Linksys EZXS55W - EtherFast 10/100 Workgroup Switch User manual

Instant EtherFast
®
Series
EtherFast®10/100
Autosensing
Workgroup
Switch
Use This User Guide To Install These Linksys Products
• EtherFast®10/100 5-Port Workgroup Switch (EZXS55W)
• EtherFast®10/100 8-Port Workgroup Switch (EZXS88W)
User Guide

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS
Copyright © 2000 Linksys, All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows
logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and
brand names are the property of their respective proprietors.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Linksys guarantees that every EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing 5-Port and 8-Port
Workgroup Switch is free from physical defects in material and workmanship under
normal use for five (5) years from the date of purchase. If the product proves defective
during this five year warranty period, call Linksys Customer Support in order to obtain a
Return Authorization number. Warranty is for repair or replacement only. Linksys does
not issue any refunds. BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND BAR
CODE ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED
WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE AND BAR CODE. When returning a product, mark
the Return Authorization number clearly on the outside of the package and include
your original proof of purchase and bar code.
IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’ LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PROD-
UCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAM-
AGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFT-
WARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. Linksys makes no warranty or representation,
expressed, implied, or statutory, with respect to its products or the contents or use of
this documentation and all accompanying software, and specifically disclaims its quali-
ty, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Linksys reserves
the right to revise or update its products, software, or documentation without obligation
to notify any individual or entity. Please direct all inquiries to:
Linksys P.O. Box 18558, Irvine, CA 92623.
FCC STATEMENT
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a 5 Port Class
B digital device and an 8 Port Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radi-
ate radio frequency energy. If not installed and used according to the instructions, it
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guaran-
tee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which is found 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:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment or device
• Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receiver’s
• Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance
001

Introduction
Your EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Workgroup Switch
Congratulations on purchasing your new Linksys EtherFast 10/100
Autosensing Workgroup Switch for your network's 10/100 migration needs.
Available in 5 and 8 Port models, the EtherFast 10/100 Switch is the easiest,
most versatile way to boost your network's performance while migrating to
the speed and power of Fast Ethernet. Unlike hubs that ration your network
bandwidth and may slow down with high data traffic, your Linksys Switch
fuels each of your computers with full duplex transfer mode on top of dedi-
cated bandwidth to unleash your network speed.
In migrating your network to Fast Ethernet’s 100Mbps speed, your new
Linksys 10/100 Switch is ready to go to work for you immediately. Apply
this switching power to your 10BaseT network, and your data traffic efficien-
cy improves several times over. Connect your file server to the Switch's
autosensing ports, and speed up access time for all your users in just one
move. And when you're ready, switch your way to full duplex speeds of up to
200Mbps – the speed is yours!
Every Switch packs a complete suite of advanced data error detection and
correction features for surefire communication every time. Auto partitioning,
data collision control, preamble regeneration and incoming frame retiming
ensure that not a single bit is lost during even the heaviest moments of net-
work traffic. Built to last, your new EtherFast 10/100 Switch delivers optimal
high-end video, gaming, multimedia, database, and other speed-intensive
applications at blazing speeds.
• EtherFast 10/100 5-Port Workgroup Switch (EZXS55W)
• EtherFast 10/100 8-Port Workgroup Switch (EZXS88W)
EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Switches
1
Contents
Introduction 1
Your EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Workgroup Switch 1
Hardware Installation 2
Planning Your Network Layout 2
Installing Your Switch 4
Tips on Switching Your Network 6
About Fast Ethernet 7
History of Fast Ethernet 7
Switches versus Hubs 8
Types of Ethernet Cabling 10
Appendix 12
Specifications 12
Environmental Specifications 12
Customer Support 13

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EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing SwitchesInstant EtherFast ® Series
2
Hardware Installation
Planning Your Network Layout
Building a Fast Ethernet network involves more topology rules in addition to
the 10BaseT network rules. These rules specify distance limitations and
cabling specifications. Data loss, collisions, and other network problems
causing down time are likely to occur if the rules below are not followed.
• Use Category 5 UTP (EIA 568, Cat 5) ethernet cabling with four pairs of
wires and RJ-45 tips for all Fast Ethernet connections.
•Use the chart below to position your switches, hubs and workstations.
*Hub refers to any type of 100Mbps hub, including regular hubs and stackable hubs. A
10mbps hub connected to another 10mbps hub can span up to 100 meters (328 feet).
• No more than two hubs should be uplinked in a row in a Fast Ethernet net-
work. A set of stacked hubs, which must be stacked with a stacking cable,
counts as one hub or node on the network.
•In Fast Ethernet networks, your 10/100 Switch acts as a repeater, regenerat-
ing data signals before passing them on to the next device. Hubs do not func-
tion as repeaters.
From
Switch
Hub*
Switch or Hub
Switch or Hub*
Hub*
Workstation 1
Maximum Distance
100 meters (328 feet) 1
5 meters (16.4 feet) 1
100 meters (328 feet) 1
To
ConfigurationA shows one possible way to set up an EtherFast Switch in a
Fast Ethernet environment. Note that the Switch requires Category 5 UTP
network cabling for all its connections, like all Fast Ethernet network hard-
ware.
All of the workstations below can access all resources on the network-
10Mbps users can access the 100Mbps nodes, and vice versa. While allowing
the 10Mbps and 100Mbps segments to communicate, the Switch optimizes
data traffic by switching the data packets to their destination through the
quickest route possible, which improves performance up to 80% even on the
faster 100Mbps network segment.
ConfigurationA

Powering On the Switch
Plug in the Switch's AC power adapter. Each time your Switch powers up, it
will run a Diagnostic/Self-Test. After the test, the Power LED will light up.
As connections to the Switch’s LEDs are powered on, each port's correspon-
ding Link/Act LED will light up. The remaining LEDs will also light up
according to how your data is being transferred, e.g. full or half duplex,
10mbps or 100mbps.
If the Switch experiences excessive data collisions, verify that your network
cabling is securely crimped and installed properly.
Reading the Front Panel LEDs
The chart below tells you what the front panel LEDs of the 5 and 8 Port
Switches mean. Each Switch has a Power LED on the left side to indicate
when the unit is ON.
Front Panel - Etherfast 10/100 Autosensing Workgroup Switch
EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Switches
5
Installing Your Switch
Package Contents
Carefully remove your EtherFast 10/100 Workgroup Switch from its packag-
ing. Make sure that you have received all of the items listed below. If any
items are missing or damaged, contact your Linksys dealer for replacement
part(s).
• EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Workgroup Switch
•AC Power Cable
•User Guide and Registration Card
Connecting Computers to Your Switch
Your Switch’s rear panel has five or eight standard RJ-45 ports, plus a shared
uplink port. Each port automatically detects the speed and duplex of the
attached cabling to a network card, switch, hub, etc. The ports operate in
either full or half duplex, which lets you run at speeds of 200mbps, 100mbps,
20mbps or 10mbps.
Each port on your Switch can connect to workstations, file servers, hubs,
repeaters, bridges, routers or other switches. Connections to the switch
require Category 5 UTP network cabling with RJ-45 tips, not to exceed 100
meters (328 feet) in length. See page 10 for more details on cabling.
To connect a computer directly to the switch, plug one end of the cable into
the switch, then plug the other end of the cable into the computer's network
adapter.
Uplinking to Other Switches and Hubs
Switches, hubs, and similar network devices are uplinked to your Switch
with straight-through Category 5 cabling. Attach the Category 5 cabling to
the uplink port of the network device that you are uplinking to the Switch,
and plug the other end of the cable into any standard RJ-45 port on your
Switch. Using the uplink port will automatically disable the port directly
next to it, since the uplink port is a shared port.
Instant EtherFast ® Series
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LED LED Status Network Status
Link/Act
FD/Col
100
On
Flickering
On
Flickering
Off
On
Off
Connection is detected
Data is sending/receiving
Full duplex transfer mode
Port has data collision error
Half duplex transfer mode
100 mbps speed
10 mbps speed
LED Configuration Chart

About Fast Ethernet
History of Fast Ethernet
Standard Ethernet has been the most popular networking technology during
this past decade, with a maximum data throughput of 10Mbps. But the
Ethernet standard has fallen out of favor as today’s massive graphics, multi-
media, and other data-intensive applications have magnified the problem of
lagging network performance.
Fast Ethernet now dominates as the most viable and economical solution to
resolve the problem of network speed over all other market alternatives.
Capable of sending and receiving data at 100 Mbps, its bandwidth more than
accommodates even the most intensive real-time applications.
Also known as 100BaseTX, Fast Ethernet supports high speed signaling and
gives users an efficient and affordable solution for upgrading their present
network to the upcoming standard speed of 100Mbps. 100BaseTX data pack-
et lengths and formats are transmitted over two pairs of Category 5 UTP
cabling, just like the 10BaseT system. It uses identical data error control and
management information as 10BaseT transmissions as well.
Because Fast Ethernet is based on similar technology to standard Ethernet,
the issue of migrating from 10Mbps to the higher Fast Ethernet speed
requires virtually no effort with the right piece of equipment. All it takes is
your EtherFast Autosensing Switch to coordinate your network hardware, and
you’re ready to run a top-notch system.
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EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Switches
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Instant EtherFast ® Series
Tips on Switching Your Network
Here are some of the ways your new EtherFast 10/100 Switch can help you
optimize your network speed.
• Speed up Nodes FromYour 10BaseT Network
In a 10BaseT network, connect your hubs, file servers and key users such as
managers and network administrators directly to your Switch to channel dedi-
cated bandwidth in full duplex mode to each station. The Switch can com-
municate with all its connections simultaneously, whereas a hub can only
communicate with one workstation at a time, in half duplex transfer mode.
• Conserving Bandwidth with 10Mbps & 100Mbps Segments
10BaseT and 100BaseTX hardware are not readily compatible, but your
10/100 Switch can designate network segments of different speeds. This
allows you to run one 10mbps segment to serve users without a need for con-
siderable speed, and a faster 100mbps segment devoted to users who depend
heavily on graphics, multimedia, database, or other speed-intensive applica-
tions. With switched segmentation, your 100mbps users will not be slowed
down by the users on the 10mbps segment.
• Run 10Mbps Peripherals in Your Fast Ethernet Network
Most of the network peripherals in place today run at 10mbps, since 10BaseT
has been the standard network speed to date. These peripherals, designed to
operate at 10mbps, cannot readily communicate with 100BaseTX equipment.
A 10mbps interface is also required for cable and DSL connections, which
are quickly becoming very popular ways to access the Internet. Your 10/100
Switch provides your 10BaseT equipment and cable and DSL lines with a
10Mbps interface while still running your Fast Ethernet devices at 100mbps.
• Strengthen Data Transfers Through Signal Regeneration
Your Switch functions as a repeater, which regenerates data signals as they
pass through it. This feature acts as a safeguard to deter data loss and ensure
that transmissions arrive at their destination intact. Switches positioned
between hubs can preserve your data’s integrity and eliminate your need to
buy and use repeaters in your Fast Ethernet network.

A network without a switch is called a shared network because every node
on the network competes for a fraction of the total bandwidth. In a shared
network, data packets are randomly broadcasted to all stations until they
discover their intended destination. Consequently, considerable time and
bandwidth is wasted on data packets swimming along network lines before
they find their correct address. A switch, on the other hand, features a store-
and-forward function which retains the address for each data packet and
shoots them straight to the correct destination.
9
Switches versus Hubs
Your EtherFast 10/100 Switch boosts your network performance several times
over, conserving your time, money and resources. The scalability of your
Switch, its full duplex data transfer and dedicated bandwidth all contribute to
maximizing efficiency in your Fast Ethernet network.
Your EtherFast 10/100 Switch’s autosensing feature gives you a key advan-
tage over other forms of networking by upgrading speed-critical network seg-
ments to 100mbps while allowing existing 10BaseT networks to operate with
the Switch. Allowing 10BaseT and 100BaseTX hardware speeds to run
alongside each other eliminates the need to purchase new hardware, rewire
and reconfigure an entire site all at once. This scalability factor ensures that
Fast Ethernet will not fall obsolete to upgrades in speed standards and main-
tains use of all your old equipment until you decide to buy speedier replace-
ments. Otherwise, throwing away all your older, slower equipment in an old-
fashioned “forklift upgrade” is the only other alternative.
Scalability allows you to budget for your networking needs over time.
Now networks can custom-run fast and slow segments at the same time for
different users and departments. Publishing, R&D, and accounting depart-
ments can enjoy 100mbps transfer, while other corporate segments conserve
bandwidth by operating at slower, more economical 10mbps speeds.
Switches also feature full duplex data transfer, meaning that all computers
on the switch can “talk” to the switch at the same time. Plus, switches can
send and receive data simultaneously to all connections, whereas a hub can-
not. A hub simply works with one computer at a time and only sends or
receives data, since it cannot handle two way communication.
In addition to full duplex transfer, your 10/100 Switch surges your network
with dedicated bandwidth to each node, devoting 100mbps to every device
and multiplying your bandwidth for each added node. For instance, if you
connect five computers to your EtherFast 10/100 Switch, then each computer
will get a dedicated bandwidth of 100Mbps at full duplex transfer. If you run
5 computers from a 100mbps hub, then each computer would only share a
part of the 100mbps bandwidth.
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EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing SwitchesInstant EtherFast ® Series

Straight-Through Twisted Pair Wiring
Crossed-Over Twisted Pair Wiring
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EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Switches
Types of Ethernet Cabling
Twisted-pair cabling comes in various grades, or categories. Category 5 is
required for Fast Ethernet, and is also the most reliable and most commonly
used type of cabling.
You can buy Category 5 UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cabling in pre-
crimped lengths, or you can crimp your own. Crimping your own cabling can
result in faulty connections if the RJ-45 tips are not secured properly.
Precrimped Category 5 ethernet cabling is available at most computer retail
stores.
The most common type of Category 5 cabling used is UTP, or “unshielded
twisted pair.” STP, or “shielded twisted pair,” wiring is only necessary for
network environments exposed to excessive amounts of electromagnetic inter-
ference, or EMI. These environments include areas with high sources of elec-
trical power, air conditioning, generators, and radio signals. STP cabling is
also used for wiring outdoors.
In a straight-through cable, wires 1, 2, 3 and 6 at one end of the cable are
still wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at the other end. In a crossover cable, the pairs are
reversed so that wire 1 becomes 3 at the other end of the cable, 2 becomes 6,
and so forth.
In building your Fast Ethernet network, it is highly recommended to use only
straight through cabling. Use crossed over cabling as a last resort when there
are no uplink ports available.
To determine which wire is wire 1, hold the RJ-45 connector with the spring
clip facing towards the ground and the copper connectors pointing away from
you, with the wires exposed upwards to your view. The first wire on the far
left is wire 1. You can also refer to the illustrations and charts of the internal
wiring on page 11.
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Instant EtherFast ® Series

13
Customer Support
For help with the installation or operation of your EtherFast 10/100
Autosensing Switch, contact Linksys Customer Support at one of the phone
numbers or Internet addresses below.
Technical Support 800-326-7114
949-261-1288
Fax [phone]
Email [email protected]
Website http://www.linksys.com
FTP Site ftp://ftp.linksys.com
EtherFast 10/100 Autosensing Switches
Appendix
Specifications
Model Numbers EZXS55W
EZXS88W
Standards IEEE 802.3 (10BaseT),
IEEE 802.3u (100BaseTX)
Protocol CSMA/CD
Ports 5 or 8 10BaseT/100BaseTX RJ-45 Ports, plus
One Shared RJ-45 Uplink Port
Speed Per Port (Mbps) 10 or 100 (Half Duplex)
20 or 200 (Full Duplex)
MAC Addresses 1024 Unicast Table Entries
Unlimited Multicast Broadcast Entries
Max Frame Size 1536 Bytes
Buffer Memory 1MB
Cabling Type Category 5 UTP or Better
LED Display Power,
Link/Act, FD/Col, 100 (per Port)
Environmental Specifications
Dimensions 7.5” x 6.1” x 1.75”
Unit Weight 12 oz.
Power Input 3.3VDC, 3 Amps
Power Consumption 10 watts
Certifications FCC Class B (5 Port Model),
FCC Class A (8 Port Model),
CE Mark Commercial,
UL and CSA Listed
Operating Temp 32ºF to 131ºF (0ºC to 55ºC)
Storage Temp -40ºF to 158ºF (-40ºC to 70ºC)
Operating Humidity 10% to 85% Non-Condensing
Storage Humidity 5% to 90% Non-Condensing
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Instant EtherFast ® Series