Black Box SW621A-R3 Manual
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Black Box SW621A-R3 Manual

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  • Page 2 ServSwitch system that’s just right for you. The ServSwitch family from Black Box—the one-stop answer for all your ™ KVM switching needs! This manual will tell you all about your new ServSwitch™ Jr. unit, including how to install, operate, and troubleshoot it.
  • Page 3 BLACK BOX and the logo are registered trademarks, and ServSwitch and ServSwitch Jr. are trademarks, of Black Box Corporation. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. IBM, PC/AT, PS/2, RS/6000, and ThinkPad are registered trademarks, and PC/XT is a trademark, of International Business Machines Corporation.
  • Page 4 NOM STATEMENT FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND INDUSTRY CANADA RADIO-FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio communication. It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when the equipment is...
  • Page 5 SERVSWITCH™ JR. NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS (NOM) ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD 1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado. 2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas para referencia futura.
  • Page 6 NOM STATEMENT 12. Precaución debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la polarización del equipo no sea eliminada. 13. Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra ellos, poniendo particular atención a los contactos y receptáculos donde salen del aparato.

  • Page 7: Table Of Contents

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. Contents Chapter Page 1. Specifications ............................8 2. Introduction............................11 2.1 The Complete Package ......................11 2.2 Operating Features........................11 2.3 The Front Panel..........................12 2.4 The Rear Panel ..........................14 2.5 Cable Requirements........................16 2.6 Equipment Requirements ......................16 3. Installation ............................17 3.1 Rackmounting (Optional) ......................17 3.2 Connecting the Monitor, Keyboard, and Mouse ................17 3.3 Connecting the CPUs .........................18 3.4 Powering Up the System ......................19...
  • Page 8 5.2.14 THE SWITCH DOESN’T WORK WITH YOUR DOCKING STATION ......39 5.2.15 THE SWITCH DOESN’T WORK WITH YOUR DONGLE-PROTECTED SOFTWARE ..40 5.2.16 THE SERVSWITCH JR. DOESN’T WORK WITH YOUR IBM THINKPAD ......40 5.3 Calling Black Box ........................40 5.4 Shipping and Packaging......................40 Appendix A: NVRAM Factory Defaults ....................41 Appendix B: Cable Product Codes ......................42...

  • Page 9: Specifications

    IBM PS/2 keyboard and mouse; CPU (numbered) ports: Proprietary composite of IBM PS/2 or PC/AT keyboard, PS/2 or RS-232 mouse, and video (standards listed above); SW621A-R3, SW622A-R3 only: IBM PC/AT keyboard; EIA/TIA RS-232 pinned as TIA-574 (to optional serial mouse) Resolution —...
  • Page 10 CHAPTER 1: Specifications User Controls — Keyboard commands; Front-mounted switches: SW621A-R3: All membrane type: (1) for resetting the Switch, (2) for port selection; SW622A-R3: All membrane type: (1) for resetting the Switch, (4) for port selection; SW629A-R2: All pushbutton type: (1) for resetting the Switch, (8) for port selection Indicators —...
  • Page 11 Tolerance — 5 to 80% noncondensing Enclosure — Steel Size — SW621A-R3 and SW622A-R3: 1.8"H (1U) x 8.8"W x 3.5"D (4.5 x 22.4 x 8.9 cm); SW629A-R2: 1.8"H (1U) x 13.8"W x 4.9"D (4.5 x 35 x 12.4 cm) Weight —...

  • Page 12: Introduction

    Switch, and the cabling you’ll need for the Switch. 2.1 The Complete Package Your ServSwitch Jr. package includes the ServSwitch Jr. unit and this manual. If anything arrived damaged, contact Black Box. 2.2 Operating Features Some of the useful features of your ServSwitch Jr.: •...

  • Page 13: The Front Panel

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. Scan function can sequence between CPUs every 1 to 15 seconds. • Screen-save function can turn off video after 1 to 999 seconds of • inactivity. You can program the keyboard’s typematic rate and delay. • Custom settings for each CPU can be saved in nonvolatile memory. •...
  • Page 14 CHAPTER 2: Introduction Figure 2-2. The front panel of an 8-port ServSwitch Jr. (SW629A-R2). Panel Label Description STATUS Status LED: Flickers when the Switch receives data from the attached keyboard or mouse, remains dark otherwise. RESET Reset Button: Press to reset the unit and reinitialize the shared keyboard and mouse;...

  • Page 15: The Rear Panel

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 2.4 The Rear Panel All cable connections are made at the ServSwitch Jr.’s rear panel. To familiarize yourself with the Switch’s connectors and what they’re used for, refer to Figure 2-3 below and the descriptions that follow for 2- or 4-port models, or refer to Figure 2-4 on the next page and the descriptions that follow for 8-port models.
  • Page 16 CHAPTER 2: Introduction Figure 2-4. The rear panel of an 8-port ServSwitch Jr. (SW629A-R2). Panel Label Connector Description [Numbered DB25 F Connect the sharing computers to these ports with Ports] special “CPU Adapter Cables.” At the Switch end, these cables have a DB25 male connector; at the other ends, they have appropriate connectors to plug into your CPUs’...

  • Page 17: Cable Requirements

    ServSwitch Jr. NOTE To share an IBM 9515, 9517, or 9518 monitor, you will need special cabling. Call Black Box for technical support; we can give you a quote on these types of cable. 2.6 Equipment Requirements If the CPUs you will be controlling through your ServSwitch Jr. are not all of the same type, you will have to be careful to choose a common monitor, keyboard, and mouse that adequately support all of the CPUs.

  • Page 18: Installation

    6-pin mini-DIN female port on the ServSwitch Jr.’s rear panel that’s labeled with the keyboard icon ( SW621A-R3, SW622A-R3 only: If you’re using a PC/AT type keyboard, plug its cable’s 5-pin DIN male connector into the Switch’s 5-pin DIN female port labeled with the keyboard icon.

  • Page 19: Connecting The Cpus

    To go even farther, you might want to use CAT5 KVM Extenders (see Appendix B), but please call Black Box Tech Support to discuss your application. 1. After you verify that the ServSwitch Jr. is powered OFF, plug the DB25 male composite connector of the first CPU’s CPU Adapter Cable into port 1 on the...

  • Page 20: Powering Up The System

    CHAPTER 3: INSTALLATION 3.4 Powering Up the System Power up the connected CPUs one by one, giving each one time to boot completely before turning ON the next one. (After you turn ON the first CPU, the ServSwitch Jr. itself will begin operating; it gets its power from the CPUs and has no ON/OFF switch.) The Switch emulates all keyboard and mouse functions for automatic boot-up, although you might have to issue the Mode command Mn (see Section 4.3.11) to get proper keyboard communication.

  • Page 21: Operation

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4. Operation The first part of this chapter, Section 4.1, gives you some guidelines that you should follow to make sure your ServSwitch Jr. works properly with your equipment. Section 4.2 summarizes the ServSwitch Jr’s keyboard commands, and Section 4.3 describes these commands in detail.
  • Page 22 CHAPTER 4: OPERATION Because the ServSwitch Jr. currently only supports “stream mode” (continuous) mouse data but the IBM ThinkPad has to handle mouse data in “prompt mode” (burst-on-request), don’t try to attach any ThinkPad computers to the Switch, either directly or through docking stations. Use only the generic Microsoft mouse driver MOUSE.COM, version 4.0 at least and preferably version 9.01 or higher.

  • Page 23: Monitor

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4.1.3 M ONITOR The ServSwitch Jr. is designed to support standard VGA video, including VGA monochrome (“page white”). It does not support PCs that use CGA, EGA, or proprietary versions of VGA that depart from the original specifications. Consult your PC’s manual, and if that doesn’t tell you whether or not the PC uses standard VGA, consult with the PC’s or the video card’s manufacturer.
  • Page 24 For CPU-to-monitor distances over 55 feet (16.8 m), you might require different cabling or an Extender system such as our CAT5 KVM Extender (see Appendix B). Please call Black Box Technical Support to discuss your application. One last note of caution about video: The IBM 9515, 9517, and 9518 monitors that come with some PS/2 systems are not normal VGA monitors and require special cabling in order for video to be correctly sized and synchronized.

  • Page 25: Keyboard-Command Summary

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4.2 Keyboard-Command Summary Table 4-3 on this page and the next page summarizes the commands that can be sent to the ServSwitch Jr. To enter any command at the shared keyboard, first press and release the left Control key, represented by “[Ctrl].” (This cues the Switch to look for commands from the keyboard.) Then enter the command followed by any arguments you wish to specify (the port number, for example).
  • Page 26 CHAPTER 4: OPERATION Command Keystroke Sequence Description Stop Scanning [Ctrl] X Turns Scan mode OFF (the port being scanned at the time the command is entered is given access to the shared monitor, keyboard, and mouse). Note: Scan can also be stopped by entering a Select Port command.

  • Page 27: The Commands In Detail

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4.3 The Commands in Detail 4.3.1 S ELECT A ORT FROM THE HARED EYBOARD To select a port from your keyboard, press and release your keyboard’s left Control key ([Ctrl]), then press the number key corresponding to the number of your desired port ([1], [2], [3], etc.).

  • Page 28: Send Null Byte (Cpus With Ps/2 Mouse Ports Only)

    CHAPTER 4: OPERATION • If you never actually use the mouse with the CPU (as would probably be the case if, for example, the CPU were a Novell NetWare file server), either don’t ® ® plug the mouse strand of the CPU Adapter Cable into the CPU’s mouse port, or don’t load a mouse driver at all.

  • Page 29: Identify Rom

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4.3.7 I DENTIFY Unfortunately, as with all complex equipment, problems might arise with your ServSwitch Jr. that require the assistance of technical-support personnel. One of the things technicians might want to know when they attempt to diagnose and correct your problem is the revision level of your Switch’s ROM.
  • Page 30 CHAPTER 4: OPERATION The ServSwitch Jr. supports all three of these modes: As it receives signals from one of the keyboards, it sends them to the currently selected CPU by emulating a keyboard of the appropriate mode for that CPU; as it receives signals for one of the keyboards from the currently selected or scanned CPU, it sends them to that keyboard by emulating a CPU of the appropriate mode.

  • Page 31: Set Keyboard Typematic

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4.3.12 S EYBOARD YPEMATIC Most keyboards have an internal seven-bit “typematic” setting, which governs the way the keyboard responds when you hold a key down to force it to repeat. The five “low” bits of this setting represent the rate at which the key repeats; the two “high” bits represent the delay after you begin holding down the key before it begins to repeat.
  • Page 32 CHAPTER 4: OPERATION Table 4-5. Typematic Rate Decimal Binary Repeat Rate in Value Bit Values Keys per Second [xx]00000 [xx]00001 26.7 [xx]00010 [xx]00011 21.8 [xx]00100 [xx]00101 18.5 [xx]00110 17.1 [xx]00111 [xx]01000 [xx]01001 13.3 [xx]01010 [xx]01011 10.9 [xx]01100 [xx]01101 [xx]01110 [xx]011118 [xx]10000 [xx]10001 [xx] 10010...

  • Page 33: Set Mouse Mode

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 4.3.13 S OUSE 4.3.13.A Translate PS/2 to RS-232 Mouse If all of the CPUs attached to your ServSwitch Jr. have PS/2 mouse ports, you can plug a PS/2 mouse into the Switch and control them all without having to reconfigure the system at all.
  • Page 34 CHAPTER 4: OPERATION 4.3.14 KVM Flash Upgrade (Version 1.3 or later) Overview Version 1.3 of the Black Box KVM Utility enables flashing of the ServSwitch Jr. KVM Switches SW621A-R3 and SW622A-R3 with firmware revision B52 or greater Installation of KVM Utility The installer of the KVM Utility may be distributed in one of two formats: a ZIP file or an EXE file.
  • Page 35 SERVSWITCH™ JR. 1. Download the flash upgrade firmware and unzip it to an EXE file if necessary 2. Make sure the upgrade utility file is downloaded on the computer connected to ServSwitch Jr. port #1 3. Run the unzipped file “SetupBBKVMUtil-1_3.exe”. The program will detect the unit to upgrade.

  • Page 36: Troubleshooting

    POWER LED should flash three times, and the unit should be restored to the factory-default settings listed in Appendix A. Now reconfigure the Switch to your desired settings. If you’re still having difficulty, refer to Section 5.2. If it doesn’t help you to solve your problem, call Black Box for technical support.

  • Page 37: Common Problems

    G. If swapping ports doesn’t solve the problem, try plugging a known-good keyboard and mouse directly into the CPU that’s having the problem. If the CPU boots, the Switch might be defective; call Black Box. H. If the CPU still doesn’t boot, the CPU’s keyboard or mouse port (or other components) might be defective.

  • Page 38: You Can't Switch Ports From The Keyboard

    APPENDICES 5.2.2 Y ’ WITCH ORTS FROM THE EYBOARD A. Can you do anything from the keyboard? If not, the keyboard cable has probably come loose. Reconnect it. B. The ServSwitch Jr. might have lost power for less than three seconds. (This can cause the keyboard to lock up.) Disconnect the keyboard and plug it back in.

  • Page 39: Your Mouse Driver Doesn't Load

    SERVSWITCH™ JR. 5.2.6 Y ’ OUSE RIVER OESN A. What type of mouse are you using? If it’s an RS-232 serial mouse, see steps B and D. If it’s a PS/2 mouse (either a regular type or a wheel mouse), see steps C and D.

  • Page 40: Your Monitor Display Is Fuzzy

    A. If you are trying to use an IBM 9515, 9517, or 9518 monitor, you need special cables to carry the video correctly. Call Black Box for technical support. B. Check the settings of your monitor, especially the sync or color controls.

  • Page 41: The Switch Doesn't Work With Your Dongle-Protected Software

    If you are shipping the Switch for repair, make sure you include the CPU Adapter Cables you’re using with it. If you are returning the Switch, make sure you include its manual as well. Before you ship, contact Black Box to get a Return Authorization (RA) number.

  • Page 42: Appendix A: Nvram Factory Defaults

    APPENDICES Appendix A: NVRAM Factory Defaults The table below shows, for the ServSwitch Jr’s saveable options, the default values stored in nonvolatile memory (NVRAM) when the Switch is shipped from the factory. It also shows what commands or actions can change these settings for the Switch’s current operating period, as well as what commands or actions can save changed settings to NVRAM, so that they become the new defaults.

  • Page 43: Appendix B: Cable Product Codes

    CPU or a monitor/keyboard/mouse station as much as 1000 ft. (300 m) away. If your monitor/keyboard/mouse-sharing system has cabling requirements that can’t be met by what you see here, call Black Box for a possible quote on custom cables or adapters.
  • Page 44 APPENDIX B: Cable Product Codes Coaxial CPU Cables: Monitor Type Keyboard Type Mouse Type Product Code (Connector on Cable) (Connector on Cable) (Connector on Cable) VGA (HD15 male) IBM PS/2 and PC/AT PS/2 and serial RS-232 EHN382-0xxx VGA (HD15 male) IBM PS/2 and PC/AT PS/2 and serial RS-232 EHN282-0xxx-PL*...

  • Page 45: Appendix C: Rackmounting The Servswitch Jr

    NOTES Appendix C: Rackmounting the ServSwitch Jr. If you want to mount your ServSwitch Jr. in a 19", 23", or 24" rack, use the corresponding ServSwitch Rackmounting Kit: product code RMK19M, RMK23M, or RMK24M respectively for the 2- and 4-port models, or product code RMK19S, RMK23S, or RMK24S respectively for the 8-port model.

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