/
SPECIFICATIONS
2.1 Network Requirements............................................................... 2-1
2.2 Selecting A Location For The HUB............................................ 2-1
2.3 Network Guidelines .................................................................... 2-2
2.3.1 10BASE-T Twisted Pair Network Requirements ...........2-2
2.3.2 Fiber Optic Network Requirements ................................ 2-4
2.3.3 Thin-Net Network Requirements .................................... 2-4
2.3.4 Transceiver/AUI Requirements ....................................... 2-5
2.4 Operating Specifications............................................................. 2-6
CHAPTER 3 INSTALLATION
3.1 Unpacking The HUB .................................................................. 3-1
3.2 Attaching The Strain Relief Bracket ......................................... 3-2
3.3 Installing The HUB .................................................................... 3-2
3.3.1 Rack Mounting The HUB ................................................ 3-2
3.3.2 Wall Mounting The HUB ................................................. 3-4
3.3.3 Free-Standing Installation .............................................. 3-7
3.4 Connecting The HUB To The Power Source.............................. 3-7
3.5 Connecting The HUB To The Ethernet Network......................3-8
3.5.1 Connecting The Network Port Cabling (MRX/MRXI).....3-8
3.5.2 Connecting The Network Port Cabling
(MRX-2/MRXI-2)............................................................... 3-8
3.5.3 Connecting A Twisted Pair Segment To A SPIM-T ........3-9
3.5.4 Connecting A Shielded Twisted Pair Segment
To A SPIM-T1 ................................................................. 3-10

CONTENTS
iv
CONTENTS (cont.)
CHAPTER 3 (cont.)
3.5.5 Connecting A Fiber Optic Link Segment To A
SPIM-F1Or SPIM-F2 ..................................................... 3-11
3.5.6 Connecting A Thin-Net Segment To A SPIM-C............3-14
3.5.7 Connecting An AUI Cable To A SPIM-A.......................3-15
3.6 Finishing The Installation........................................................ 3-16
CHAPTER 4 TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING
4.1 Installation Check-Out ............................................................... 4-1
4.2 Testing Segments Attached To The HUB.................................. 4-2
4.3 Using LANVIEW ........................................................................ 4-5
CHAPTER 5 ADDING/REPLACING SPIMs
5.1 Opening The HUB ...................................................................... 5-1
5.2 Removing A SPIM....................................................................... 5-2
5.3 Installing A SPIM ....................................................................... 5-2
APPENDIX TWISTED PAIR WIRING GUIDE
A.1 Attaching Twisted Pair Segments To The HUB ...................... A-1

INTRODUCTION
Page 1-1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Cabletron Systems MRX/MRX-2 and MRXI/MRXI-2
10BASE-T HUB Installation Guide. This manual covers
installation instructions and provides reference information for the
following Cabletron Systems 10BASE-T Hubs:
• MRX
- 12-10BASE-T (using 50-pin Champ connector)
- 2 Single Port Interface Module (SPIM) slots
- No Management
• MRX-2
- 12-10BASE-T (using RJ-45 connectors)
- 2 Single Port Interface Module (SPIM) slots
- No Management
• MRXI
- 12-10BASE-T (using 50-pin Champ connector)
- 2 Single Port Interface Module (SPIM) slots
- SNMP Compliant Management
• MRXI-2
- 12-10BASE-T (using RJ-45 connectors)
- 2 Single Port Interface Module (SPIM) slots
- SNMP Compliant Management
NOTE: The term HUB is used throughout this manual when
describing features and functions that are common to all of the devices
listed above. The terms MRX, MRX-2, MRXI and MRXI-2 are only
used when it is necessary to describe features that are unique to a
specific device.
All four HUBs can serve as a repeater to allow expansion of existing
802.3 networks using a variety of media. All four HUBs are
10BASE-T and 802.3 compliant.

INTRODUCTION
Page 1-2
The MRX is functionally identical to the MRX-2 and the MRXI is
functionally identical to the MRXI-2. The MRX and MRXI provide a
50-pin Champ connector for ports 1 through 12, and the MRX-2 and
MRXI-2 provide twelve RJ-45 connectors.
The MRX/MRX-2 and MRXI/MRXI-2 are functionally the same,
except that the MRXI/MRXI-2 provides the capability of in-band and
out-of-band network management. The MRX/MRX-2 is not
accessible, either in-band or out-of-band, by network management.
1.1 USING THIS MANUAL
Prior to installing and operating the HUB, read through this manual
completely to familiarize yourself with its content and to gain an
understanding of the features of the HUB. A general working
knowledge of Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 type data communications
networks and their physical layer components will be helpful when
installing the HUB.
Chapter 1, Introduction, covers using this document, briefly
describes features of the HUB and concludes with a list of related
manuals.
Chapter 2, Requirements/Specifications, contains requirements
for locating and installing the HUB and operating specifications for
the MRX and MRXI.
Chapter 3, Installation, contains step-by-step installation
instructions that include mounting and cabling for your HUB.
Chapter 4, Testing and Troubleshooting,contains procedures for
checking for the proper installation of the HUB and a description of
the LANVIEW ™ LEDs and their function.
Chapter 5, Adding/Replacing SPIMs, describes removing and
installing optional SPIM boards in the HUB.
Appendix, Twisted Pair Wiring Guide,serves as an aid to wiring
punch-down blocks and twisted pair segments between your HUB
and 10Base-T Ethernet devices.

INTRODUCTION
Page 1-3
1.2 THE 10BASE-T HUB
The Cabletron Systems HUB provides twelve 10BASE-T compliant
ports (via 50 pin Champ connector) and two slots that support
Cabletron Systems’ Single Port Interface Modules (SPIM). A variety
of SPIMs are available permitting the expansion of an Ethernet/802.3
network via:
• Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable from the 10BASE-T Twisted Pair
Interface Modules (SPIM-T).
• Shielded Twisted Pair Cable from the 10BASE-T Twisted Pair
Interface Modules (SPIM-T1).
• Fiber Optic Cable, with SMA or ST connectors, from the Fiber
Optic Interface Modules (SPIM-F1 or SPIM-F2).
• Thin-Net Cable from the Coaxial Interface Module (SPIM-C).
• AUI Cable, to an external transceiver, from the AUI Interface
Module (SPIM-A).
Figure 1-1. MRX, MRX-2, MRXI and MRXI-2 10BASE-T HUBs

INTRODUCTION
Page 1-4
The HUB fully conforms to the IEEE 802.3 Repeater, AUI and
10BASE-T specifications, and provides the flexibility to connect
networks using IEEE 802.3, Ethernet Version 1 or Version 2
equipment. As an IEEE 802.3 compliant repeater, the HUB
transmits re-timed data packets, regenerates the preamble, extends
fragments, arbitrates collisions and automatically partitions problem
segments, and reconnects non-problem segments. This feature
minimizes the impact on network operation resulting from a problem
on one segment by isolating the problem segment so that only the
devices on that segment are affected. When the problem is solved, the
problem segment is automatically reconnected to the network.
Since the HUB utilizes polarity detection and correction, the twisted
pair connections are not sensitive to signal polarity. The network will
still function properly with the (+) and (–) lines within a pair
reversed. The LINK LED for the port with reversed polarity will
flash to indicate this condition. Operating in this condition is not
recommended and if this condition is discovered, the segment should
be removed from the network and wired correctly by a technician.
This reduces the potential for problems in the future if equipment
changes are made. Connector pinouts are provided in Chapter 2,
Installation Requirements/Specifications.
All four HUBs incorporate Cabletron Systems’ LANVIEW™ status
monitoring and diagnostic system. LANVIEW is a convenient
troubleshooting tool that allows you to monitor power, and data
activity and help you diagnose power failures, collisions, cable faults,
and link problems.
The MRXI provides an RS-232 Console port (not available in the
MRX) that supports a Digital Equipment Corporation™, VT220™ or
PC emulation of the VT220™ terminal. The terminal serves as a
local management console, providing out-of-band access to MRXI/
LM™, Local Management for the Cabletron Systems MRXI/MRXI-2.
MRXI/LM is an effective menu driven tool that presents screens that
integrate network status and network control. Several menus permit
the network manager to manage and monitor the flow of traffic and
access a summary of errors to pinpoint potential problem areas in a
network. This capability gives the network manager the ability to
interpret status and establish parameters to obtain optimal
performance for the network and, if necessary, permit diagnosis of
network problems. For additional information, refer to the
MRXI/LM, Local Management for the Cabletron Systems
MRXI/MRXI-2,User’s Manual.

INTRODUCTION
Page 1-5
The MRXI/MRXI-2 can also be controlled and managed in-band using
Cabletron Systems’ LANVIEW/Windows, SPECTRUM, and SNMP
network control management software.
1.3 RELATED MANUALS
The manuals listed below should be used to supplement the
procedures and other technical data provided in this manual. The
procedures contained in these manuals will be referenced where
appropriate, rather than repeated.
MRXI/LM, Local Management for the Cabletron Systems
MRXI/MRXI-2,User’s Manual.
Cabletron Systems’ LAN-MD Portable Ethernet Tester User’s
Manual.
1.4 GETTING HELP
If additional support is needed related to the Cabletron Systems
HUB, or if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions relating
to this manual contact Cabletron Systems Technical Support at:
Cabletron Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 5005
Rochester, NH 03867-5005
Phone: [phone]