ZyXEL Communications GS-1124A User manual

Dimension
GS-1116A and GS-1124A
Unmanaged 16 or 24 Port Gigabit Switch with 2 mini-GBIC Ports
User’s Guide
Version 1
10/2006
Edition 2

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
ii Copyright
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 by ZyXEL Communications Corporation
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any part or as a whole, transcribed, stored
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electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, photocopying, manual, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of ZyXEL Communications Corporation.
Published by ZyXEL Communications Corporation. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
ZyXEL does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any products, or software
described herein. Neither does it convey any license under its patent rights nor the patents rights of
others. ZyXEL further reserves the right to make changes in any products described herein without
notice. This publication is subject to change without notice.
Trademarks
Trademarks mentioned in this publication are used for identification purposes only and may be
properties of their respective owners.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
ZyXEL Limited Warranty iii
ZyXEL Limited Warranty
ZyXEL warrants to the original end user (purchaser) that this product is free from any defects in
materials or workmanship for a period of up to two (2) years from the date of purchase. During the
warranty period and upon proof of purchase, should the product have indications of failure due to
faulty workmanship and/or materials, ZyXEL will, at its discretion, repair or replace the defective
products or components without charge for either parts or labor and to whatever extent it shall deem
necessary to restore the product or components to proper operating condition. Any replacement will
consist of a new or re-manufactured functionally equivalent product of equal value, and will be solely
at the discretion of ZyXEL. This warranty shall not apply if the product is modified, misused,
tampered with, damaged by an act of God, or subjected to abnormal working conditions.
Note
Repair or replacement, as provided under this warranty, is the exclusive remedy of the purchaser. This
warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranty of
merchantability or fitness for a particular use or purpose. ZyXEL shall in no event be held liable for
indirect or consequential damages of any kind of character to the purchaser.
To obtain the services of this warranty, contact ZyXEL's Service Center for your Return Material
Authorization number (RMA). Products must be returned Postage Prepaid. It is recommended that the
unit be insured when shipped. Any returned products without proof of purchase or those with an out-
dated warranty will be repaired or replaced (at the discretion of ZyXEL) and the customer will be
billed for parts and labor. All repaired or replaced products will be shipped by ZyXEL to the
corresponding return address, Postage Paid. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you
may also have other rights that vary from country to country.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
iv Interference Statements and Warnings
Interference Statements and Warnings
FCC Interference Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference.
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operations.
FCC Warning
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 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 his own expense.
CE Mark 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.
Taiwanese BCIQ A Warning
Certifications
1. Go to www.zyxel.com
2. Select your product from the drop-down list box on the ZyXEL home page to go to that product's
page.
Select the certification you wish to view from this page.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Customer Support v
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Communications Corporation offices worldwide, in one of the following ways:
Contacting Customer Support
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•Product model and serial number
•Warranty information
•Date that you received your product.
•Brief description of the problem and the steps you took to solve it.
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Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
vi Customer Support
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Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Table of Contents vii
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Getting to Know the Switch.................................................................................................1-1
1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1-1
1.2 Features .............................................................................................................................................. 1-2
1.3 Package Contents ............................................................................................................................... 1-3
1.4 Gigabit Switch Network Applications................................................................................................ 1-3
Chapter 2 Hardware Description and Installation.................................................................................2-1
2.1 Desktop Installation............................................................................................................................ 2-1
2.2 Rack-mounted Installation.................................................................................................................. 2-2
2.3 Rear Panel .......................................................................................................................................... 2-3
2.4 Front Panel ......................................................................................................................................... 2-3
Chapter 3 Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................3-1
3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 3-1
3.2 Improper Network Cabling and Topology ......................................................................................... 3-2

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
List of Figures/Tables ix
List of Figures
Figure 1-1 GS-1116A ...........................................................................................................................1-1
Figure 1-2 GS-1124A ...........................................................................................................................1-1
Figure 1-3 Gigabit Switch for Server Farm ..........................................................................................1-4
Figure 1-4 Gigabit Switch for Super User Work Groups .....................................................................1-5
Figure 2-1 Attaching Rubber Feet ........................................................................................................2-1
Figure 2-2 Attaching Mounting Brackets and Screws..........................................................................2-2
Figure 2-3 Switch Mounting to an EIA Standard 19-inch Rack...........................................................2-2
Figure 2-4 Switch Rear Panel ...............................................................................................................2-3
Figure 2-5 GS-1116A Front Panel........................................................................................................2-3
Figure 2-6 GS-1124A Front Panel........................................................................................................2-3
Figure 2-7 Transceiver Installation Procedure......................................................................................2-5
Figure 2-8 Transceiver Removal Example ...........................................................................................2-6
Figure 2-11 GS-1116A Front Panel LEDs ...........................................................................................2-7
Figure 2-12 GS-1124A Front Panel LEDs ...........................................................................................2-7
List of Tables
Table 2-1 GS-1116A/GS-1124A: Front Panel Ports ............................................................................2-3
Table 2-2 Network Cable Types...........................................................................................................2-7
Table 2-3 Front Panel LED Descriptions .............................................................................................2-7
Table 3-1 Troubleshooting PWR LED .................................................................................................3-1
Table 3-2 Troubleshooting LNK/ACT LED ........................................................................................3-1
Table 3-3 Troubleshooting 1000 LEDs ................................................................................................3-1
Table 3-4 Troubleshooting Improper Network Cabling and Topology................................................3-2

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
x Preface
Preface
Congratulations on your purchase of the Dimension GS-1116A or GS-1124A unmanaged 16 or 24
port Gigabit switch with 2 mini-GBIC ports.
This preface introduces you to the Dimension GS-1116A and GS-1124A and discusses the
organization and conventions of this User’s Guide. It also provides information on other related
documentation.
About Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet is a 1Gbps (1000Mbps) extension of the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet networking standard.
Its primary applications are in corporate LANs, campus networks and service provider networks where
it can be used to tie together existing 100Mbps Ethernet networks.
About the Dimension GS-1116A and GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
The GS-1116A or GS-1124A is designed to improve your network performance with high-speed data
transmission over copper wire. The GS-1116A or GS-1124A provides an ideal upgrade path for
existing Ethernet-based networks that need more bandwidth. It can be installed as a backbone network
while retaining existing investments in Ethernet hubs, switches and wiring infrastructure.
General Syntax Conventions
For brevity’s sake, we will use “e.g.” as shorthand for “for instance”, and “i.e.” as shorthand for “that
is” or “in other words” throughout this manual.
The Dimension GS-1116A or GS-1124A unmanaged 16 or 24 port gigabit switch with 2 mini-GBIC
Ports may be referred to as “the switch” in this manual except where we refer to a specific switch.
Related Documentation
ZyXEL Web Site
The ZyXEL download library at www.zyxel.com contains additional support documentation and an
online glossary of networking terms.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Getting to Know the GS1116A/GS-1124A 1-1
Chapter 1
Getting to Know the Switch
This chapter describes the key features, benefits and applications of the switch.
1.1 Introduction
The switch is designed for the campus or building environment as a high bandwidth backbone. The
GS-1116A has 16 100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 ports. The GS-1124A has twenty-four 100/1000 Mbps RJ-45
ports. You can connect the switch to existing Ethernet routers, switches or hubs without additional
expensive wiring or equipment installation.
Figure 1-1 GS-1116A
Figure 1-2 GS-1124A
Gigabit Ethernet over copper technology is a cost effective way of upgrading network equipment
from fast Ethernet to Gigabit speed by using standard 4-pair Category 5 copper cabling. The Mini
GBIC slots allow for fiber optic high-speed backbone connections.
Both ports 15 and 16 in the GS-1116A (or 23 and 24 in the GS-1124A) support 3.3V Mini GBIC.
The GBIC port auto detects between Giga copper and Mini GBIC. The Mini GBIC module is
optional. When the Mini GBIC module is not installed, these act as Giga copper connections.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
1-2 Getting to Know the GS1116A/GS-1124A
The switch is an ideal solution for solving traffic block at the core of the network. It offers auto-
negotiation 100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet ports that can significantly improve your network
backbone performance.
1.2 Features
•Conforms to IEEE 802.3 10Base-T, IEEE 802.3u 100Base-TX, IEEE 802.3z Gigabit fiber and
IEEE 802.3ab 1000Base-T standards.
•IEEE 802.1p supports two priority queues for outgoing traffic helping improving network
efficiency and performance.
•Auto-negotiating 100/1000Mbps Ethernet RJ-45 ports.
•Automatic MDI/MDIX supported.
•Switching fabric of 32Gbps in the GS-1116A and 48Gbps in the GS-1124A.
•N-way Auto-negotiation supported.
•Embedded 8K MAC address table providing 8000 MAC address entries.
•Two 3.3V Mini GBIC ports for Gigabit fiber transceiver.
•Two Gigabit copper ports.
•Supports auto address learning.
•Supports store-and-forwarding switching architecture for abnormal packet filtering.
•Back-Pressure-Base flow control on Half-duplex mode Ethernet ports.
•Pause-Frame-Base flow control on Full-duplex mode Ethernet ports.
•No-Blocking full wire speed architecture.
•One fan for good ventilation and to increase system heat sink performance.
•Power, 1000 and LNK/ACT LEDs.
•Standard 19-inch rack mount design
1.2.1 IEEE 802.1p Class of Service
The IEEE 802.1p Class of Service (CoS) provides two queues for high and low priority traffic. This
improves network efficiency and performance by giving higher priority to outgoing traffic. The lower
queue has a priority value in the range of zero to three and the higher queue has a priority value in the
range of four to seven.
)When the Mini GBIC module is installed, the Mini GBIC (Giga fiber) port
has higher priority than Giga copper port. When the Mini GBIC port is
connected, the Giga copper port is disabled.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Getting to Know the GS1116A/GS-1124A 1-3
1.3 Package Contents
Compare the contents of your GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch package with the checklist
below. If any item is missing or damaged, please contact your local dealer.
•GS-1116A or GS-1124A Gigabit switch
•Power cord
•Quick Start Guide
•This User’s Guide in CD-ROM format.
•Four rubber feet
•Rack mount brackets
1.4 Gigabit Switch Network Applications
This section provides a sample of network topologies in which the Gigabit switch functions as a high-
bandwidth backbone switch for a server farm or as a high-bandwidth backbone switch for a super user
workgroup. The switch is an ideal upgrade for 100Mbps Ethernet networks. You can connect existing
switches, hubs or computers with Gigabit 1000Base-T Ethernet adapters to the switch.
1.4.1 Gigabit Switch for Server Farm
The following figure depicts the GS-1124A (Z) connected to a computer network (via switches A, B
and C) and a server farm (via Gigabit switch G). For enterprise networks where large data broadcasts
are constantly processed, this switch is suitable for connecting departmental switches to the core
Gigabit switch through a number of servers. Connecting servers to the core Gigabit switch allows
each end station to rapidly access the server’s data and to smoothly communicate with all the devices
in the network.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
1-4 Getting to Know the GS1116A/GS-1124A
Figure 1-3 Gigabit Switch for Server Farm
1.4.2 Gigabit Switch for “Super User” Work Groups
You can use the GS-1116A or the GS-1124A to connect servers, switches, workstations and
computers (the Gigabit 1000Base-T NIC must be installed onto the computer) to each other.
The following figure depicts a typical backbone application of the switch in an enterprise
environment. The “Normal User” workgroup (A, B, C) is connected to a switch via a 10/100Mbps
and the “Super User” workgroup (D, E, F) is connected to a Gigabit switch (G). This enables the two
networks to communicate with each other, prioritizing the “Super User” network with higher
connection speeds though a Gigabit switch.
The “Normal User” workgroup runs applications that are not time sensitive and do not require large
amounts of bandwidth, such as Internet browsing and e-mail.
The “Super User” workgroup runs bandwidth-hungry applications like large FTP file transfers and
real time applications such as video conferencing.
The switch automatically learns node addresses, which are subsequently used to filter and forward all
traffic based on the destination address. You can use the Mini GBIC slots to connect with a fiber optic

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Getting to Know the GS1116A/GS-1124A 1-5
network that extends your Ethernet network and to separate “Normal User” and “Super User”
networks.
Figure 1-4 Gigabit Switch for Super User Work Groups

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Hardware Description and Installation 2-1
Chapter 2
Hardware Description and Installation
This section discusses switch installations, hardware and functional overview.
The switch is suited to an office environment where it can be rack mounted on standard EIA racks or
placed as a standalone switch on a desktop.
)For proper ventilation, allow at least 4 inches (10 cm) of clearance at
the front, 3.4 inches (8 cm) at the back of the switch. This is especially
important for enclosed rack installations.
2.1 Desktop Installation
1. Set the switch upside-down on a study level space with a power outlet nearby.
2. Make sure there is enough clearance around the switch to allow air circulation and the attachment
of cables and the power cord.
3. Remove the adhesive backing from the supplied rubber feet.
4. Attach the rubber feet to each corner on the bottom of the switch. These rubber feet help protect
the switch from shock or vibration and ensure space between devices when stacking.
5. Turn the switch right side up after you attach the rubber feet.
Figure 2-1 Attaching Rubber Feet
)Do not block the ventilation holes. Leave space between switches
when stacking.

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
2-2 Hardware Description and Installation
2.2 Rack-mounted Installation
The switch can be mounted on an EIA standard size, 19-inch rack or in a wiring closet with other
equipment. Follow the steps below to mount your switch on a standard EIA rack using the included
rack-mounting kit.
1. Align one bracket with the holes on one side of the switch and secure it with the bracket screws.
Similarly, attach the other bracket.
Figure 2-2 Attaching Mounting Brackets and Screws
2. After attaching both mounting brackets, position the switch in the rack by lining up the holes in the
brackets with the appropriate holes on the rack. Secure the switch to the rack with the rack’s
mounting screws.
Figure 2-3 Switch Mounting to an EIA Standard 19-inch Rack

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
Hardware Description and Installation 2-3
2.3 Rear Panel
The ventilation fan and three-pronged power receptacle are located on the rear panel of the switch.
Figure 2-4 Switch Rear Panel
2.3.1 Rear Panel Power Connection
Connect one end of the supplied power cord to the power receptacle on the back of the switch and the
other end to the 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz power source. Push the power switch to the ON position.
2.4 Front Panel
The following graphics show the front panels of the GS-1116A and the GS-1124A.
Figure 2-5 GS-1116A Front Panel
Figure 2-6 GS-1124A Front Panel
Table 2-1 GS-1116A/GS-1124A: Front Panel Ports
CONNECTOR DESCRIPTION
RJ-45 ports Connect these 100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 Ethernet ports to computers, hubs, Ethernet
switches or routers.
Mini GBIC ports Use mini GBIC transceivers in these ports for fiber-optical connections to
backbone Ethernet switches.
2.4.1 100/1000Mbps RJ-45 Auto-negotiating Ports
The GS-1116A has 16 100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 ports. The GS-1124A has twenty-four 100/1000 Mbps
RJ-45 ports. The auto-negotiation feature allows the switches to detect the speed of incoming
transmission and adjust appropriately without manual intervention. It allows data transfers of either
•100Mbps in half-duplex mode

Dimension GS-1116A/GS-1124A Gigabit Switch
2-4 Hardware Description and Installation
•100Mbps or 1000Mbps in full-duplex mode depending on your Ethernet network.
2.4.2 Auto-sensing (Auto MDI/MDIX) Ports
You can connect each RJ-45 auto-sensing port to a computer, hub or switch using either a straight
through or a crossover Ethernet cable.
2.4.3 Mini GBIC Slots
These are slots for Mini GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter) transceivers. A transceiver is a single
unit that houses a transmitter and a receiver. The switch does not come with transceivers. You must
use transceivers that comply with the Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) Transceiver MultiSource
Agreement (MSA). See the SFF committee’s INF-8074i specification Rev 1.0 for details.
You can change transceivers while the switch is operating. You can use different transceivers to
connect to Ethernet switches with different types of fiber-optic connectors.
)To avoid possible eye injury, do not look into an operating fiber-optic
module’s connectors.
•Type: SFP connection interface
•Connection speed: 1 gigabit per second (Gbps)
Transceiver Installation
Use the following steps to install a mini GBIC transceiver (SFP module).
1. Insert the transceiver into the slot with the exposed section of PCB board facing down.
2. Press the transceiver firmly until it clicks into place.
3. The switch automatically detects the installed transceiver. Check the LEDs to verify that it is
functioning properly.