Transition Networks SwitchMaster MSB-E6/X2 User manual

SwitchMaster™or SwitchMasterFL™
Eight Segment Bridge
(MSB-E6/X2 or MSB-EFL6/X2)
7341.D
For assistance in installing, using, or
maintaining the TRANSITION Networks
SwitchMaster™ Eight Segment Bridge,
contact TRANSITION Networks Technical
Support at:
[phone]
or contact your local distributor.

CAUTION: RJ connectors are NOT INTENDED FOR
CONNECTION TO THE PUBLIC TELEPHONE NETWORK.
Failure to observe this caution could result in damage to the
public telephone network.
Compliance Information
UL Listed
C-UL Listed (Canada)
CISPR/EN55022 Class A
FCC Regulations
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class
A 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 and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user
will be required to correct the interference at the user’s own expense.
Canadian Regulations
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise for
digital apparatus set out on the radio interference regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
European Regulations
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 adequate
measures.
Copyright Restrictions
© 1995, 1997 TRANSITION Networks.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any
form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanical – without written
permission from TRANSITION Networks.
Trademark Notice
All registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
Der Anschluss dieses Gerätes an ein öffentlickes
Telekommunikationsnetz in den EG-Mitgliedstaaten verstösst gegen die
jeweligen einzelstaatlichen Gesetze zur Anwendung der Richtlinie
91/263/EWG zur Angleichung der Rechtsvorschriften der
Mitgliedstaaten über Telekommunikationsendeinrichtungen
einschliesslich der gegenseitigen Anerkennung ihrer Konformität.

Table of Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–1
1.1 About Bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–2
Store and Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–4
Learn Addresses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–6
Age Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–8
Participate in “Spanning Tree” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–10
1.2 The SwitchMaster™ Eight Segment Bridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–12
1.3 SwitchMasterFL Eight Segment Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–16
1.3 SwitchMaster™ Bridge X Slot Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–18
Full Duplex Ethernet X Slot Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–18
100BaseT X Slot Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–19
2. SITE PLANNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–1
2.1 Site Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–1
2.2 Ethernet Network Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2–1
3. INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3–1
3.1 Unpacking the SwitchMaster™ Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-1
3.2 Installing in Rack or on Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2
Standard 19-Inch Rack Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Table-Top Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
3.3 Connecting to Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4
Connecting to 10BaseT at RJ-45 Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Optionally Connecting the AUI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
3.4 Connecting to Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-7
4. OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4–1
4.1 Power On/Power Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4–1
4.2 Monitoring SwitchMaster™ Bridge Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-2
Monitoring Bridge Status LEDs during Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Monitoring Segment Status LEDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
5. MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5–1
i
EIGHT SEGMENT BRIDGE

5.1 SwitchMaster™ BridgeFault Isolation Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5–2
5.2 Recovery Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5–4
5.3 SwitchMaster™ Bridge Replacement Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5–11
Replacing SwitchMaster™ Bridge Fuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5–11
5.4 SwitchMaster™ Field Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5–12
Downloading Updated Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5–12
Installing X Slot Card in SwitchMaster™ Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Appendix A. Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A–1
Appendix B. Cable Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B–1
Appendix C. Segment Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C–1
Appendix D. Approved European Power Cord Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D–1
Appendix E. Policy and Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E–1
ii SwitchMaster™/SwitchMasterFL™

Preface
This guide is intended for the system or network administrator responsible
for installing, configuring, using, and maintaining a Transition Networks
SwitchMaster™ Eight Segment Bridge. A working knowledge of local area
network (LAN) operations, including familiarity with communications
protocols used on interconnected LANs, is assumed.
iii
EIGHT SEGMENT BRIDGE

EIGHT SEGMENT BRIDGE
1. INTRODUCTION
The SwitchMaster™ Eight Segment Bridge is a multi-segment Ethernet
bridge that provides six RJ-45 ports (with one alternate AUI connector)
with installation space for two additional X Slot multi-media connections.
The SwitchMasterFL™ Eight Segment Bridge is a multi-segment Ethernet
bridge that provides six (6) pairs of fiber transmit (TX) and receive (RX)
data connectors with installation space for two additional X Slot multi-
media connections.
As shipped, either the SwitchMaster™ or the SwitchMasterFL™ Eight
Segment Bridge is a fully functional bridge that can be used for connecting
and/or for isolating Ethernet networks. Bridge ports can be set individually
to full or half duplex.
The optional X Slot cards , if installed, provide either an AUI transceiver
network connection or an RJ-45 connection to 10BaseT and/or an RJ-45
connection to 100BaseTX.
1-1
Status
Power
X Slot 2
™
Eight Segment Bridge
Serial
Reset
X Slot 1
networks
TRANSITION SwitchMaster
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4 Segment 5 Segment 6
AUI
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX
COL
LINK
TX
SwitchMaster FL
Status
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX TX
Segment 1
Power
X Slot 2
™
Eight Segment Bridge
Serial
Reset
X Slot 1
networks
TRANSITION
RX
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX TX
Segment 2
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX TX
Segment 3
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX TX
Segment 4
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX TX
Segment 5
RX
COL
LINK
TX
RX TX
Segment 6

SwitchMaster™/SwitchMasterFL™
1.1 About Bridges
A bridge is a network device that can be used to merge two or more Local
Area Networks (LANs) into a single functional LAN or, alternatively, to
separate a single LAN into two or more functional LANs.
The bridge is used to merge two or more LANs into a single functional
LAN for:
• increasing reliable distances between stations, particularly in Ethernet
environments
• connecting different media types.
The bridge is used to separate one LAN into two or more functional LANs
for:
• increasing available bandwidth by decreasing station contention
• decreasing delays caused by multiple stations
• isolating LAN failures.
These contradictory objectives are achieved because the bridge receives
and stores data packets from all stations on attached LANs, then forwards
the data packets to all other stations on all other attached LANs. Because
the bridge forwards data packets from one LAN to another, stations on the
sending LAN can communicate with receiving stations on other LANs,
merging the LANs into one functional LAN. Because the bridge stores
received data packets, transmission of data packets from one LAN to
another is not controlled by the sending or receiving LAN, functionally
separating the LANs.
A bridge is an ISO/OSI Model Layer 2 Data Link relay. The ISO/OSI Data
Link layer transmits data packets from a source across a link to a peer
destination. The data link layer transmits data across the link by
interfacing with the physical layer (the transmission line and connectors)
at each end of the link.
1-2
LAYER 7
LAYER 6
LAYER 5
LAYER 4
LAYER 3
LAYER 2
LAYER 1
Data Link
Network
Physical
LAYER 7
LAYER 6
LAYER 5
LAYER 4
LAYER 3
LAYER 2
LAYER 1
Data Link
Network
Physical
BRIDGE CONNECTION

EIGHT SEGMENT BRIDGE
1. INTRODUCTION
1-3
Remote, unattached LAN
Large, slow LAN
Smaller, faster LAN #2
BRIDGE #1
Smaller, faster LAN #3
Smaller, faster LAN #1
Attached LAN
BRIDGE #2
BRIDGE #3

SwitchMaster™/SwitchMasterFL™
According to the IEEE 802.1d specification, bridges must:
• Store and Forward
• Learn Addresses
• Age Addresses
• Participate in “Spanning Tree”
Store and Forward
A data packet sent out on a LAN is received by the bridge, which stores
the data packet exactly as received. Later, when there is no traffic on the
LAN, the bridge sends the data packet out, either on the destination LAN
or on all LANs other than the LAN on which the data packet was received.
A possible sequence of events is:
1. Source #1 sends data packet intended for destination #1.
2. Bridge copies data packet #1 and waits.
3. Source #2 sends data packet intended for destination #2.
4. Bridge copies data packet #2 and waits.
5. Source #3 sends data packet intended for destination #3 on same
LAN.
6. Destination #3 receives data packet #3.
7. Bridge discards (filters) data packet #3.
8. Bridge sends data packet #1 for unknown destination #1 over all
LANs except LAN from which data packet # was received.
9. Bridge sends data packet #2 for unknown destination #2 over all
LANs except LAN from which data packet #2 was received.
10. Destination #1 receives data packet #1.
11. Destination #2 receives data packet #2.
1-4