4
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.
As the power of workstations and business applications
increases, heavier demands are made on the available
network bandwidth that if unchecked, can lead to
performance problems in a hub-based setup. Installing the
OfficeConnect Dual Speed Switch5 plus (3C16790),
Switch 8 plus (3C16791) or Switch 16 plus (3C16792)
allows your network to be segmented so that traffic can be
contained effectively, reducing the overall load without
affecting access to critical resources.
This guide will use the term 'Switch' when referring to the
Dual Speed Switch 5 plus, Switch 8 plus or Switch 16 plus.
The Switch is ideal for use with other OfficeConnect
products, as shown in Figure 1. It is compact and
attractively designed for desktop use. The Switch is part of
the OfficeConnect range which neatly stack together with
the OfficeConnect Stacking Clip.
Figure 1 Small Network with OfficeConnect Dual Speed Switch
plus (Circle Shows Units Clipped Together)
This Switch has five, eight or sixteen 10/100BASE-TX ports.
This allows you to set up a network with both 10BASE-T
and 100BASE-TX hubs and workstations.