Pentagram horNET Giga PCI User manual

Installation and Operation Manual
PENTAGRAM horNET Giga PCI
(P6111-1)
The latest versions of manual, drivers and applications are available on
www.pentagram.eu
2008-04-16

NOTE: All information and technical specifications provided in this manual are subject to
change without notice and/or indication.
Copyright
© 2007 PENTAGRAM
All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication and copying prohibited.
2008-04-16

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INDEX
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................5
PACKAGE CONTENTS.......................................................................................5
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................5
FEATURES..........................................................................................................6
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS..........................................................................6
INSTALLATION ........................................................................................................7
INSTALLING THE CARD IN YOUR COMPUTER ...............................................7
DRIVER INSTALLATION.....................................................................................8
VALIDATING THE INSTALLATION.....................................................................8
CABLING.............................................................................................................9
STATUS LEDS ....................................................................................................9
PING....................................................................................................................9
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS ................................................................................11

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Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a PENTAGRAM network interface card! We are convinced that it will
meet your expectations and will provide a reliable experience.
The purpose of this manual is to explain the installation and operation of the card, and to
provide useful information on certain aspects of computer networks.
A glossary is provided at the end of this manual to clarify any unfamiliar terms which you may
encounter while reading this document.
A network interface card (or NIC) is a device which allows your computer to connect to a
network. It supports fast data interchange with other users, and the network connection will
enable you to work more productively and to play the latest multiplayer games with your
friends.
The PENTAGRAM horNET Giga PCI (P6111-1) network interface card is based on the state-
of-the-art Realtek RTL8169SC chip, which is a Fast Ethernet controller contained in a single
highly integrated circuit. The chip supports the ACPI (Advanced Configuration Power
Interface) functionality for PCI cards to ensure efficient power management under operating
systems which feature the OSPM (Operating System Power Management) technology.
Package content
•PENTAGRAM horNET Giga PCI (P6111-1) network interface card
•CD with drivers for most operating systems
•Operating manual
System requirements
•PC with a Pentium 200 MHz or equivalent CPU (or faster)
•Available PCI slot
•At least 32 MB RAM
•30 MB free hard disk space
•CD drive
•Operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98/98SE, Windows Me,
Windows 2000, Windows XP/XP 64-bit or Linux.

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Features
•One port with automatic MDI/MDI-X switching, enabling the card to be connected quickly
to a switch or another computer.
•Jumbo Frames support to ensure high performance in new applications which require
large frame transfers (graphics and video editing applications).
•Auto-negotiation: speed (1000/100/10 Mbps) and full duplex/half duplex.
•Support for back-pressure (half-duplex) and IEEE802.3x (duplex) flow control to prevent
errors when transmitting and receiving data at different speeds.
•Status LEDs for quick network operation diagnostics.
•Full duplex support to double the effective network bandwidth.
•Wake-on-LAN (for PCI 2.2).
•32-bit PCI Bus Master support for high performance at low CPU load.
•PCI 2.1 and PCI 2.2 compliance.
•Automatic IRQ (interrupt request) and I/O (input/output) address configuration.
Technical specifications
Data rate 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1000 Mbps (autonegotiation)
Transfer mode 10/100 Mbps half-duplex, full duplex (autonegotiation)
1000 Mbps duplex
Standards supported
•IEEE 802.3: 10Base-T
•IEEE 802.3u: 100Base-TX
•IEEE 802.3ab: 1000Base-T
•IEEE 802.3x: flow control support with full duplex
•IEEE 802.1p: Layer 2 QoS
•IEEE 802.1q: Virtual LAN (VLAN) Tag and Jumbo
Frame support
Interface One shielded RJ-45 connector with automatic crossover
sensing (Auto MDIX)
System bus PCI version 2.2
Cabling and connectors RJ-45 (10Base-T): UTP Cat. 3, 4 or 5 RJ-45 (100Base-TX): UTP Cat. 5
RJ-45 (1000Base-T): UTP Cat. 5
Status LEDs Two connection activity LEDs: 1000 Mbps and 10/100 Mbps
Operating temperature 0 to 45°C (32 to 113°F)
Humidity 5-95% (non-condensing)

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Installation
Installing the card in your computer
Ensure that you have sufficient workspace on your desk to perform the installation, and then
proceed as follows:
1. Turn off your computer (it is recommended to switch off the power supply or disconnect
the power cord from the computer).
2. Open the computer’s case.
3. Select a vacant PCI slot.
Port appearance Port name
PCI-Express x16
AGP
AGP Pro
PCI
4. Insert the card gently into the selected PCI slot, and then attach it to the chassis using a
screw.
Retainin
g
screw
Network card
PCI slots
Mainboard
5. Attach the appropriate network cable to the connector on the network interface card.
6. Close the case, connect the power cord and start the computer.

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Driver installation
The CD supplied with the card contains drivers for popular operating systems, i.e. for the
Windows family of systems and for Linux-based systems (all stable 2.4.x and 2.6.x kernels).
Driver installation under Windows is explained below.
When the system is launched for the first time after installing the card, a message will display
that a new “Ethernet Controller” device has been detected. Close the dialog box and perform
the following steps to install the driver:
1. Insert the driver CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2. The setup wizard will be launched automatically. If the CD-ROM Autorun feature is
disabled, run Setup.exe in the CD’s root directory.
3. Click Driver.
4. The driver will be installed and the “Driver Install Completed” message will be displayed.
Validating the installation
In order to validate the device installation, click on the
Start menu and select (Settings >) Control Panel. In
the Control Panel, select System and then:
•under Windows XP/XP 64-bit, 2000 or Me,
select Hardware and click Device Manager;
•under Windows 98/98SE, select Device
Manager.
A new device should appear under the Network
Adapters node:
Realtek RTL8169/8110 Family Gigabit Ethernet NIC.

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Cabling
To ensure that the device can transfer data at the desired speeds, networking cables must
meet appropriate standards.
1000 Mbps: Data transfer at 1000 Mbps requires Cat. 5 cables (Cat. 5e recommended) with
all four wire pairs terminated in an RJ-45 connector. For a straight-through cable, both
connectors must be terminated according to the EIA/TIA 568B wiring standard. For a
crossover cable, one connector must follow EIA/TIA 568A and the other must follow EIA/TIA
568B.
100 Mbps: Data transfer at 100 Mbps requires a Cat. 5 cable with correctly terminated
connectors (see 1000 Mbps); this standard only uses two wire pairs.
10 Mbps: Data transfer at 10 Mbps requires Cat. 3, 4 or 5 cables with correctly terminated
connectors (see 1000 Mbps). This standard also only uses two wire pairs.
Status LEDs
Two LEDs are located on the card’s bracket (the metal part visible on the outside of the
computer), which indicate the card’s connection speed and port activity.
Designation Color Function
1000 ACT Green On: 1000 Mbps connection
Flashing: Data transfer
10/100 ACT Orange On: 100 Mbps connection
Flashing: Data transfer
PING
A method commonly used to verify correct network operation is to use the PING command,
which can be run from the command line interface. In order to open the command line dialog
under Windows 95, 98 or Me, open the Start menu, select Run and then type COMMMAND.COM
and click OK. Under Windows 2000 and XP, use the same procedure to launch the command
line interface, replacing COMMMAND.COM with CMD.EXE. PING syntax is explained below.
PING [options] target_name
The following options are available:
-t Ping the specified host until stopped.
To see statistics and continue - type Control-Break; To stop -
type Control-C.
-a Resolve addresses to hostnames.
-n count Number of echo requests to send.
-l size Send buffer size.
-f Set Don’t Fragment flag in packet.
-i TTL Time To Live.
-v TOS Type Of Service.
-r count Record route for count hops.
-s count Timestamp for count hops.
-j host-list Loose source route along host-list.
-k host-list Strict source route along host-list.
-w timeout Timeout in milliseconds to wait for each reply.

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An example of the simplest usage for the command is as follows:
ping computer2
where computer2 is the name of the computer with which you want to check connectivity.
If everything works correctly, the system should respond with a message similar to the one
below.
Pinging komputer2 [192.168.2.2] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.2.2: bytes=32 time<1 ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.2.2: bytes=32 time<1 ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.2.2: bytes=32 time<1 ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.2.2: bytes=32 time<1 ms TTL=128
Ping statistics for 192.168.2.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milliseconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
The above messages show examples of results obtained by running PING. Your results may
vary, although the differences should not be significant. Packet round trips should be as short
as possible, however if the cable between computers is very long or of low quality, they may
be higher than in the example above.
Extended response times or lost packets may result from a number of reasons, including:
−network congestion
−large network (multiple interconnected subnets)
−poor quality of the connection cable
−connection at 10 Mbps.

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Glossary of key terms
The purpose of this section is to explain some of the most important concepts related to
computer networks.
Ethernet
Ethernet is a highly popular networking system developed by Xerox. Depending on version, it
supports data transfers at 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps or 1000 Mbps. Ethernet uses CSMA/CD
(Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection) technology for network access, making it
possible for workstations to share a single cable (although only one workstation can use the
cable at any given time). A short description of various Ethernet standards is provided below,
including information on cable types and maximum segment lengths.
Ethernet standards
•10Base-2
Also known as ‘thin’ Ethernet (Thinnet); data rate: 10 Mbps; coaxial cable; maximum
segment length: 185 m (607 ft).
•10Base-5
Also known as ‘thick’ Ethernet (Thicknet); data rate: 10 Mbps; coaxial cable; maximum
segment length: 500 m (1,640 ft).
•10Base-T
Data rate: 10 Mbps; twisted pair cable; maximum segment length: 100 m (328 ft).
•10Broad-36
Data rate: 10 Mbps; coaxial cable; maximum segment length: 3,600 m (11,800 ft).
•10Base-F
Data rate: 10 Mbps; fiber optic cable; maximum segment length: 4 km (2,5 mi).
•100BaseTX
Data rate: 100 Mbps; maximum segment length: 100 m (328 ft).
•1000Base-T
Data rate: 1000 Mbps; maximum segment length: 100 m (328 ft).
•100VG-AnyLAN
Data rate: 100 Mbps, demand priority access; maximum segment length: 150 m (492 ft).
Topologies
•Bus
With the bus topology, all workstations are connected to a single cable (trunk). The
information transferred reaches all workstations, but is only picked up by the one to which
it has been transmitted.
•Star
With the star topology, workstations are connected to hubs. Depending on the hub used,
the information transferred reaches all workstations or is transmitted between individual
workstations.
•Star-Configured Ring
With this topology, workstations are configured physically as a star, however signals are
transmitted from station to station as in a ring configuration. A typical example of this type
of network is Token Ring.

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•Star/Bus Configuration
This standard combines two topologies, where groups of workstations connected into
stars are linked in the same manner as individual workstations on a bus.
Protocols
•TCP/IP
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) combines two protocols, i.e.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol). TCP is responsible for
the connection to the terminal system, supporting flow control, packet receipt
acknowledgement, packet sequencing, checksum validation and resending. IP defines
packet format and addressing. The address space and IP address format depend on IP
version:
IP version Address
space Sample IP address
IPv4 32-bit 192.168.2.2
IPv6 128-bit FEDC:BA98:7654:3210:FEDC:BA98:7654:3210
•NetBEUI
NetBEUI is supported by the Microsoft Windows family of systems (from Windows for
Workgroups onwards), and is closely related to NetBIOS, providing transport services as
requested by NetBIOS.
•NetBIOS
NetBIOS is an interface designed for programmers who develop IBM LAN Server,
Microsoft LAN Manager and OS/2 local area networking software.
It establishes communications sessions between computers and manages the
connections.
•IPX
IPX is a peer-to-peer networking protocol built into Novell NetWare.
Organizational units
•Workgroups
Workgroups provide a simple method for organizing computers and users on a local area
network into logical groupings. They support the definition of various privileges for
individual groups, and make it easier to manage the network.
•Domains
Like workgroups, domains are designed to facilitate network management. The hierarchy
of domains is similar to that of a nation, with the country (main domain), states
(subdomains of the main domain), counties (subdomains of subdomains), and so on.
Depending on its place in the hierarchy, each domain can have different privileges, which
helps enforce network security.
Other
•DHCP
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) supports automatic TCP/IP configuration
(IP address assignment, DNS configuration, default gateway configuration, etc.). A DHCP
server assigns arbitrary IP addresses to computers using a specific pool, or specific
settings, depending on configuration.

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•DNS (Domain Name Service)
DNS is a service available on TCP/IP-based networks which assigns easy-to-remember
names (e.g. computer.domain.com) to numeric addresses (e.g. 198.168.148.144).
Programs such as Telnet, SMTP or FTP use DNS to locate an IP address on the basis of
the name provided.
•Gateway
A gateway is used to connect networks while providing protocol, data structure format,
language and/or architecture translation.
•Router
A router connects local area networks or wide area networks, and controls the flow of
packets between these networks. If more than one possible connection exists between
two networks, the router will select the most efficient or cost-effective route.
•Segment
In an Ethernet environment, a segment means a section of a cable which serves as a
bus. Signals broadcast within a segment reach every workstation connected to that
segment.
•Host
A host is a device (e.g. a computer or a printer) to which a network address is assigned.
•WINS
WINS (Windows Internet Name Service) supports distinguishing between computer
names by translating them to assigned IP addresses, and performs a reverse process,
i.e. resolves IP addresses to Windows names.
•Hub
A hub is a device used to transmit signals or data from one computer to all other
computers connected to that hub.
•Switching Hub
A switching hub differs from a standard hub with increased performance and the ability to
offload the network. Higher performance and reduced network load are achieved by
using the port switching functionality, and specifically by transmitting data only to the
target computers (a standard hub transmits data to all computers, thus significantly
congesting the network).

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NOTES

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NOTES

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NOTES