10Base-T Twisted-Pair Ethernet Link Test; Overview - Sun Microsystems Ultra 1 Creator Series Reference Manual

2
C H A P T E R
10BASE-T Twisted-Pair Ethernet
Link Test
Read this chapter if you are connecting your Ultra 1 Creator Series system to a
10BASE-T twisted-pair Ethernet (TPE) network. This chapter contains important
information for getting your system to communicate correctly over a TPE network. If
you have no experience with TPE networks, ask your system or network
administrator to perform the procedures in this chapter.
Note – This chapter does not apply to 100BASE-T networks. In such networks, the
link test function must be enabled at both the host and the hub. If your host is
connected to a 100BASE-T network, you must not disable the host link test function.
2.1

Overview

The twisted-pair Ethernet link integrity test is a function defined by the IEEE
802.3 10BASE-T specification.
For a networked workstation (host) to communicate with a network hub, the link
test state (enabled or disabled) must be the same on the host and hub.
If either the host or hub does not share the link test enabled/disabled state of the
other, then the host cannot communicate effectively with the hub, and the hub
cannot communicate effectively with the host.
FIGURE 2-1
showing the relationship of hosts to a hub.
FIGURE 2-2
match in a 10BASE-T network.
gives an example of a star configuration local area network (LAN),
shows the importance of ensuring that the host and hub link test settings
2-1