User manual LINKSYS EF3512

[. . . ] Instant EtherFast® Series EtherFast® 8-Port and 12-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switches Use this Guide to install the following products: EF3508 EtherFast® 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch EF3512 EtherFast® 12-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch User Guide COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS Copyright © 2002 Linksys, All Rights Reserved. EtherFast, Linksys, and Linksys logo are registered trademarks of Linksys Group, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective proprietors. [. . . ] In a shared network, data packets are randomly broadcasted to all stations until they discover their intended destination. Consequently, considerable time and bandwidth is wasted on data packets swimming along network lines before they find their correct address. A switch, on the other hand, looks at the address for each data packet and delivers it directly to the correct destination. · Speed up Nodes from Your 10BaseT Network In a 10BaseT network, connect your hubs, file servers, and key users, such as network administrators, directly to your Switch to channel dedicated bandwidth in full-duplex mode (if operating in full-duplex) to each station. The Switch will have dedicated communication with all its connections simultaneously, whereas a hub will only communicate in half-duplex transfer mode and broadcasts information to all ports. · Conserving Bandwidth with 10Mbps, 100Mbps and 1000Mbps Segments 10BaseT and 100BaseTX hardware are not readily compatible, but the Switch can designate network segments of different speeds. This allows you to run one 100Mbps segment to serve users without a need for considerable speed, and a faster 1000Mbps segment devoted to users who depend heavily on graphics, multimedia, database, or other speed-intensive applications. With switched segmentation, your 1000Mbps users will not be slowed down by the users on the 10/100Mbps segment. · Run 10/100Mbps Peripherals in a 1000Mbps Network Most of the network peripherals in place today run at 10/100Mbps, since 100BaseTX has been the standard network speed to date. These peripherals, designed to operate at 100Mbps, cannot readily communicate with 1000BaseTX equipment. A 10Mbps interface is also required for cable and DSL connections, which are quickly becoming very popular ways to access the Internet. The Switch provides your 10BaseT equipment and cable and DSL lines with a 10Mbps interface while still running your Fast Ethernet devices at 100Mbps or your Gigabit devices at 1000Mbps. · Strengthen Data Transfers through Signal Regeneration The Switch functions as a repeater, which regenerates data signals as they pass through it. This feature acts as a safeguard to deter data loss and ensure that transmissions arrive at their destination intact. Switches positioned between hubs can preserve your data's integrity and eliminate your need to buy and use repeaters in your Fast Ethernet or Gigabit network. 8 Appendix A: Twisted-Pair Cabling There are different grades, or categories, of twisted-pair cabling. Category 5 is the most reliable and is highly recommended. Straight-through cables are used for connecting computers to a hub or switch. Crossover cables are used for connecting a hub or switch to another hub or switch (there is an exception: some hubs and switches have a built-in uplink port that is crossed internally; this allows you to link or connect hubs or switches together with a straight-through cable instead). You can buy pre-made Category 5 or 5e cabling, or cut and crimp your own. Category 5 or 5e cables can be purchased or crimped as either straightthrough or crossover. Inside a Category 5 or 5e cable are eight thin, color-coded wires that run from one end of the cable to the other. In a straight-through cable, wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at one end of the cable are also wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at the other end. [. . . ] Packet - A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination in a network. Port - A pathway into and out of the computer or a network device such as a switch or router. For example, the serial and parallel ports on a personal computer are external sockets for plugging in communications lines, modems and printers. RJ-45 (Registered Jack-45) - A connector similar to a telephone connector that holds up to eight wires, used for connecting Ethernet devices. [. . . ]