User manual TRENDNET TEG-S224TX

[. . . ] e) Reliable Earthing- Reliable earthing of rack-mounted equipment should be maintained. Particular attention should be given to supply connections other than direct connections to the branch circuit (e. g. , use of power strips). P/N : 1907E7224TA5000 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THIS GUIDE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 PURPOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] This device integrates 1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet, 100Mbps Fast Ethernet and 10Mbps Ethernet network capabilities in a highly flexible package. Purpose This user's guide tells you how to install your 26-Port 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet Switch and how to connect it to your Ethernet network. Terms/Usage For simplicity, this documentation uses the terms "Switch" (first letter upper case) to refer to this 26-Port 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet Switch, and "switch" (first letter lower case) to refer to Ethernet switches in general. 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter describes the features of the Switch. This section also provides some background information about Gigabit Ethernet and switching technology. Fast Ethernet Technology The growing importance of LANs and the increasing complexity of desktop computing applications are fueling the need for high performance networks. A number of high-speed LAN technologies have been proposed to provide greater bandwidth and improve client/server response times. Among them, 100BASE-T (Fast Ethernet) provides a non-disruptive, smooth evolution from the current 10BASE-T technology. The nondisruptive and smooth evolution nature, and the dominating pot ential market base, virtually guarantee cost-effective and high performance Fast Ethernet solutions. 100Mbps Fast Ethernet is a standard specified by the IEEE 802. 3 LAN committee. It is an extension of the 10Mbps Ethernet standard with the ability to transmit and receive data at 100Mbps, while maintaining the CSMA/CD Ethernet protocol. Since the 100Mbps Fast Ethernet is compatible with all other 10Mbps Ethernet environments, it provides a straightforward upgrade and takes advantage of the existing investment in hardware, software, and personnel training. 3 Gigabit Ethernet Technology Gigabit Ethernet is an extension of IEEE 802. 3 Ethernet utilizing the same packet structure, format, and support for CSMA/CD protocol, full duplex flow control, and management objects, but with a tenfold increase in theoretical throughput over 100-Mbps Fast Ethernet and a hundredfold increase over 10-Mbps Ethernet. Since it is compatible with all 10-Mbps and 100-Mbps Ethernet environments, Gigabit Ethernet provides a straightforward upgrade without wasting a company's existing investment in hardware, software, and trained personnel. The increased speed and extra bandwidth offered by Gigabit Ethernet are essential to coping with the network bottlenecks that frequently develop as computers and their busses get faster and more users using applications that generate more traffic. Upgrading key components, such as your backbone and servers to Gigabit Ethernet can greatly improve network response times as well as significantly speed up the traffic between your subnets. Gigabit Ethernet supports video conferencing, complex imaging, and similar data-intensive applications. Likewise, since data transfers occur 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet, servers outfitted with Gigabit Ethernet NIC's are able to perform 10 times the number of operations in the same amount of time. The phenomenal bandwidth delivered by Gigabit Ethernet was the most cost-effective method to take advantage of today's rapidly improving switching and routing internetworking technologies. And with expected advances in silicon technology 4 and digital signal processing that enabled Gigabit Ethernet to eventually operate over unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cabling, outfitting your network with a powerful 1000-Mbps-capable backbone/server connection creates a flexible foundation for the next generation of network technology products. 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. Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over the previous generation of network bridges, which were characterized by higher latencies. [. . . ] It runs full/half duplex transfer mode for 10/100Mbps and full duplex transfer mode for 1000Mbps. They can auto transform to MDI-II or MDI-X type, so you can make a connection using a standard or a crossover cable. AC Power The Switch can be used with AC power supply 100~240V AC, 50~60 Hz. The Switch does not come with a Power ON/OFF switch, so the Switch will automatically power on when it is connected to an electrical outlet. The Switch's power supply will adjust to the local power source automatically and may be turned on without having any LAN segment cables connected. 10 IDENTIFYING EXTERNAL COMPONENTS This chapter identifies all the major external components of the Switch. [. . . ]