Cisco Systems 7326

Chapter1 Introducing the Cisco Wide Area Applicatio n Engine

Hardware Features

1-20

Csico Wide Area Application Engine 7326 Hardware Installation Guide

OL-6831-02

Some switches support automatic medium-dependent interface crossover

(MDIX). You can configure MDIX by using the mdix auto global configuration

switch command. If your switch supports MDIX, you do not need to follow these

cabling rules because MDIX automatically adjusts transmit and receive pairs

when an incorrect cable type (crossover or straight-through) is installed on a

10/100 Fast Ethernet port. However, when you configure MDIX, you must also

configure the port to use autosense (not manual selection of speed/duplex).

Caution If you are connecting to Fast Ethernet ports on both the LAN and the WAN sides

of the WAE inline appliance, you must consider the types of devices that are being

connected, and you must use the correct cables. You must follow these cabling

instructions for the inline network adapter to work properly. (See Table 1-8 . For

illustrations and examples, see the “Installation Scenarios and Cabling Examples

for Fast Ethernet Connections” section on page 1-22.)

To connect the inline network adapter using the correct cables for Fast Ethernet

connections, follow these steps:

Step1 Determine which type of cable you would use for a direct connection between

your two end devices (without a WAE inline network appliance connected

between them) by using the following standard cabling rules:

•When you are directly connecting two network devices that are similar, such

as two switches, use a crossover cable.

•When you are directly connecting two network devices that are different, such

as a switch and router, use a straight-through cable.

Router to WAE and

WAE t o R ou ter

Crossover or Straight-through

WAE to WAE Crossover or Straight-through

Table1-7 Cable Requirements for WAE Connections Using Gigabit

Ethernet (continued)

Connection Required Cable