SMC Networks SMC7824M/FSW manual Connectivity Rules, 1000BASE-T Cable Requirements

MAKING NETWORK CONNECTIONS

4.As a connection is made, check the Link LED on the switch corresponding to the port to be sure that the connection is valid.

The 100BASE-BX fiber optic ports operate only at 100 Mbps, full duplex. You can run each single-mode fiber link for these ports up to a maximum of 10 kilometers from the central office. The 1000BASE-SX/LX/ZX fiber optic ports operate at 1 Gbps full duplex. The maximum length for fiber optic cable operating at Gigabit speeds will depend on the fiber type as listed under “1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet Cable Lengths” on page 4-7.Also, remember to consider power budget constraints when calculating the maximum cable length for each specific connection.

Connectivity Rules

When adding hubs (repeaters) to your network, please follow the connectivity rules listed in the manuals for these products. However, note that because switches break up the path for connected devices into separate collision domains, you should not include the switch or connected cabling in your calculations for cascade length involving other devices.

1000BASE-T Cable Requirements

All Category 5 UTP cables that are used for 100BASE-TX connections should also work for 1000BASE-T, providing that all four wire pairs are connected. However, it is recommended that for all critical connections, or any new cable installations, Category 5e (enhanced Category 5) or Category 6 cable should be used. The Category 5e specification includes test parameters that are only recommendations for Category 5. Therefore, the first step in preparing existing Category 5 cabling for running 1000BASE-T is a simple test of the cable installation to be sure that it complies with the IEEE 802.3-2005 standards.

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