AMX NXA-ENET24 User Manual

Installation Guide

NXA-ENET24 Fast Ethernet Switch

For more detailed installation, configuration, programming, and operating
instructions, refer to the NXA-ENET24 Hardware Installation and Software
Management Guides available on-line at www.amx.com.

Overview

The NXA-ENET24 Fast Ethernet switch is specifically designed to protect the
video streams coming from AMX’s MAX units to the Audio Video Modules
(AVM). Standard switches will reduce bandwidth from all applications when there
is heavy data traffic passing through the switch. For streaming audio and video
applications this will cause skipping and jitter in the audio and video feeds. This
is unacceptable for AMX’s applications. As a result, AMX has designed the NXA­ENET24 to protect the A/V streams when heavy data traffic occurs. Bandwidth is
reduced from other applications such as file transfer, e-mail and web surfing only
when heavy data traffic events occur.

The NXA-ENET24 also provides a full range of features for Layer 2 switching. It
includes a management agent that allows you to configure the features listed in
the products manual. The default configuration can be used for most of the
features provided by this switch. However, there are many options that you could
configure to maximize the switch’s performance for your particular network
environment.

Description of Hardware

Physical Dimensions

The NXA-ENET24 Fast Ethernet switch measures 17.32 x 16.14 x 1.69 inches
(44.0 x 41.0 x 4.3 cm). (See FIG. 1)

FIG. 1 The NXA-ENET24 Fast Ethernet switch

10/100BASE-T Ports

The switch base unit contains 24 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX RJ-45 ports. All ports
support automatic MDI/MDI-X operation, so you can use straight-through cables
for all network connections to AVMs, Masters, or to other switches or hubs.

Each of these ports support auto-negotiation, so the optimum transmission
mode (half or full duplex), and data rate (10 or 100 Mbps) can be selected
automatically. If a device connected to one of these ports does not support auto­negotiation, the communication mode of that port can be configured manually.

Each port also supports IEEE 802.3x auto-negotiation of flow control, so the
switch can automatically prevent port buffers from becoming saturated.

1000BASE-T/SFP Ports

These are combination Gigabit RJ-45 ports with alternate Small Form Factor
Pluggable (SFP) transceiver slots. If an SFP transceiver (purchased separately)
is installed in a slot and has a valid link on the port, the associated RJ-45 port is
disabled.

The 1000BASE-T RJ-45 ports support automatic MDI/MDI-X operation, so you
can use straight-through cables for all network connections to MAX servers, or to
other switches or hubs.

Port and System Status LEDs

The LEDs, which are located on the front panel for easy viewing, are described
in the following tables.

Port Status LEDs

LED Condition Status

1~24
(Link/Act
Mode)

On/Flashing
Green

On/Flashing
Amber

Alternate Green/
Amber

Off There is no valid link on the port.

Port has established a valid 100 Mbps network
connection. Flashing indicates activity.

Port has established a valid 10 Mbps network con­nection. Flashing indicates activity.

Port has been disabled by the administrator.

Stack Master Button

The Stack Master button enables one switch in the stack to be selected as the
master. Seven other switches can be stacked together and they should be
placed in "Slave" mode. When operating in a stand-alone configuration the
switch should be in "Master" mode.

Power Supply Receptacle

The standard power receptacle is for the AC power cord. It is located on the rear
panel of the switch.

MAX A/V Network

The switch is an excellent choice for mixed AMX equipment such as the NXA­WAP 200 G wireless access points, AVMs, Breakout Boxes and MAX. You can
easily build on this basic configuration, adding direct full-duplex connections to
AVMs, Breakout Boxes and WAPs. When the time comes for further expansion,
just connect to another hub or switch via one of the switch’s Fast Ethernet or
Gigabit Ethernet ports.

The switch automatically identifies MAX streams to the AVMs so no
configuration is required by the installer.

Ports

Port

Number

Description

1 - 24 Ports 1 - 24 can be used to connect AMX’s Master, AVMs, Breakout

Boxes, WAP 200 Gs and/or other Ethernet based devices requiring 10
or 100 Mbps data throughput.

25 This port provides 10/100/1000 Mbps data throughput and can be

used to support MAX units or stacking other switches together.

26 This port provides 10/100/1000 Mbps data throughput and can be

used to support MAX units, or connections to the LAN/Internet.

Application Notes

1. Full-duplex operation only applies to point-to-point access (such as when a
switch is attached to a workstation, server or another switch). When the
switch is connected to a hub, both devices must operate in half-duplex
mode.

2. Avoid using flow control on a port connected to a hub unless it is actually
required to solve a problem. Otherwise back pressure jamming signals
may degrade overall performance for the segment attached to the hub.

3. As a general rule the length of fiber optic cable for a single switched link
should not exceed:

• 1000BASE-SX: 550 m (1805 ft) using multimode fiber

• 1000BASE-LX: 5 km (3.2 miles) using single-mode fiber

• 100BASE-LH: 70 km (43.5 miles) using single-mode fiber

However, power budget constraints must also be considered when calculating
the maximum cable length for your specific environment.

Installing the Switch

Selecting a Site

Switch units can be mounted in a standard 19-inch equipment rack or on a flat
surface. Be sure to follow the guidelines below when choosing a location.

The site should:

• be at the center of all the devices you want to link and near a power outlet.

• be able to maintain its temperature within 0 to 50 °C (32 to 122 °F), and its
humidity within 5% to 95%, non-condensing

• provide adequate space (approximately two inches) on all sides for proper
air flow

• be accessible for installing, cabling, and maintaining the devices

• allow the status LEDs to be clearly visible

Make sure that twisted-pair cable is always routed away from power lines,
fluorescent lighting fixtures and other sources of electrical interference, such as
radios and transmitters.

Make sure that the unit is connected to a separate grounded power outlet that:

• provides 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz

• is within 2.44 m (8 feet) of each device

• is powered from an independent circuit breaker

As with any equipment, using a filter or surge suppressor is recommended.

Ethernet Cabling

To ensure proper operation when installing the switch into a network, make
sure that the current cables are suitable for 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX or 1000
Base-T operation. Check the following criteria against the current installation of
your network:

• Cable type: Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) or shielded twisted pair (STP)
cables with RJ-45 connectors; Category 3 or better for 10BASE-T and
Category 5 or better for 100BASE-TX and 1000 Base-T.

• Protection from radio frequency interference emissions

• Electrical surge suppression

• Separation of electrical wires (switch related or other) and electromag­netic fields from data based network wiring

• Safe connections with no damaged cables, connectors or shields

Mounting

This switch can be mounted in a standard 19-inch equipment rack or on a
desktop or shelf. Mounting instructions for each type of site follow. Consult the
NXA-ENET24 Hardware Installation Guide, Installing The Switch for
information on installing the switch into a rack.

Desktop or Shelf Mounting

1. Attach the four adhesive feet to the bottom of the first switch.

2. Set the device on a flat surface near an AC power source, making sure
there are at least two inches of space on all sides for proper air flow.

3. If installing a single switch only, go to “Connecting to a Power Source” at
the end of this chapter.

4. If installing multiple switches, attach four adhesive feet to each one. Place
each device squarely on top of the one below, in any order.

Connecting to a Power Source

To connect a switch to a power source:

1. Insert the power cable plug directly into the AC receptacle located at the
back of the switch.

2. Plug the other end of the cable into a grounded, 3-pin socket, AC power
source.

Note: For international use, you may need to change the AC line cord. You
must use a line cord set that has been approved for the receptacle type in your
country.

3. Check the front-panel LEDs as the device is powered on to be sure the
PWR LED is lit. If not, check that the power cable is correctly plugged in.

Twisted-Pair Devices

Each device requires an unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable with RJ-45
connectors at both ends. Use Category 5, 5e or 6 cable for 1000BASE-T
connections, Category 5 or better for 100BASE-TX connections, and Category
3 or better for 10BASE-T connections.

Cabling Guidelines

The RJ-45 ports on the switch support automatic MDI/MDI-X pinout
configuration, so you can use standard straight-through twisted-pair cables to
connect to any other network device (PCs, servers, switches, routers, or hubs).
Caution: Do not plug a normal phone jack connector into an RJ-45 port. This
will damage the switch. Use only twisted-pair cables with RJ-45 connectors
that conform to FCC standards.

Connecting to MAX, AVM, WAPs, Breakout Boxes, Servers, Hubs and Switches

1. Attach one end of a twisted-pair cable segment to the device’s RJ-45 con­nector.

2. If the device is a network card and the switch is in the wiring closet, attach
the other end of the cable segment to a modular wall outlet that is con­nected to the wiring closet. (See “Network Wiring Connections” on page

25.) Otherwise, attach the other end to an available port on the switch.

• Make sure each twisted pair cable does not exceed 100 meters (328 ft) in
length.

Note: Avoid using flow control on a port connected to a hub unless it is actually
required to solve a problem. Otherwise back pressure jamming signals may
degrade overall performance for the segment attached to the hub.

3. As each connection is made, the green Link LED (on the switch) corre­sponding to each port will light to indicate that the connection is valid.

For full warranty information, refer to the AMX Instruction Manual(s) associated with your Product(s).

©2006 AMX. All rights reserved. AMX and the AMX logo are registered trademarks of AMX.

3000 RESEARCH DRIVE, RICHARDSON, TX 75082 • 800.222.0193 • fax [phone] • technical support 800.932.6993 • www.amx.com

AMX reserves the right to alter specifications without notice at any time.

11/06

93-2178-60 REV: A