Kingston Technology KNE8TX/WG manual Cascade Switch, Notes on MDI and MDI-X Ports

6Front Panel

Cascade Switch

The Cascade Switch provides cable wiring flexibility on the last UTP Port (i.e., Port 4 or Port 8) for connecting to a workstation or cascading to another hub. By default, the last UTP port is set to “Crossover” (left side) as a standard, internally-crossed port, or MDI-X port. Depending on the wiring of your UTP cable (normally “Straight-Through”), the port is used to connect a workstation. For cascading to another Class II repeater using a straight-through cable, move the Cable Switch to “Straight-Through” (right side). If a crossover UTP cable is used to cascade to another Class II repeater, leave the Cable Switch in the “Crossover” position. See Figure 1-4 for a diagram showing the cascade switch settings. To verify the pin wiring of your UTP cable, refer to “Appendix B Cabling Guidelines” on page 11.

Using a Straight-Through Cable

Rx Workgroup

CASCADE

Leave the cascade switch in the default crossover (MDI-X) position when connecting the last UTP port (port 4 or port 8) on the EtheRx Hub to a network card or router (or other MDI-configured device.)

Rx Workgroup

CASCADE

Move the cascade switch to the straight-through position when connecting the last UTP port (port 4 or port 8) on the EtheRx Hub to another Class II repeater (or other MDI-X configured device.)

Using a Crossover Cable

	Leave the cascade switch
	in the default crossover
Rx Workgroup	(MDI-X) position when
	connecting the last UTP
	port (port 4 or port 8) on
	the EtheRx Hub to another
CASCADE
	Class II repeater (or other
	MDI-X configured device.)

Rx Workgroup

CASCADE

Move the cascade switch to the straight-through position when connecting the last UTP port (port 4 or port 8) on the EtheRx Hub to a network card or router (or other MDI-configured device.)

Fig. 1-4 Cascade Switch functions

Notes on MDI and MDI-X Ports

MDI (Media Dependent Interface) is the IEEE 802.3 standard for the interface to the UTP cable. For two 100BASE-TX devices to communicate with each other, the transmitter of one device must be connected to the receiver of the other device. This can be achieved by using a crossover cable, or by using one MDI-X port that implements the cross-over internally.

Kingston Technology Company KNExTX/WG User’s Guide - Rev. A00