D-Link DFE-916X manual Cables and Connectors, Topology

CSMA/CD Ethernet protocol. Since Fast Ethernet is compatible with all 10Mbps Ethernet environments, it provides a straightforward upgrade with- out wasting the company’s existing investment in hardware, software, and trained personnel.

Cables and Connectors

Category 5 unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cables and shielded twisted-pair (STP) cables are both supported. Category 5 UTP cables use the same RJ- 45 connector used with 10BASE-T, wired in the same configuration.

Topology

A Fast Ethernet workgroup is configured in a star topology and is built around a maximum of two repeaters. Each workgroup forms a separate LAN (also known as a collision domain), and these workgroups can be eas- ily interconnected through switches, bridges, or routers to form one LAN large enough to encompass a high-rise building or campus environment. Recent innovations in LAN hub technology such as stackable hubs, coupled with the decreasing cost of switches, bridges, and routers, allow the design of low-cost, efficient Fast Ethernet workgroups and enterprise LANs.

The following factors strongly influence the architecture of Fast Ethernet networks:

∙The EIA/TIA 568 Wiring Standard imposes a 100 meter limit on horizontal runs of twisted-pair cables; that is, connections from the wiring closet to the end-station.

∙Fast Ethernet’s increased operational speed reduces the maximum distance between all elements of the LAN (see below).

6 Introduction