Dell Mini Tower System manual Network Cable Requirements, Configuring the NIC

A green link integrity indicator lights up when there is a good connection between the network and the NIC.

parallel port	mouse
	connector
connector

When the green indicator is off, the computer is not detecting a physical connection to the network.

link integrity	activity indicator
		microphone jack
indicator
			line-out jack
				line-in jack

serial port 1	keyboard	USB	serial port 2	video connector	optional integrated
connector	connector	connectors	connector		NIC connector

Figure 4-1. I/O Ports and Connectors

Network Cable Requirements

Your computer’s NIC connector (an RJ45 connector located on the back panel) is designed for attaching an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable. Press one end of the UTP cable into the NIC connector until the cable snaps securely into place.

Connect the other end of the cable to an RJ45 jack wall plate or to an RJ45 port on a UTP concentrator or hub, depending on your network configuration. Observe the following cabling restrictions for 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX networks.

CAUTION: To avoid line interference, voice and data lines must be in separate sheaths.

•For 10BASE-T networks, use Category 3 or greater wiring and connectors.

•For 100BASE-TX networks, use Category 5 wiring and connectors.

•The maximum cable run length (from a workstation to a concentrator) is 328 feet (ft) (100 meters [m]).

•The maximum number of workstations (not counting concentrators) on a network is 1024.

•For 10BASE-T networks, the maximum number of daisy-chained concentrators on one network segment is four.

Configuring the NIC

This subsection provides instructions for configuring the computer’s integrated, 10/100-Mbps 3Com NIC under the following operating systems:

•Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

•Microsoft Windows NT 3.5x

•Microsoft Windows for Workgroups

•Microsoft Windows 95

•MS-DOS

NOTE: The NIC drivers for systems running a Dell- installed Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95 operating system are automatically detected and installed. Instruc- tions for reinstalling the NIC driver for Windows NT and Windows 95 Service Release 1 and Service Release 2 are included later in this subsection.

Windows NT 4.0 NIC

The Windows NT 4.0 operating system automatically detects and installs the NIC driver. To reinstall the driver, complete the following steps:

1.Use the Dell Program Diskette Maker (located in the Dell Accessories folder) to make a diskette copy of the NIC drivers installed on your hard- disk drive.

4-2 Dell OptiPlex GXa Mini Tower Systems Reference and Installation Guide