Accton Technology EtherHub-16 User Manual

EtherHub-16 Quick Start Guide

Smart Ethernet Hub with 16 RJ-45 Ports and 2 AUI/BNC Ports

This 10 Mbps Ethernet hub includes 16 RJ-45 ports on the front panel, and 2 AUI/BNC ports on
the rear panel. This hub can be operated in a stand-alone configuration, cascaded to other hubs,
or linked to one or more AUI/BNC backbones. This hub is suitable for desktop or rack-mount
installation, and supports full-range power input. The EtherHub-16 conforms to the IEEE 802.3
standard for local area networks based on CSMA/CD, and provides10BASE-T, 10BASE2 and
10BASE5 repeater functions including:

• Signal amplification and retiming

• Preamble regeneration and fragment extension

• Automatic port partition and reconnection

Hardware Installation

The EtherHub-16 has 16 RJ-45 ports, of which Port 16 can serve as either a standard port or a
daisy-chain port. It also has two AUI/BNC ports. Use twisted-pair cable (100W STP or UTP) to
connect any standard RJ-45 (MDI-X) port to a server/workstation, or to connect the RJ-45 daisy­chain port (i.e., Port 16MDI ) to another compatible hub or switch. You can also attach up to two
Ethernet LAN backbones by connecting thin coaxial cable to a BNC port or connecting thick
coaxial cable to an AUI port.

Making RJ-45 Connections

1. Prepare straight-through twisted-pair cable (100W) with RJ-45 plugs at both ends. The
length of each cable should not exceed 100 meters (328 feet).

Do not plug a phone jack connector into any RJ-45 port. This may damage the hub. Instead,

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use only twisted-pair cables with RJ-45 connectors that conform with FCC standards.

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EtherHub-16 Quick Start Guide

2. If you are making a connection to an end-node device (e.g., a PC or server), be sure that it has
a properly installed 10BASE-T network interface card. Attach one end of a straight-through
twisted-pair cable to an standard port (Port 1 ~ 16MDI-X) on the hub and the other end to the

RJ-45 port of the device’s network interface card. When inserting an RJ-45 plug, be sure the
tab on the plug clicks into position, to ensure that it is properly seated. Using the hub in a
stand-alone configuration, you can network up to 16 workstations.

3. Port 16MDI can be connected to a networking device such as a another compatible hub or a
switch. Run straight-through cable from Port 16MDI on this hub to a standard (

MDI-X) port

on the other device. (When attaching the hub to a bridge or router, verify the port type
implemented on these devices before connecting any cabling.)

Note: If necessary, you may also cascade from the MDI port on another device to the MDI-X on
this hub. Limit the number of hubs cascaded together is four, and be sure you do not create
any loops in your network connections.

Connecting to an Ethernet Backbone

Thin Ethernet - Plug the BNC T-type connector into a BNC port on the hub, and use this port to

connect the hub to a 10BASE2 thin Ethernet trunk. If the unit is at the terminal end of a trunk
segment, then connect a 50-ohm (Ω) terminator to the open end of the “T” connector. If the BNC
port has no connection, plug in the T-type connector and lock both ends with a 50 Ω terminator.

Thick Ethernet - Attach an AUI to 10BASE5 transceiver to the thick Ethernet trunk, and then run

an AUI drop cable (with 15-pin D-type connectors on both ends) between an AUI port of the hub
and the transceiver. Note that the maximum length of an AUI drop cable is 50 meters (164 feet).

Fiber Optic - If you plan to use an AUI port for connecting fiber optic cable, attach a fiber optic

transceiver (MAU) to an AUI port, and then connect the transceiver to the fiber optic backbone.
To specify the port types used on the rear panel, position the switches as indicated below:

Port 2 Port 1 Switch

Also note that if your transceiver provides an SQE

BNC BNC

BNC AUI

AUI BNC

AUI AUI

ON

ON

ON

ON

2 3 4 1

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

F

(Signal Quality Error) test, then it must be disabled.

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EtherHub-16 Quick Start Guide

Providing Power to the Hub

1. Power on the hub by plugging the power cord into the power socket at the rear of the hub,
and the other end into a power outlet.

2. Check the LED marked Power on the front panel to see if it is on. The unit automatically
selects a setting tha t matches the conne ct ed input v olta g e . T he re fore, no additional adjustme nts
are necessary when connecting to any input voltage in the range marked on the rear panel.

System Configuration

The EtherHub-16 provides standard RJ-45 ports for attaching end-node devices such as a
workstation or server, a daisy-chain port for cascading to another hub or switch, BNC ports for
attaching a thin Ethernet backbone, and an AUI port for attaching a thick Ethernet backbone or a
fiber optic link (via the appropriate transceiver). The following figure illustrates some of the
possible network configurations and cabling restrictions that apply to this hub.

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