3COM OfficeConnect Hubs and Switches User Manual

OfficeConnect

®

OfficeConnect

®

OfficeConnect®Hubs & Switches

Networks designed for the small business

3Com OfficeConnect hubs and
switches provide integrated,
low-cost, easy to implement
networking solutions for small
businesses, branch offices, and
home offices.

data sheet

Key Benefits

Easy to install and use. Simply
plug your PC network cables into
the hub or switch ports.

Diagnostic and Alert LEDs.

Provides at a glance indication
of network health.

Compact design. Unique form
factor and small size saves
valuable space in small offices.

Stacking clips. Allows
convenient expandability
and secure stacking of up
to four OfficeConnect units.

Year 2000 compliant.

All OfficeConnect hubs and
switches are ready for the
year 2000 conversion.

Lifetime limited warranty.

Guarantees OfficeConnect
hubs and switches, including
the power adapter, for life.

3Com OfficeConnect®hubs and
switches are designed to take the
worry out of building and running
a network for small business,
branch office, and home office
environments. The O fficeConnect
family, which includes hubs,
switches, and remote access products,
provides networking capabilities for
sharing computer and information
resources, high-speed access to the
Internet, and remote and enterprise
connectivity for branch offices
connecting to the central corporate
site.

Simplicity distinguishes every
aspect of the OfficeConnect family.
Whether it’s fast installation, ease
of use and administration, space­saving design, expandability,
cost-effectiveness, or variety of port
options, OfficeConnect products
make network technology easy
and affordable.

The OfficeConnect products clip
together in a space-saving stack
of up to 4 units, neatly fitting into
offices where space is at a premium.
All OfficeConnect products work
together in an integrated system
that combines simplicity, advanced
functionality, and performance—
all at a great price.

HHuu bb ss && SSww ii tt cc hh ee ss

Unmanaged and Managed Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and auto-sensing hubs and switches

OfficeConnect Hubs and Switches for Easy Networking

3Com leverages enterprise network
expertise for the design of the
OfficeConnect family of hubs and
switches. These reliable hubs provide
the central connection that enable
small businesses/offices to share
resources and save money. Compact
and easy to install, they come with a
range of features and functionalities to
meet the needs of any organization.

Full compatibility. OfficeConnect
units support Novell NetWare,
Microsoft Windows 95, Windows NT,
and other leading network operating
systems, giving you the widest range
of applications options and backward
compatibility with existing office
software.

Exclusive diagnostic LEDs. Full
suite of diagnostic LEDs, including
Alert LED, port status, and network
utilization LEDs.

Complete network control.

Transcend
Manager enables you to use the familiar
Windows interface to configure devices
and monitor the network.

(Switch 140M) Brings network
management to users who may have
previously considered device manage­ment too complex. Using 3Com’s
Web-enabled SmartAgent
authorized staff can manage the device
simply through the familiar interface
of a standard Web browser.

®

Quick Configuration

Web-based management.

®

software,

•

Innovative CoolCurvedesign.

Creates a self-ventilating network stack
that eliminates the need for cooling fans
and provides silent and reliable
operation on the desktop.

MDI/MDIX switch. All
OfficeConnect hubs and switches
feature an MDI/MDIX switch that
allows connection to a workstation or
other network device using off-the-shelf
straight-through cables.

Class B-certified. All OfficeConnect
hubs and switches are Class B-certified
for residential use.

Transcend Management (For OfficeConnect Hub 8/TPM
and OfficeConnect Switch 140M only)

Transcend Quick Configuration Manager software
is an easy-to-use, graphical local management
system that uses the familiar point-and-click Windows 95
interface, providing detailed monitoring and control of
network security. In addition, OfficeConnect units can
be managed as part of a larger corporate network via
SNMP by using the Transcend WorkGroup or Enterprise
Manager applications.

For effective network control,
Transcend Quick Configuration
Manager provides convenient,
easy-to-understand windowed
graphics and dialog boxes that
allow prompt analysis of network
conditions and rapid changes to
configuration information.

Technology Explained

Ethernet

Since its inception, Ethernet has
become the most popular topology in
local area networks. Based on the IEEE

802.3 standard, Ethernet has evolved
over the years and now supports a range
of media and significant enhancements
that the original standard never did.
The 10 Mbps available bandwidth can
be either shared across a number of
users using hubs or dedicated to work­stations using switched technology.

2

Fast Ethernet

Fast Ethernet was designed to deliver
higher levels of performance to band­width-intensive resources, such as
servers and high-performance users.
Fast Ethernet is based on the Ethernet
standard yet runs at 10 times the speed
(100 Mbps). It is now one of the most
popular high-speed technologies
because of its cost effectiveness,
stability, and compatibility with existing
Ethernet LAN environments. Fast
Ethernet runs over high grade cables,
such as Category 5 copper cable.

10/100 Mbps Ethernet/Fast Ethernet

This combines both conventional
10BASE-T and high-speed 100BASE­TX support in one device. You can
support Ethernet and Fast Ethernet
traffic, delivering higher bandwidth to
some users while maintaining the status
quo for those who are efficiently served
by 10 Mbps Ethernet. Plus with 10/100
Mbps auto-sensing functionality, there
is no need to configure individual ports.
The unit automatically senses the speed
of the connected end device (either 10
Mbps or 100 Mbps) and channels the
data through at the appropriate speed.
It is one of the most economical and
flexible ways to add bandwidth
immediately to congestion areas, while
maintaining the option for migrations
to higher bandwidth in the future.

Alert

PKTPWR

COLL

green + link OK, off = link fall, yellow = partition

Port Status

Network Utilization

1 COAX 1% 2% 3% 6% 12% 25% 50% 80%8765432

OfficeConnect Hubs and
Switches at a Glance

10BASE-T Coax

10BASE-T RJ-45

10BASE-T AUI

100BASE-TX

Ethernet/Fast Ethernet ports

10/100 Mbps auto-sensing

half-duplex ports (switches only)

Autonegotiating full- and

Repeater

Class II Fast Ethernet

Transcend Management

Network Utilization (LED)

Web-based Management

Ethernet Hubs

OfficeConnect Hub TP4 4
OfficeConnect Hub TP4Combo 4 1 1 ●
OfficeConnect Hub 8/TPO 8
OfficeConnect Hub 8/TPC 8 1 ●
OfficeConnect Hub TP16C 16 1 ●
OfficeConnect Hub 8/TPM 8 1 ● ●

Fast Ethernet Hubs

OfficeConnect Hub TP400 4 ●
OfficeConnect Hub TP800 8 ● ●
OfficeConnect Hub TP1200 12 ● ●
OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hub 8 Up to 8 Up to 8 8 ●

Switches

OfficeConnect Switch 140 4 1
OfficeConnect Switch 280 8 2 2 All 10
OfficeConnect Switch 400 Up to 4 Up to 4 4 All 4
OfficeConnect Switch 140M 4 1 ● ●

HH uu bb ss && SS ww ii tt cc hh ee ss

OfficeConnect LED Indicators

Alert LED

(orange)
Alerts you to
excessive net­work use or
an isolated
(partitioned)
10BASE-T port
and 100BASE-TX
port.

Power LED

(green)
Indicates that
the power
supply to the
unit is present.

Packet LED

(OfficeConnect
Hub TP4, 8/TPO,
TP400 only)
(yellow)
Flashes each
time a packet
is received on
a port.

Collision LED

(yellow)
Flashes each
time a collision
is detected on
the network.
Collisions are
part of normal
network
operation.

Port Status LEDs (green/yellow)
Indicate the status of each port. If
green, the link between the port and
the next piece of network equipment
is functional. If nothing is connected,
the LED will be off. If yellow, the port
has partitioned due to a fault on that
segment. The coaxial port LED
(where applicable) can only be
yellow or off. It will be yellow if
the port has partitioned or when
the port is not terminated.

Network
Utilization LEDs

(green/yellow/
orange)
Indicate how much
your network is
being used.

As this front view of
the OfficeConnect Hub
8/TPC illustrates, each
OfficeConnect unit
offers a variety of LED
indicators, including
an Alert LED to allow
quick monitoring of hub
and network activity.
The Alert LED gives
users immediate
notification of
problems, such as
excessive network
use, without requiring
special technical
knowledge.

3