Cisco Systems Cisco 3600 manual Signaling Standards Supported, Distance Limitations

Chapter 2 Preparing to Install the Router

Preparing to Connect to a Network

Table 2-2 Typical DTE and DCE Devices

Device Type	Gender	Typical Devices
DTE	Male1	Terminal
		PC
DCE	Female2	Modem
		CSU/DSU
		Multiplexer

1.If pins protrude from the base of the connector, the connector is male.

2.If the connector has holes to accept pins, the connector is female.

Signaling Standards Supported

The synchronous serial ports available for the router support the following signaling standards: EIA/TIA-232, EIA/TIA-449, V.35, X.21, and EIA-530. You can order a Cisco DB-60 shielded serial transition cable that has the appropriate connector for the standard you specify. The documentation for the device you want to connect should indicate the standard used for that device. The router end of the shielded serial transition cable has a DB-60 connector, which connects to the DB-60 port on a serial WAN interface card. The other end of the serial transition cable is available with a connector appropriate for the standard you specify.

The synchronous serial port can be configured as DTE or DCE, depending on the attached cable (except EIA-530, which is DTE only). To order a shielded cable, contact customer service. See the “Obtaining Technical Assistance” section on page xviii.

Note All serial ports configured as DTE require external clocking from a CSU/DSU or other DCE device.

Although manufacturing your own serial cables is not recommended (because of the small size of the pins on the DB-60 serial connector), cable pinouts are provided in the Cisco Modular Access Router Cable Specifications document.

Distance Limitations

Serial signals can travel a limited distance at any given bit rate; generally, the slower the data rate, the greater the distance. All serial signals are subject to distance limits, beyond which a signal significantly degrades or is completely lost.

Note Only the serial WAN interface card supports bit rates above 128 Kbps.

Table 2-3lists the recommended maximum speeds and distances for each serial interface type; however, you might get good results at speeds and distances greater than those listed, if you understand the electrical problems that might arise and can compensate for them. For instance, the recommended maximum rate for V.35 is 2 Mbps, but 4 Mbps is commonly used.

Cisco 3600 Series Routers Hardware Installation Guide

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