Linksys EG0008 User Guide - Page 6

Instant Gigabit™ Series Installing the EtherFast® 10/100/1000 8-Port GigaSwitch Overview Installing your EtherFast® 10/100/1000 8-Port GigaSwitch may involve installing both an adapter and the GigaSwitch. If you are integrating these items into an existing nework, some additional steps may be necessary involving settings for your existing equipment. Consult your Network Administrator for more information about how the GigaSwitch will interface with your existing network components. Installing 10/100/1000 The 8-Port Gigaswitch Connecting Computers To Your Switch Your Switch's front panel has eight RJ-45 ports. Each 10/100/1000 port automatically detects the speed and duplex of the attached cabling to a network card, switch, hub, etc. The ports operate in either full or half duplex, which lets you run at speeds of 2000Mbps, 1000Mbps, 200Mbps, 100Mbps, or 10Mbps. Each 10/100/1000 port on your Switch can connect to workstations, file servers, hubs, repeaters, bridges, routers or other switches. Connections to the switch require UTP Category 5 network cabling (UTP Category 5e for Gigabit connections-UTP Category 3 can be used with 10Mbps connections) with RJ-45 tips, not to exceed 100 meters (328 feet) in length. To connect a computer directly to the switch, plug one end of a standard network cable into the switch, then plug the other end of the cable into the computer's network adapter. Connecting Your Hardware Together and Booting Up Plug in the GigaSwitch's power cable. The Power LED will light up. As devices make connections to the Switch's ports, each port's corresponding TX or RX LED will light up. The remaining LEDs will also light up according to how your connection is made, e.g. full or half duplex, 10Mbps, 100Mbps, or 1000Mbps. If the Switch experiences excessive data collisions, verify that your network cabling is securely crimped and installed properly. 6 EtherFast® 10/100/1000 8-Port GigaSwitch TTiippss oonn SSwwiittcchhiinngg YYoouurr NNeettwwoorrkk Here are some of the ways your new EtherFast® 10/100/1000 8-Port GigaSwitch can help you optimize your network speed. • 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 your 10/100/1000 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 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. Your 10/100/1000 Switch provides your 10BaseT equipment and cable and DSL lines with a 10Mbps interface while still running your Fast Ethernet devices at 100Mbps or 1000Mbps. • Strengthen Data Transfers Through Signal Regeneration Your 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 network. 7