ITEM: BP1308L
What do I need to attach an RS/6000 to Fast Ethernet (100BaseT)?
Question:
Does the RS/6000 support 100BaseT? If so, what hardware and software
are required to set it up?
Response:
Fast Ethernet (100BaseT) is available for all currently announced PCI-
bus models today. A statement of direction was made for a Micro Channel
bus adapter in the first half of 1997 in announcement letter 196-254,
dated October 8, 1996.
To set up Fast Ethernet, you need three 100BaseTX capable components:
1) Ethernet switching hub
2) Adapter and adapter cable
3) AIX device driver for the adapter
If you need full duplex (FDX) operation, make sure all three components
also support FDX mode.
Most of today's switching hubs, including IBM's 8271 EtherStreamer
switch, offer several 10BaseT ports, a couple of 100BaseT ports and can
be configured for full duplex operation on a port-by-port basis. The
switch enables interoperability between systems running this mixture of
traditional 10BaseT and 100BaseT at both full and half duplex.
Fast Ethernet support for the PCI bus RS/6000s is summarized in the
following table:
=======================================================================
Adapter Name* | 3Com Fast EtherLink | 3Com 10/100 Mbps PCI Fast
| PCI 10/100 | EtherLink XL for PowerPC
=======================================================================
Announcement Info | 195-182, Jun 19, 1995 | 196-254, Oct 8, 1996
------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------
RS/6000 Models | 40P, 830, 850, 43P (mod | E20, E30, F30, F40, all
| 100, 120, 132) | other 43P models
------------------|----------------------------------------------------
Capabilities | 10BaseT or 100BaseTX (no support for 10Base2 or 5)
------------------|----------------------------------------------------
Full Duplex | no | yes for both speeds
------------------|----------------------------------------------------
Adapter Connector | RJ-45
------------------|----------------------------------------------------
Adapter Cables | For 10BaseT, Category 3, 4, or 5 UTP, two pairs
| For 100BaseTX, Category 5 UTP, two pairs
| Cables may be up to 328 ft (100 meters) in length
=======================================================================
*The AIX device drivers, which are available from IBM only, are shipped
on diskette and packaged with the adapter.
100BaseT Fast Ethernet is defined in the IEEE 802.3u standard and can
run on medias such as 100BaseTX, 100BaseT4, and 100BaseFX. Our adapters
support the 100BaseTX physical media standard, which specifies Category
5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling.
For additional additional information on these high speed technologies,
check out the following URLs on the world wide web:
http://www.ots.utexas.edu/ethernet/
http://www.data.com
http://www.iol.unh.edu/training/
Support Line: What do I need to attach an RS/6000 to Fast Ethernet (100BaseT)? ITEM: BP1308L
Dated: October 1996 Category: N/A
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