User manual TRENDNET TE100-S4PCI

[. . . ] 7 UNPACK AND INSPECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 INSTALL THE ADAPTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 LED INDICATORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 UPLINK BUTTON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] When the two modems have tested the phone-line quality and settled on the combination of shared options and parameters which will provide the best data communication over the connecting phone line, then you are given the "Connect" message which signals the end of the intermodem negotiation and the beginning of your intended communication with the remote computer. Auto-negotiation between devices within an Ethernet LAN is similar in concept, but much briefer. The two devices involved in the autonegotiation will be the 4-Port 10/100M NWay Ethernet Switch Card serving your station (installed in your computer), and the hub through which it is connected into the LAN. The options to be negotiated 2 between the 4-Port 10/100M NWay Ethernet Switch Card and its supporting hub include Ethernet type (100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet or 10BASE-T Ethernet) and duplex mode (half-duplex, being one-wayat-a-time, or full duplex, being simultaneous transmit-and-receive). Startup communication between the two devices occurs when devices are power-on, the cable connection between them is good, and the Network Operating System software is running. As soon as those conditions are satisfied, the preparatory process of auto-negotiation between the 4-Port 10/100M NWay Ethernet Switch Card and its supporting hub proceeds automatically. If the hub has autonegotiation functionality, then it and the 4-Port 10/100M NWay Ethernet Switch Card exchange a series of messages in which each device signals its capabilities and listens for corresponding information about the other. The auto-negotiation process requires only a few milliseconds, and the two devices select the best communication parameters supported by both devices. If the hub does not have auto-negotiation functionality, then its monotone (single capability) message will be recognized by the 4-Port 10/100M NWay Ethernet Switch Card's auto-negotiation facility, and the 4-Port 10/100M NWay Ethernet Switch Card will simply switch to the one of its own capabilities which matches that of the hub. When the preparatory procedure of auto-negotiation is completed, then the line is ready and will provide a data channel that is optimal for the two devices. The line will remain ready without further autonegotiation action until the linkage is broken. Auto-negotiation then reoccurs at any time that the linkage is restored, again making the line ready for optimal data communications. 3 Switching Technology Another approach to pushing beyond the limits of Ethernet technology is the development of switching technology. A switch bridges Ethernet packets at the MAC address level of the Ethernet protocol transmitting among connected Ethernet or Fast Ethernet LAN segments. Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total network capacity available to users on a local area network. A switch increases capacity and decreases network loading by dividing a local area network into different segments, which don't compete with each other for network transmission capacity. The switch acts as a high-speed selective bridge between the individual segments. The switch, without interfering with any other segments, automatically forwards traffic that needs to go from one segment to another. By doing this the total network capacity is multiplied, while still maintaining the same network cabling and adapter cards. For Fast Ethernet Networks, a switch is an effective way of eliminating problems of chaining hubs beyond the "two-repeater limit. " A switch can be used to split parts of the network into different collision domains, making it possible to expand your Fast Ethernet Network beyond the 205-meter network diameter limit for 100BASETX networks. Switches supporting both traditional 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet are also ideal for bridging between the existing 10Mbps networks and the new 100Mbps networks. Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over the previous generation of network bridges, which were characterized by higher latencies. Routers have also been used to segment local area networks, but the cost of a router, the setup and maintenance required make routers relatively impractical. [. . . ] Reconnect the computer's power cord, and switch computer power on. If the BIOS section of your computerboot program is Plug and Play compliant, then at power-up the BIOS will automatically configure any newly installed 4-Port 10/100Mbps NWay Ethernet Switch Card. 4. 6. LED Indicators Link/Activity (LINK/ACT): This LED indicator lights green when there is a secure connection (or link) to a device at the port. The LED indicators blink green whenever there is reception or transmission of data occurring at a port. [. . . ]