GE MultiLink ML1600 User manual

MultiLink ML1600/ML2400
Ethernet Communications Switch
Quickstart Guide
Firmware Revision 2.1x
Manual P/N: 1601-9026-A2
Manual Order Code: GEK-113393A
Copyright © 2008 GE Multilin
GE Multilin
215 Anderson Avenue, Markham, Ontario
Canada L6E 1B3
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Internet: http://www.GEmultilin.com
*1601-0220-A2*
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GE Multilin's Quality
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registered to ISO9001:2000
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GE Consumer & Industrial
Multilin

These instructions do not purport to cover all details or variations in equipment nor provide
for every possible contingency to be met in connection with installation, operation, or
maintenance. Should further information be desired or should particular problems arise
which are not covered sufficiently for the purchaser’s purpose, the matter should be referred
to the General Electric Company.
To the extent required the products described herein meet applicable ANSI, IEEE, and NEMA
standards; but no such assurance is given with respect to local codes and ordinances
because they vary greatly.
© 2008 GE Multilin Incorporated. All rights reserved.
GE Multilin Multilink ML1600/2400 Quickstart Guide for revision 2.1.x.
Multilink ML1600/2400 is a registered trademark of GE Multilin Inc.
The contents of this manual are the property of GE Multilin Inc. This documentation is
furnished on license and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission
of GE Multilin. The content of this manual is for informational use only and is subject to
change without notice.
Part numbers contained in this manual are subject to change without notice, and should
therefore be verified by GE Multilin before ordering.
Part number: 1601-9026-A2 (March 2008)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE TOC–I
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO TWISTED PAIR AND FIBER OPTIC ETHERNET LANS ............QS-1
ETHERNET PHYSICAL LAYER: TWISTED PAIR COPPER VS FIBER OPTIC ........................ QS-1
Twisted Pair copper cable ............................................................................. QS-2
Fiber ......................................................................................................................... QS-2
SUPPORTED NETWORK TOPOLOGIES ................................................................................ QS-3
Star Architecture ................................................................................................ QS-3
Mesh Architecture ............................................................................................. QS-3
Ring Architecture ............................................................................................... QS-3
10BASE T AND 100BASET MEDIA ..................................................................................QS-4
Unshielded Twisted Pair cable: ................................................................... QS-4
Ethernet: Unshielded Twisted Pair ............................................................. QS-4
HUBS AND SWITCHES ......................................................................................................QS-7
FIBER OPTIC ETHERNET: ..................................................................................................... QS-7
Wavelengths of light ........................................................................................ QS-7
SINGLE AND MULTI-MODE CABLE ..................................................................................... QS-8
Fiber Cable Cross Section and Physical Specifications ................... QS-8
Single mode fiber - Less attenuation per unit distance .................. QS-9
OPTICAL POWER BUDGET ..............................................................................................QS-10
ASSIGNING AN IP ADDRESS TO THE MULTILIN SWITCH ................................................. QS-11
ASSIGNING ASTATIC IP ADDRESS TO APERSONNEL COMPUTER .................................. QS-18
CONFIGURING THE SWITCH PORTS FOR UR REDUNDANT OPERATION ........................ QS-23
TAGGED VLAN’S .................................................................................................................QS-27
Background: ......................................................................................................... QS-27
CONFIGURING TAGGED VLANS........................................................................................ QS-28
Configuring a VLAN within the switch ..................................................... QS-28
CONFIGURING THE MULTILINK SWITCH FOR RING ONLY MODE .................................. QS-38
ML1600/2400 FIRMWARE UPDATES ............................................................................QS-49
UPDATING MULTILINK FIRMWARE .................................................................................... QS-49
SELECTING THE PROPER VERSION .................................................................................... QS-49
UPGRADING USING ASERIAL CONNECTION- COMMAND LINE INTERFACE ................ QS-49
UPDATING USING THE ENERVISTA WEB INTERFACE SOFTWARE ................................. QS-54
Using FTP ............................................................................................................... QS-55
Using TFTP ............................................................................................................. QS-56

TOC–II MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS

MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE QS–1
Multilink ML1600/2400
Ethernet Communications Switch
Quick Start Guide
GE Consumer & Industrial
Multilin
Quick Start Guide
QS.1 Introduction to Twisted Pair and Fiber Optic Ethernet
LANs
This section will provide a brief review of modern Ethernet media before covering the steps
to correctly configure the Multilink switch for typical protective relaying applications. For
this discussion the range of IP addresses that will be used are within the range of
3.94.247.1 to 3.94.247.254 using a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. This same range of
addresses can be used for testing purposes but you should contact your IT support group
for a valid range of addresses to be used for your particular application.
QS.1.1 Ethernet Physical Layer: Twisted Pair Copper vs Fiber Optic
Today, the two most popular physical layer standards for Ethernet are twisted pair copper
cable and fiber optic cable. Twisted pair copper is easier to terminate, has lower
installation costs but is susceptible to electrical noise and a single run of twisted pair cable
is distance limited.
Fiber optic media typically is able to be applied over much longer distances, is immune to
electrical noise and while being more difficult to terminate the availability of per-
fabricated cables has reduced the complexity of the installation within the substation
dramatically.

QS–2 MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE
QUICK START GUIDE
Twisted Pair copper cable
• Easy to Terminate
• Low installation costs
• Susceptible to noise interference
• Limited by 100m distance
• Either shielded or unshielded (UTP)
Fiber
• Longer distances possible, limited only by attenuation
• Immune to electrical noise
• More difficult termination and splicing
• Slightly higher cost for cable
• Two categories:
• multi-mode
• single-mode

QUICK START GUIDE
MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE QS–3
QS.1.2 Supported Network Topologies
With either media supported topologies include: star, mesh and ring. The port that
connects one switch to another is often called the uplink port and with many switches the
uplink port can operate at much higher baud rates than the standard ports. The link
formed by the connection of of several switches higher speed uplink ports is often referred
to as a backbone.
Star Architecture
• Single Point of failure before loss of communications
• Additional Ethernet switches Required
• Network Recovery in approximately 6 ms per Ethernet switch
Mesh Architecture
• Multiple Points of failure required before loss of communications
• Additional Fiber Cables required
Ring Architecture
• Full Network Redundancy
• Allows for Fastest Network Recovery *
• Most Cost Effective Solution
Ring
Mesh
Star
* RO mode has typical recovery time of ≤5 ms/hop.

QS–4 MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE
QUICK START GUIDE
QS.2 10BASE T and 100BaseT Media
10 Base T and 100 Base T are the two most common twisted pair copper media standards.
There are also several popular fiber optic media standards which we will review later in
this section. With respect to 10 or 100 Base T, the 10 or 100 designation indicates a baud
rate of either 10 or 100 megabits per second. Base stands for baseband while the T stands
for "twisted pair."
Since many twisted pair interfaces can work at either baud rate, the designation 10/100
Base T has evolved to show this capability. The cable can be ether unshielded twisted pair
(UTP) or shielded twisted pair (STP).
We recommend category 5e UTP for applications of up to 100 Mbs
Unshielded Twisted Pair cable:
• Category 1: Used for telephone communications; not suitable for transmitting
data.
• Category 2: Capable of transmitting data at speeds of up to 4 Mbps.
• Category 3: Can be used in 10BASE-T networks; can transmit data at speeds up to
10 Mbps.
• Category 4: Used in Token Ring networks; can transmit data at speeds up to 16
Mbps.
• Category 5: Capable of transmitting data at speeds up to 100 Mbps.
• Category 5e*: Used in networks running at speeds up to 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps).
• Category 6: Consists of four pairs of 24-gauge copper wires, which can transmit
data at speeds of up to 1000 Mbps.
* Recommended
Ethernet: Unshielded Twisted Pair
:
100 metres max.

QUICK START GUIDE
MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE QS–5
FIGURE QS–1: Pin Layout for a RJ45 Ethernet Straight-through Cable
The cable itself consists of four pairs of wires terminated in RJ45 connectors. The
maximum permitted cable length is 100 meters. The cable pin connections can be one of
two configurations. The first is called a "straight-through" cable and the second is called
either a "crossover" or a "patch" cable. Whether the cable is straight-through or crossover
as per standard* each of the wires within the cable has the following color code:
For the first twisted wire pair or wire pair #1: one wire is White with Blue bands while the
other wire is Blue.
For the second twisted wire pair one wire is White with orange bands while the other wire
is orange.
The third twisted wire pair #3 consists of a white wire with green bands and a second wire
that is green.
The final wire pair, wire pair #4 consists of a white wire with brown bands while the other
wire is Brown.
* The Electronic Industry Association (EIA) / Telecommunications Industry Association's (TIA)
Standard 568B

QS–6 MULTILINK ML1600/2400 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – QUICKSTART GUIDE
QUICK START GUIDE
The pin and wire configuration of a patch or crossover cable used to connect or establish a
point-to-point Ethernet LAN between two Ethernet devices is shown here.
FIGURE QS–2: Pin Layout for RJ45 Ethernet Crossover (Patch) Cable
100 metres max length
RJ45 Connectors