Accton Technology 100BASE-TX, 10BASE-T User Manual

SwitcHub-2s

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Installation Manual

SwitcHub-2s

2-Port Ethernet Switching Hub

for 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX

Copyright (c) 1996 by Accton Technology Corporation. All rights reserved.

No part of this document may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means without the
prior written consent of Accton Technology Corporation.

Accton makes no warranties with respect to this documentation and disclaims any implied
warranties of merchantability, quality, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information in this
document is subject to change without notice. Accton reserves the right to make revisions to this
publication without obligation to notify any person or entity of any such changes.

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No. 1 Creation Road III,
Science-based Industrial Park
Hsinchu 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
BBS: 886-35-770-654
Internet: [e-mail]

Accton and SwitcHub are trademarks or registered trademarks of Accton Technology Corporation.
Other trademarks or brand names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies.

EH3001
E0496-R03
150652-101

86$+HDGTXDUWHUV

1962 Zanker Road
San Jose, CA 95112
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
BBS: 408-452-8828
FAST FAX: [phone]

About this Guide

This guide is designed for the experienced network installer. It describes how
to install and operate Accton’s Fast SwitcHub-2s Ethernet switch. After reading
this manual, you should be able to use the front display panel and configure
options to manage all your network connections.

This manual covers the following topics:

ì Product description, summary of important features and specifications
ì Brief description of the SwitcHub-2s
ì Description of significant components of the unit including LED indicators,

ports and buttons

ì System setup and configuration

About this Guide i

Package Contents

Carefully unpack the contents of the package and verify them against the checklist
given below.

Package Checklist

æ SwitcHub-2s (Model No. EH3001-TX)
æ AC power cord
æ Installation manual
æ Owner registration card

Please inform your dealer immediately should there be any wrong, missing, or
damaged parts.

If possible, retain the carton, including the original packing materials. Use
them again to repack the unit in case there is a need to return it for repair.

To qualify for product updates and product warranty registration, fill in the

Owner Registration Card and return it to Accton Technology Corporation.

Package Contents iii

Quick Installation

The SwitcHub-2s contains 2 Ethernet ports, each of which supports 100BASE-TX
or 10BASE-T connections, operating at full or half-duplex. The smart design
built into the front display panel and configure options, provides a friendly
interface that simplifies installation and network troubleshooting. If you are
already familiar with basic network operations, you should be able to install this
switch as described below:

1. Unpack the SwitcHub-2s.

2. Find a location close to the network devices you need to connect, and within

easy reach of an electrical outlet.

3. Connect workstations or servers to the MDI-X station ports.

4. Connect to other hubs via the MDI port.

5. Set the transmission mode for each port to full or half-duplex.

6. Verify network communications by ensuring that -

• you have made all the necessary connections

• you can access any connected resources

• the hub’s indicator LEDs are functioning properly

Note: For devices connected directly to either port on the switch, it will

automatically detect transmission speed (10/100 Mbps). However, unless
the connected devices are operating at half-duplex (i.e., system default), you
will have to manually set the transmission mode via the configure button.
(Refer to Full/Half Duplex Mode Selection in Chapter 2).

If you encounter any problem s in installing the SwitcHub-2s, refer to Chapter 3 for
a detailed description of installation procedures, or to Appendix A for help in
troubleshooting.

Quick Installation v

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction...........................................................1-1

Switching Technology...............................................................................................1-1

Accton’s Smart Extender (The Fast SwitcHub-2s)....................................................1-2

Features of the Fast SwitcHub-2s..............................................................................1-4

Chapter 2: Hardware Description ..........................................2-1

Front Panel ...............................................................................................................2-1

Configure Button..................................................................................................2-2

SmartWatch LED Panel........................................................................................2-3

Power..............................................................................................................2-3

Statistical Display for System Performance....................................................2-4

Setting the Communication Mode ..................................................................2-6

Diagnostics Display Mode..............................................................................2-7

Port Status Display..........................................................................................2-8

Rear Panel ...............................................................................................................2-10

Ethernet Ports.......................................................................................................2-10

Power Socket........................................................................................................2-10

Chapter 3: Setup and Configuration......................................3-1

Pre-Installation Requirements ...................................................................................3-1

Connecting the Hub System......................................................................................3-2

Server/Workstation Connection............................................................................3-2

Daisy-Chain Connection.......................................................................................3-3

Providing Power to the SwitcHub.............................................................................3-4

Diagnostic Tests........................................................................................................3-4

vii

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

Setting the Display Mode..........................................................................................3-5

Selections Available.............................................................................................3-6

Bandwidth Utilization.....................................................................................3-6

Packet Forwarding Ratio.................................................................................3-6

Packet Filtering Ratio .....................................................................................3-6

Collision Ratio................................................................................................3-6

Full/Half Duplex Mode Selection...................................................................3-7

Diagnostic Function........................................................................................3-7

Verifying Port Status.................................................................................................3-8

Verifying System Operation......................................................................................3-8

Appendix A: Troubleshooting................................................A-1

Diagnosing Hub Indicators........................................................................................A-1

System Diagnostics ...................................................................................................A-2

Installation............................................................................................................A-2

Configuration........................................................................................................A-2

Hub Integrity ........................................................................................................A-3

Ap p e ndix B: Port and Cable Assignm e nts.............................B-1

RJ-45 Port ...............................................................................................................B-1

Appendix C: Specifications....................................................C-1

Product Specifications...............................................................................................C-1

Appendix D: Regulatory Standards Compliance.................. D-1

EMI Warning ............................................................................................................D-1

FCC Class B Certification....................................................................................D-1

Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI-2).........................................D-3

EN55022 Declaration of Conformance ................................................................D-3

Safety Compliance.....................................................................................................D-4

Underwriters Laboratories Compliance Statement...............................................D-4

Sicherheitshinweise..............................................................................................D-5

viii Contents

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

Appendix E: Product Support Services ................................ E-1

Product Registration..................................................................................................E-1

Problem Report .........................................................................................................E-1

Hardware Repair Service...........................................................................................E-1

Software Update and Upgrade Service......................................................................E-2

Bulletin Board Service (BBS) ...................................................................................E-2

Interactive Fast Fax (U.S.A. office) ..........................................................................E-2

Technical Support .....................................................................................................E-3

Limited Warranty......................................................................................................E-4

Customer Remedies..............................................................................................E-4

Return Process......................................................................................................E-5

Accton Distributors ...................................................................................................E-6

Ordering Information ................................................................................................E-6

Glossary
Index

List of Figures

Figure 2.1 The SwitcHub-2s Front Panel ................................................................2-1

Figure 2.2 SmartWatch LED Panel .........................................................................2-3

Figure 2.3 The SwitcHub-2s Rear Panel .................................................................2-10

Figure B-1 RJ-45 Connector (on the Hub Side) .......................................................B-1

List of Tables

Table B-1 RJ-45 Pin Assignments............................................................................B-1

Contents ix

Chapter 1: Introduction

Switching Technology

The Ethernet Switch allows simultaneous transmission of multiple packets via
an internal high-speed data channel. This means that it can partition a network
more efficiently than bridges or routers in most environments. The Ethernet
Switch is therefore fast being recognized as one of the most important building
blocks for today’s networking technology.

The learning function in the switching hub stores the address and
corresponding port number of each incoming and outgoing packet in a routing
table. This information is subsequently used to filter packets whose destination
address is on the same segment as the source address. This confines network
traffic to its respective domain, reducing the overall load on the network.

The switch scans the destination address from the packet header, searches the
routing table provided for the incoming port and forwards the packet only if
required, often before fully received. This fast forwarding makes the switch
attractive for connecting servers directly to the network, thereby increasing
throughput and availability. However, the switch is most commonly used to
segment existing hubs, which nearly always improves overall performance. A
switching hub can be easily configured in any Ethernet network to significantly
boost bandwidth using conventional cabling and adapters.

1-1

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

Accton’s Smart Extender (The Fast SwitcHub-2s)

Accton’s Smart Extender can boost network bandwidth fourfold, depending on
your configuration (i.e., if running at 100Mbps and full-duplex operation for
both ports). It provides two 10/100 Mbps RJ-45 ports (set at full or half-duplex)
to connect to either a subnetwork, or directly to a server or key workstation. In
addition to partitioning an overloaded network, it provides connection between
legacy 10BASE-T networks and the newer generation 100BASE-TX, and can
be configured to operate in either full-duplex or half-duplex data transfer mode
to support the interconnection requirements of other high-speed devices.

This switching hub performs "on-the-fly" cut-through switching, which sends a
packet to the other port according to the destination address scanned from the
packet header. This technique reduces the latency of packet transmission to 20
microseconds or less. Compared to approximately 800 microseconds for a
bridge or 1800 microseconds for a router, both of which have to store the entire
packet before the it can be forwarded, the SwitcHub can deliver a quantum
improvement in your network’s performance.

As a device functioning on the media access control (MAC) layer, the
SwitcHub is protocol independent, and therefore compatible with IEEE802.3,
IEEE802.3u, TCP/IP, NetWare, DECnet and XNS protocols. Accton’s Smart
Extender can be configured as a 2-port bridge for a 10BASE-T environment; it
can provide a connection between conventional 10BASE-T and high-speed
100BASE-TX networks; or can serve as a 2-port bridge in a 100BASE-TX
environment. Moreover, where traditional 100BASE-TX networks restrict the
maximum distance between end-nodes to 205 meters, the Smart Extender
breaks down this barrier. By breaking your network into smaller and more
manageable segments, each linked to the larger network with a switch, the
maximum distance for communications between end-nodes is unlimited.

1-2 Introduction

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

Traditional bridges and routers use a switching method called store-and­forward in which the entire frame must be received before the bridge can

perform a table look-up for the destination node and forward the packet to the
corresponding port. As a result, each packet is delayed by approximately 800
microseconds. It may be necessary to use store-and-forward when a lot data
errors are occurring over the network, or when connecting to very slow devices.

Compared to this “safe” mode of operation, cut-through reduces the packet
transmission delay to around 20 microseconds by picking the destination
address out of the header as soon as its received, and directing the frame to the
appropriate port long before the full packet has been received. The remaining
technique, employed to improve data reliability, is called fragment-free cut-
through. It uses a more conservative approach to cut-through that waits until
the collision window has elapsed (i.e., the first full 64 bytes has been received)
before processing the packet. This prevents runts from being passed along,
effectively cleaning up the data stream.

Although cut-though switching is recommended as the fastest method for most
applications, the other methods mentioned above are also supported by the
SwitcHub-2s to guarantee flawless performance. To ensure that you can
manage any kind of network load, the Smart Extender uses adaptive cut-
through switching based on Accton’s smart algorithm. This method
dynamically changes the way it handles data passing through the switch based
on the current error rate. These switching alternatives start at standard cut­through for a clean data environment, change to fragment-free cut-through for a
moderate error rate, and then progress to store-and-forward for a highly
contentious environment. By using this method, the SwitcHub-2s delivers the
best networking performance under any environment.

Introduction 1-3

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

Features of the Fast SwitcHub-2s

• Conforms to the IEEE 802.3 and IEEE 802.3u specifications, as well as

10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX standards

• Provides two independent RJ-45 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX Ethernet station

ports, where each logical port consists of 1 MDI port (for connection to hubs

or switches) and 1 MDI-X port (for connection to workstations or servers),

eliminating the need for crossover cables

• Both ports support full-duplex and half-duplex operation

• Total bandwidth of up to 200 Mbps (when full-duplex mode is used)

• Auto-senses transmission speed (10/100 Mbps)

• Uses adaptive cut-through switching (which dynamically changes among

standard cut-through, fragment free cut-through, and store-and-forward

depending on the error rate)

• Uses back pressure to eliminate frame loss by "blocking" traffic from end

stations or segments connected directly to the switch when its buffers fill

• Minimum latency of packet transmission (leading edge to leading edge) less

than 20 microseconds when using cut-through switching

• Uses "on the fly" cut-through technique to transport packets

• Transparent bridging function supported

• Address learning function to build the routing information database

• Operates at maximum packet filtering and forwarding rate

1-4 Introduction

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

• Provides frame filtering and forwarding functions for each port, which are

capable of filtering and forwarding 100% of all Ethernet packets at line

speed

• Provides a 160K byte buffer per port

• Routing table contains 4K entries per port to store node MAC addresses

• Uses fast hashing scheme to retrieve information from routing table when

making routing decisions

• An indicator panel for configuring the system or monitoring the overall

condition of the switch, including utilization, forwarding and collision rates

Introduction 1-5

Chapter 2: Hardware Description

Accton’s SwitcHub-2s is a highly reliable network switch that complies with
IEEE 802.3 (10BASE-T) and IEEE 802.3u (100BASE-TX) specifications.
This switching hub delivers superior performance compared to the bridge and
router solution, and at a much lower cost. By confining local traffic to the
originating segment, and only forwarding cross-segment traffic to the other
port, this hub meets the requirements for Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 networks.

This chapter describes the hardware features of Accton’s SwitcHub-2s. For
easier management and control of the hub, familiarize yourself with the display
indicators, ports and configure button. Front and rear panel illustrations in this
chapter display the unit’s LED indicators, configure button and ports. Before
connecting any network device to the hub, read this chapter carefully.

Front Panel

The unit’s front panel provides a simple interface for configuring or monitoring
the switching hub. It includes a configure button, power indicator, display
mode indicators, port status indicators, and a statistical display for network
traffic as shown below.

Figure 2.1 The SwitcHub-2s Front Panel

2-1

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

Configure Button

The Configure button is located on the left front panel. This button is used to
select the following configuration functions:

• System Performance (displays relative bandwidth utilization rate, forwarding

ratio, filtering ratio, and collision ratio for each port)

• Full/Half Duplex (sets port communication mode to full-duplex or half-

duplex operations)

• Diagnostics (tests the status of various system components)

To set system performance or diagnostic mode

1. To start configuration use a "long press" on the Configure button. The

indicators will light up to show the selected configuration function. (Refer

to the related sections in this chapter and in Chapter 3 for complete details.)

2. To scan through the configuration functions use a "short press" on th e

Configure button. (For information on how to select Full/Half duplex

communications, refer to Chapter 3.)

3. To accept and implement the current settings use a "long press" on the

Configure button.

"Long press" means pressing the Configure button for more than 2 seconds and

F

then releasing it. While "Short press" means pressing the Configure button and
immediately releasing it. Also, note that if this button is not pressed within 10
seconds, the system returns to normal operation.

2-2 Hardware Description

–

SwitcHub-2s User’s Guide

SmartWatch LED Panel

The comprehensive LED array on the front panel (1) shows if the unit is
receiving power, (2) indicates the current display mode, (3) displays network
performance for each port, (4) indicates the status of port connections, and (5)
shows the result of diagnostic tests. The following figure shows the LED
indicators, each of which are described in the following sectio ns .

Power

Display Mode Performance Indicators Port Status

Figure 2.2 SmartWatch LED Panel

Power

Color: Green
Label:
Function: Power indicator

LED Activity Condition Indication

STEADY LIGHT ON Unit is receiving power, CPU is running.
NO LIGHT OFF Power is disconnected, no power received.

Power

Hardware Description 2-3