Introduction; Ethernet Network - Lighting Controls Blue Box LT Series Installation, Operation & Maintenance Manual

THE BLUE BOX LT MAKING UP CAT. 5 CABLE WITH RJ45 CONNECTORS 29

INTRODUCTION

All Lighting Control & Design systems use Cat . 5 cable with
RJ45 connectors to network devices . While both our sys-
tem & Ethernet networks use Cat . 5 cabling, there are huge
differences between the two (Note: Cat . 6 is often substi-
tuted for Cat . 5 . Our system accepts either type of cable . )

ETHERNET NETWORk

Typically Ethernet networks have multiple devices con-
nected to a central point, this design scheme is called a
star topology (Figure 1 . 1 illustrates a multi-level star topol-
ogy) . In this example, the four workstations are connect-
ed directly to a switch/hub, which is connected to another
star to access either the file server, printer or router .
The hub/switch receives the data sent by the four work-
stations; upon receipt of the data, the hub/switch checks
the data for errors and re-transmits to another switch to
access the other devices on the network . The data travels
only one section of the cable before it gets cleaned up or
repeated and forwarded to another point . Thus any incon-
Figure 1.1 - Typical Eth-
ernet Network Setup
Ethernet uses Cat. 5 cables,
each cable does not exceed
100 meters (330ft).
File Server
Workstation 1
Router
Switch
Switch/Hub
Workstation 2
sistent quality in the Cat . 5 cable or crimp will not severely
impact this network's stability . It may slow the data trans-
mission on one leg of the network, but not as to affect the
other nodes on the network .
In an Ethernet network, one cable is connected to the
switch, workstation, printer, etc . and terminated at a jack
socket in the wall (Figure 1 . 2 a and 1 . 2 b) . This socket has
insulation displacement connections, which do not require
crimping . The cable from the wall socket to the device is
typically a factory-manufactured cable . These cables use
flexible stranded wires and crimps made on pneumatic
crimping machines, which exert several hundred pounds
of pressure to ensure an excellent crimp .
Figure 1.2a: Insulation
Displacement Socket
Printer
Workstation 3 Workstation 4
Figure 1.2b