3Com 3C16755-US User Guide - Page 5

INTRODUCTION Welcome to the world of networking with 3Com® . In the modern business environment, communication and sharing information is crucial. Computer networks have proved to be one of the fastest modes of communication but, until recently, only large businesses could afford the networking advantage. The OfficeConnect® product range from 3Com has changed this, bringing networks to the small office. The OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hub 5, Hub 8 and Hub 16 are ideal for creating small networks. They are compact and attractively designed for desktop use and can be used with other OfficeConnect products. These products form part of the OfficeConnect range which neatly stack together with the OfficeConnect stacking clip. The port senses the speed of the connected equipment and operates at the appropriate speed. If you wish to extend an existing Ethernet network into Fast Ethernet, adding a Dual Speed Hub 5, Hub 8 and Hub 16, can offer a more cost-effective migration path than adding both a 100Mbps hub and a 10/100Mbps switch. Figure 1 Small Network With OfficeConnect® Dual Speed Hub The OfficeConnect Dual Speed Hubs are easy-to-use Class II hubs (repeaters) with 10/100BASE-TX ports. All three hubs allow you to set up a network with both Ethernet (10Mbps) and Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) workstations and other devices. Refer to "Connecting Another OfficeConnect Hub" on page 13 for more information. When referring to these products, this guide uses the term 'Hub'. Each port on the Hub can be connected to either a 10BASE-T (Ethernet) or a 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet) device. If you need to connect more workstations, simply use the stacking clip to connect another OfficeConnect hub to form a stack. 5