1) The Apple Ethernet 10T/5 Workgroup Hub is a 10Base-T Repeating Hub
which adheres to all appropriate standards. This means there is a
cascade limit of four hubs, and that no packet may traverse more than
four repeating hubs between any two points on the network. If a network
is set up with more than four hubs in a path it will still work, but it
starts to degrade with packet collisions, runts, fragments, and so on.
This degradation will be more apparent in the middle of the topology
than at the ends. There is no indication on the Macintosh or Workgroup
Hub that these conditions exist, other means must be used to detect it.
These runts, collisions, fragments, and so on WILL be transmitted from
hub to hub within a collision domain. It takes a intelligent hub
(routing) to alleviate this.
2) The Ethernet 10T/5 Workgroup Hub does have a green LED associated with
each port, but it works like the ones on our Ethernet transceivers. If
the LED is on, it means there is an active (powered) link present, or
in other words there is a connected device. The LED will blink off when
it transmits data so it flashes with I/O.
3) The Ethernet 10T/5 Workgroup Hub specification allows for a 100 meter
cable between each hub as a maximum.
4) The Ethernet 10T/5 Workgroup Hub must be powered. This normally comes
from the computer plugged into the one AAUI connector. If this computer
is off an optional external power supply is available that plugs into
the wall and then into a dedicated plug on the hub. If the AAUI and the
external power connector are connected, the hub will be powered from
the external connector.
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