3Com 3C1670500C-US User Guide - Page 8

The Switch has automatic MDI/MDIX functionality. Simply plug in the cable, and the Switch will automatically detect which wiring practice has been followed, and will compensate accordingly. Checking Unit Connections When you have connected all your units, power on the units and the Switch. The Port Status LEDs for the ports you have used should be lit. If they are not, check your connections. 4 HOW YOUR SWITCH CAN BE USED Switching When a network of repeater hubs is in operation, any information that is sent by the workstation is passed around the whole network (regardless of the destination of the information). This can result in a lot of unnecessary traffic that can slow the network down. The Switch solves this problem because it "listens" to the network and automatically learns what workstations can be reached through its ports. It can then selectively pass on any information by transmitting the traffic from the relevant port only. This operation is called "switching". The Switch effectively divides up your network, localizing the network traffic and passing on traffic as necessary. If you have any high performance workstations that require a lot of bandwidth, connect them directly to the Switch. 14 Traffic Prioritization The Switch has a built in feature to aid network performance at times of excessive load. It is called Priority Queuing. When a packet is received, the Switch will examine it to see if it has been priority encoded. If it has, the Switch will then read the priority level and determine whether it should be directed through the normal or high priority channel. This feature can be useful during excessive loads, for example, when one type of traffic may require priority over another. Automatic Loop Detect This Switch has automatic loop detection technology which will prevent unwanted recirculation of packets which could potentially clog your network. Connecting 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX/1000BASE-T Networks The ports can each be connected to a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX/ 1000BASE-T network. If you have various connection speeds in your network, you can join them together using the Switch allowing all your workstations to communicate. For example, by connecting one of the ports to a server, all the workstations connected to the server can communicate with devices connected to the Switch, significantly increasing the size of your network. Alternatively, if for example you use a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX network and want to improve network performance by introducing 1000BASE-T technology, the Switch protects the investment in your existing workstations because it maintains 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX connections to them. 15