NETGEAR FE508 - Hub User manual

M-FS508NA1
September 2000
NETGEAR , Inc.
4500 Great America Parkway
Santa Clara, CA 95054
USA
Phone: 1-888-NETGEAR
E-mail: [email protected]
www.NETGEAR.com
Installation Guide for
the Model FS508 Fast
Ethernet Switch

ii
© 2000 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
NETGEAR™ is a trademark of NETGEAR, Inc. Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other
brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to
change without notice. All rights reserved.
Statement of Conditions
In the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to
make changes to the products described in this document without notice.
NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s) or circuit
layout(s) described herein.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Declaration of Conformity Statement
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a ClassA digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when
the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy. If it is not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, it may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which
case users will be required to take whatever measures may be necessary to correct the interference at their own expense.
EN 55 022 Statement
This is to certify that the NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch is shielded against the generation of radio
interference in accordance with the application of Council Directive 89/336/EEC, Article 4a. Conformity is declared by
the application of EN 55 022 Class A (CISPR 22).
Bestätigung des Herstellers/Importeurs
Es wird hiermit bestätigt, daß das NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch gemäß der im BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/
1991 und Vfg 46/1992 aufgeführten Bestimmungen entstört ist. Das vorschriftsmäßige Betreiben einiger Geräte (z.B.
Testsender) kann jedoch gewissen Beschränkungen unterliegen. Lesen Sie dazu bitte dieAnmerkungen in der
Betriebsanleitung.
Das Bundesamt für Zulassungen in der Telekommunikation wurde davon unterrichtet, daß dieses Gerät auf den Markt
gebracht wurde und es ist berechtigt, die Serie auf die Erfüllung der Vorschriften hin zu überprüfen.
Warning: This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment, this product may
cause radio interference, in which case, the user may be required to take appropriate
measures.

iii
Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI) Statement
This equipment is in the first category (information equipment to be used in commercial and/or industrial areas) and
conforms to the standards set by the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Data Processing Equipment and
Electronic Office Machines that are aimed at preventing radio interference in commercial and/or industrial areas.
Consequently, when this equipment is used in a residential area or in an adjacent area thereto, radio interference may be
caused to equipment such as radios and TV receivers.
Customer Support
For assistance with installing and configuring your NETGEAR system or with post-installation questions or problems,
contact your point of purchase representative.
To contact customer support or to purchase additional copies of this document and publications for other NETGEAR
products, you can contact NETGEAR at the following numbers:
Phone:
Australia 1800-787-638 Korea 00308-11-0319
Austria 00800-06384327 Netherlands 0800-023-0981
(00800-0-NETGEAR) New Zealand 00800-1233-4566
Denmark 808-82179 Norway 800-12041
Canada 1-888-NETGEAR Singapore 001-800-1233-4566
Finland 0800-111-036 Sweden 0200-298-298
France 0800-77-17-53 Switzerland 00800-0638-4327
Germany 00800-06384327 (00800-0-NETGEAR)
(00800-0-NETGEAR) United Kingdom 020-7216-0014
Hong Kong 001-800-1233-4566 United States 1-888-NETGEAR
Japan 0120-66-5402 All Other Countries [phone]
World Wide Web
NETGEAR maintains a World Wide Web Home Page that you can access at the universal resource locator (URL)
http://www.NETGEAR.com. A direct connection to the Internet and a Web browser such as Internet Explorer or
Netscape are required.

iv

Contents v
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction
Benefits of Using Switching Technology .........................................................................1-1
Types of Ethernet Switches ............................................................................................1-2
Model FS508 Switch Overview .......................................................................................1-2
Features .........................................................................................................................1-3
Chapter 2
Physical Description
Front Panel .....................................................................................................................2-1
Fast Ethernet Ports ..................................................................................................2-2
Normal/Uplink Push Button ......................................................................................2-2
LEDs ........................................................................................................................2-3
Rear Panel ......................................................................................................................2-4
FDX/AUTO Duplex Toggle Switches ........................................................................2-4
Chapter 3
Applications
Desktop Switching ..........................................................................................................3-2
Segment Switching .........................................................................................................3-3
Extending a Network ......................................................................................................3-4
Bridging from 10BASE-T to 100BASE-TX Networks ......................................................3-5
High-bandwidth File Servers ..........................................................................................3-6

vi Contents
Chapter 4
Installation
Site Preparation ..............................................................................................................4-1
Package Contents ..........................................................................................................4-1
Installing a Switch ...........................................................................................................4-2
Installing the Switch on a Flat Surface .....................................................................4-2
Installing the Switch in a Rack .................................................................................4-3
Connecting Devices to the Switch ..................................................................................4-4
Verifying Installation ........................................................................................................4-5
Chapter 5
Troubleshooting
LEDs ...............................................................................................................................5-1
FDX/AUTO Duplex Toggle Switches ...............................................................................5-1
Installation ......................................................................................................................5-2
Cabling ...........................................................................................................................5-2
Network Adapter Cards ..................................................................................................5-2
Configuration ..................................................................................................................5-2
Switch Integrity ...............................................................................................................5-2
Appendix A
Technical Specifications
General Specifications ................................................................................................... A-1
Appendix B
Connector Pin Assignments
RJ-45 Plug and vista RJ-45 Connector ......................................................................... B-1
Appendix C
Cabling Guidelines
Fast Ethernet Cable Guidelines .....................................................................................C-1
Cable Lengths ...............................................................................................................C-2
Cable Specifications ......................................................................................................C-2
Twisted Pair Cables .......................................................................................................C-3
Patch Panels and Cables ........................................................................................C-4
Index

Figures vii
Figures
Figure 2-1. Front panel of the Model FS508 switch ....................................................2-1
Figure 2-2. The vista RJ-45 connector with built-in LEDs ..........................................2-2
Figure 2-3. Rear panel of the Model FS508 switch ....................................................2-4
Figure 3-1. Using the Model FS508 switch for desktop switching ..............................3-2
Figure 3-2. Model FS508 switch used as a segment switch ......................................3-3
Figure 3-3. Using the Model FS508 switch for network extension .............................3-4
Figure 3-4. Bridging 10 Mbps networks to 100 Mbps networks .................................3-5
Figure 3-5. High-bandwidth file server connection .....................................................3-6
Figure 4-1. Attaching mounting brackets to the Model FS508 switch ........................4-3
Figure B-1. RJ-45 plug and vista RJ-45 connector with built-in LEDs ....................... B-1
Figure C-1. Straight-through twisted pair cable .........................................................C-3
Figure C-2. Crossover twisted pair cable ...................................................................C-3
Figure C-3. Category 5 UTP patch cable with male RJ-45 plug at each end ............C-4

viii Tables
Tables
Table 2-1. LED descriptions ......................................................................................2-3
Table B-1. RJ-45 plug and vista RJ-45 connector
pin assignments ...................................................................................... B-2
Table C-1. Electrical requirements of Category 5 cable ...........................................C-2

Introduction 1-1
Chapter 1
Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the NETGEAR
™
Model FS508 8-port Fast Ethernet Switch.
This switch is part of the NETGEAR 500 Series product family. The switch provides you with
a low-cost, high-performance network solution and is designed to support power workgroups
operating at either 10 megabits per second (Mbps) or 100 Mbps.
This guide describes how to install and use the switch. It includes physical configuration
guidelines for connecting multiple 10 or 100 Mbps hubs and for connecting 10 or 100 Mbps Fast
Ethernet stations, PCs, and servers.
Benefits of Using SwitchingTechnology
A majority of installed networks today are based on shared network technology. With this
technology, a number of users or groups of users share a total available network bandwidth (or
network capacity) of 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or other amounts of network bandwidth. For example,
with a total of 10 users, the average bandwidth available to each user on a 10 Mbps network is
calculated as 10/100 Mbps, which equals 1 Mbps of bandwidth per user. On a 100 Mbps (Fast
Ethernet) network, the average bandwidth available to each of the 10 users is 100/10 Mbps, which
equals 10 Mbps of bandwidth per user.
Ethernet switches significantly increase network throughput by segmenting network traffic. They
check traffic coming in to each port to learn which network device is located on which segment.
Based on this information, switches forward cross-segment traffic only to the appropriate segment.
The traffic will not show up in the other segments since it is filtered out. In this way, network
capacity is fully reserved for traffic destined for that segment only, and other segments will not
be saturated with unnecessary traffic.

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
1-2 Introduction
Ethernet switches provide private, dedicated, 10 Mbps (or 100 Mbps) capacity to each connected
PC/server or hub/workgroup segment, which is significantly higher than in a shared environment.
The higher bandwidth enables applications such as multimedia, imaging, video, or high-
performance client-server functions among users who are spread out over the network.
This improvement is accomplished very easily, with no change to the desktop (the network
interface cards or software and the network wiring). As a result, the performance upgrade and the
applications it enables are obtained very quickly and at a low cost.
Types of Ethernet Switches
Ethernet switches can be classified in different ways—as desktop switches or as segment switches.
A
desktop switch is designed to support one or a few PCs per port. It is generally used when the
individuals need the full 10 Mbps network throughput to support the applications. Often, these
switches support only a single MAC (media access control) address per port, have high-speed
100 Mbps ports to connect to fast servers, and are relatively inexpensive compared to a segment
switch. A
segment switch , in contrast, is designed to support an entire workgroup on each port,
with each port having significant memory buffering and supporting thousands of MAC addresses.
Switches can also be classified by speed. As the name suggests, 10 Mbps switches support only
10 Mbps connections. Similarly, 100 Mbps switches support only 100 Mbps connections. Usually,
10/100 Mbps switches have primarily 10 Mbps ports with one or few 100 Mbps ports.Autosensing
10/100 Mbps switches support 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps connections on each port and are the most
versatile and adaptive type of switches.
Model FS508 Switch Overview
The Model FS508 switch is an autosensing 10/100 Mbps switch. This feature-rich switch is
developed primarily to be used as a segment switch, even though it is priced as a desktop switch.
All eight ports on the Model FS508 switch can adapt automatically to the speed of the connected
network or the PC, and the ports can operate at either 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps. In addition, each port
can automatically negotiate with the connected device to operate in full-duplex mode. If the
connected device is operating at half-duplex mode only or does not have the capability to
participate in the negotiation process, the port will default to half-duplex mode.A manual override
duplex toggle switch is also provided to force any particular port to operate in full-duplex mode.

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
Introduction 1-3
The Model FS508 switch can be used to partition a 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps network to enhance the
capacity of the network to support advanced applications. In addition, the switch provides a link
between traditional 10 Mbps and the faster 100 Mbps networks. By installing a Model FS508
switch, a user can connect any 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps device to the switch without worrying about
the running speed of the device. The Model FS508 switch provides a built-in upgrade path; you
can remove a 10 Mbps connection and replace the connection with a 100 Mbps connection with
little or no change to the rest of the network.
The Model FS508 switch can be effectively used to join multiple 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet
segments and to extend the reach of the network. Copper-based Fast Ethernet networks have a
network diameter of up to 200 meters, no matter how many Fast Ethernet hubs are cascaded or
stacked together. However, the Model FS508 switch can be used to join these segments to enable
them to function as a single logical network. With one Model FS508 switch, the reach extends to
400 meters. With two switches, the reach extends to 600 meters. For an illustration of using the
switch to extend a network, refer to Figure 3-3 on page 3-4.
Because the Model FS508 switch is an ISO media access control (MAC) layer device, the switch
is network protocol independent and compatible with all popular networks such as the Internet or
TCP/IP, NetWare, DECnet, Microsoft NETBEUI, and LANTASTIC.
Features
The Model FS508 switch has the following key features:
• Eight auto-speed sensing 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports to provide fast information exchange,
resource sharing, and client or peer-to-peer communication using simple Category 5
unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable
• Automatic address learning function to build the packet forwarding information table
The table contains up to 8,000 MAC addresses (that is, the switch can support networks with
as many as 8,000 devices).
• Switch-selectable auto- or full-duplex mode of operation
Full-duplex mode doubles throughput of point-to-point connections by letting individual ports
transmit and receive concurrently when the other end also supports full-duplex mode. The
default is half-duplex if the connected device does not support N-way negotiation. The duplex
toggle switch can be set to full-duplex if the connected port is operating at full-duplex mode.
• Nonblocking cross-bar switching matrix to allow concurrent operation of up to eight Ethernet
segments in full-duplex mode

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
1-4 Introduction
• Backpressure in half-duplex mode to alleviate congestion
Network congestion is reduced by slowing down incoming traffic from other segments, when
appropriate, by generating collision signals to those segments.
• Wire-speed filtering and forwarding to provide “traffic cop” function by directing traffic to the
appropriate route without slowing down the traffic
• Adaptive forwarding modes to automatically change the forwarding mode from cut-through
(minimizes network delay) to fragment-free cut-through, to store-and-forward (minimizes bad
packets) as the erroneous packets increase in number
• Minimum latency of packet transmission (leading edge to leading edge) less than 20 µ
s
• Easy Plug-and-Play installation with no software to configure, which saves time and
minimizes the potential for configuration errors
• Normal/Uplink push button to simplify network extension
The switch can be connected to a hub using a simple, straight-through cable.
• Protocol independence and compatibility with all common protocols such as TCP/IP,
NetWare, DECnet, and Microsoft Networks
• Eight vista RJ-45 connector ports with built-in LEDs to monitor individual port status
• Microprocessor-based design to monitor network utilization, collisions, and link status
• A comprehensive LED indicator panel for monitoring switching condition and individual
port status
• Conformity to the IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-TX standard
• Conformity to the ISO/IEC 8802-3 and ANSI/IEEE 802.3 10BASE-T standards
• A 64-kilobyte (KB) input/output buffer for each port
• Rack Mount Kit provided for installing the switch in a standard 19-inch rack
For further functional descriptions of the switch, refer to Chapter 3, “Applications.”

Physical Description 2-1
Chapter 2
Physical Description
This chapter describes the hardware features of the NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet
switch.
Front Panel
For easier management and control of the Model FS508 switch, familiarize yourself with the ports,
LEDs, and Normal/Uplink push button on the front panel of the switch, as illustrated in Figure 2-1.
Key:
1 = Power LED
2 = 100 Mbps LEDs for ports 1 through 8
3 = Rx/Tx and Collision LEDs for ports 1 through 8
4 = 10/100 Mbps ports with Link and FDX LEDs on each port
5 = Normal/Uplink push button to configure port 8
Figure 2-1. Front panel of the Model FS508 switch
8 PORT
10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet Switch
1234 5678
Link FDX
690EA
Power 1234 5678
Normal/Uplink
5
1 2
3
4
FS508
MODELAUTO 10/100 Mbps
Green = Rx/Tx Yellow = Collision
100 Mbps

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
2-2 Physical Description
Fast Ethernet Ports
As illustrated in Figure 2-1, the Model FS508 switch is equipped with eight autosensing 10/100
Mbps Fast Ethernet ports. The network access speed for the 10/100 Mbps ports is automatically
sensed and displayed on the front panel by the 100 Mbps LEDs.
The 10/100 Mbps ports support only unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable using an 8-pin RJ-45
plug.
Each of the 10/100 Mbps ports uses vista RJ-45 connectors that have built-in LEDs, as illustrated
in Figure 2-2. The LEDs, as described in Table 2-1, indicate that the connection to the port is valid
and that the port is operating in full-duplex mode.
For further information about the vista RJ-45 connector and the RJ-45 connector, refer to
Appendix B, “Connector Pin Assignments.”
Key:
1 = Link LED
2 = FDX LED
Figure 2-2. The vista RJ-45 connector with built-in LEDs
Normal/Uplink Push Button
The Normal/Uplink push button on the front panel of the switch, as illustrated in Figure 2-1,
allows you to select uplink (MDI) or normal (MDI-X) wiring for port 1 on the Model FS508
switch. This port is configured for normal wiring to connect to a PC when the push button is in the
out position. When the push button is pressed in, this port is configured for uplink wiring to
connect to another switch or to a hub, using a straight-through twisted pair cable.
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1 2

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
Physical Description 2-3
LEDs
The LEDs on the front panel of the switch and two vista LEDs on each RJ-45 connector allow you
to identify the following information:
•Status of the switch power supply
•For each 10/100 Ethernet port:
—Link status
—Data transmission or receive activity
—Collision occurrence
—Full-duplex or half-duplex mode
—10 Mbps or 100 Mbps speed transmission
Table 2-1 describes each LED on the front panel of the switch.
Table 2-1. LED descriptions
Label Color Activity Description
Power Green On Power is supplied to the switch.
Off Power is disconnected.
Rx/Tx/Collision Green Blinking Packet transmission or reception is occurring on the port.
The blinking action corresponds to the number of packets
that are transmitted or received.
Yellow Blinking Data collisions are occurring on the port.The blinking
action corresponds to the number of collisions.When a
collision occurs, the connected device pauses and
transmits again after waiting a specified time.
Note that occasional collisions are normal.
100 Mbps Green On The port is operating at 100 Mbps.
Off The port is operating at 10 Mbps.
Link Green On A valid link is established on the port.
Off A link is not established on the port.
FDX Green On The port is operating in full-duplex mode.
Off The port is operating in half-duplex mode.

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
2-4 Physical Description
Rear Panel
As illustrated in Figure 2-3, the rear panel has a full-duplex (FDX) toggle switch, an auto-duplex
(AUTO) toggle switch, a standard AC power receptacle, and fans for cooling.
Key:
1 = FDX and AUTO duplex toggle switches
2 = Fans
3 = AC power outlet
Figure 2-3. Rear panel of the Model FS508 switch
FDX/AUTO DuplexToggle Switches
Full-duplex mode is supported for all 10/100 Mbps ports and allows the port to transmit and
receive data at the same time. Full-duplex operation applies only to point-to-point access (for
example, when a switch is connected to a PC, a server, or another switch).
Setting the toggle switch to AUTO on the 10/100 Mbps port enables the port to determine duplex
mode automatically. In this mode, the 10/100 Mbps port operates in either full- or half-duplex
mode, depending on the operating mode of the remote port. If the remote port cannot provide the
proper signal to indicate its own capability, the 10/100 Mbps port on the switch will default to
half-duplex mode. Because repeaters and hubs use a common collision domain for all
communications and cannot communicate in full-duplex mode, the associated 10 Mbps port on the
switch should be set to auto-duplex operation when connecting to these types of devices.
As illustrated in Figure 2-3, one full-duplex (FDX) and auto-duplex (AUTO) toggle switch is
assigned to each 10/100 Mbps port on the Model FS508 switch. The communication mode can be
set to either full-duplex or auto-duplex mode.
798EA
1
2
3
AUTO -
FDX - Enable port to determine duplex mode automatically Force port to operate at Full Duplex and Half Duplex mode only
1
FDX
AUTO
8
10/100 Mbps

Applications 3-1
Chapter 3
Applications
This chapter presents an overview of the levels of service provided by incorporating the
technology of the NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet switch into your network.
The Model FS508 switch is designed to provide flexibility in configuring your network
connections. Each switch can be used as a standalone device or can be used with 10 Mbps or
100 Mbps hubs or other interconnection devices in various configurations. The configuration
examples in this chapter illustrate the integration of the switches in network environments of all
sizes and types. These examples include a network of a few workstations connected to a printer
or a segmented network with multiple users or workgroups and other networking devices.

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
3-2 Applications
Desktop Switching
Figure 3-1 illustrates the NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet switch used as a desktop switch
to build a small network that enables users to have 100 Mbps access to a file server.
Key:
1 = Server with 100 Mbps connection
2 = Model FS508 Fast Ethernet switch (Normal/Uplink push button set to Normal position)
3 = PCs with 100 Mbps Ethernet adapter cards installed
4 = PC with 10 Mbps connection
Figure 3-1. Using the Model FS508 switch for desktop switching
Note: If a full-duplex adapter card is installed in the server or PC, a 200 Mbps connection
is possible on the port where the server or PC is connected.
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1
2
3
4

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
Applications 3-3
Segment Switching
The Model FS508 switch can segment a network into multiple connected pieces, increasing
overall bandwidth and throughput. Figure 3-2 illustrates the NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast
Ethernet switch segmenting networks that are built with the NETGEAR Model FE508 and
Model FE516 Fast Ethernet hubs.
Key:
1 = NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet switch (Normal/Uplink push button set to Normal position)
2 = 100 Mbps connection
3 = Model FE508 Fast Ethernet hub (Normal/Uplink push button set to Uplink position)
4 = Model FE516 Fast Ethernet hub (Normal/Uplink push button set to Uplink position)
5 = Servers with 100 Mbps connection
6 = PCs with network adapter installed, enabling 100 Mbps connection
Figure 3-2. Model FS508 switch used as a segment switch
7498EA
4
3
6
5
2
22
1

Installation Guide for the Model FS508 Fast Ethernet Switch
3-4 Applications
Extending a Network
Ethernet specifications limit the length of cable between hubs and PCs to 100 meters for a total
diameter of 200 meters. By adding Fast Ethernet switches between hubs, the network is expanded
by 200 Mbps with the addition of each switch. Figure 3-3 illustrates a network of FE508 Fast
Ethernet hubs integrated with three NETGEAR Model FS508 Fast Ethernet switches.
Key:
1 = Model FS508 Fast Ethernet switch (Normal/Uplink push button set to Uplink position)
2 = 100 Mbps connection
3 = Model FE508 Fast Ethernet hub (Normal/Uplink push button set to Uplink position)
4 = PCs with 100 Mbps connection
Figure 3-3. Using the Model FS508 switch for network extension
7503EA
2
4
3 3 3 3
1 1 1
100 m
100 m