Serial and asynchronous high-speed WAN interface cards (HWICs) provide highly flexible connections for Cisco® 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Integrated Services Routers. These HWICs help customers enable applications such as WAN access, legacy protocol transport, console server, and dial access server. You can mix and match HWICs to tailor cost-effective solutions for common networking problems such as remote network management, external dial-modem access, low-density WAN aggregation, legacy protocol transport, and high-port-density support.
Cisco offers four new serial and asynchronous HWICs:
• Cisco 1-Port T1/Fractional T1 DSU/CSU WAN Interface Card (HWIC-1DSU-T1)
• Cisco 1-Port Serial WAN Interface Card (HWIC-1T)
• Cisco 2-Port Serial WAN Interface Card (HWIC-2T)
• Cisco 2-Port Asynchronous/Synchronous Serial WAN Interface Card (HWIC-2A/S)
Figure 1. Cisco 1- and 2-Port Serial and Asynchronous HWICs
Common Applications
These highly flexible interface cards facilitate several important applications:
• WAN access and aggregation
• Legacy protocol transport
• Dial access server
WAN Access and Aggregation
Serial interfaces can be used to provide WAN access for remote sites. With support for serial speeds up to 8 Mbps per port, the 2-port serial HWIC is ideal for low- and medium-density WAN aggregation (Figure 2).
The HWIC-1DSU-T1 also offers an integrated CSU/DSU, simplifying configuration and management. Integration allows management of the router and CSU/DSU as a single SNMP entity while also providing detailed troubleshooting capabilities. Troubleshooting features include self-test, loopbacks, CSU/DSU reset, alarm counters, and T1 statistics.
Figure 2. WAN Concentration
Legacy Protocol Transport
Serial and synchronous/asynchronous ports are ideally suited to transport legacy traffic across a TCP/IP network, facilitating network convergence (Figure 3) and eliminating costly separate leased lines for this traffic. Legacy protocols supported by Cisco IOS® Software include:
• Systems Network Architecture (SNA) and Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC) Protocol
Asynchronous HWICs can connect to external dial modems to provide low-density dial access servers (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Dial Access Server
Ordering Information
Table 1. Cisco 1- and 2-Port Serial and Asynchronous HWICs
Part Number
Description
HWIC-1DSU-T1
1-Port T1/Fractional T1 DSU/CSU WAN Interface Card
HWIC-1T
1-Port Serial WAN Interface Card
HWIC-2T
2-Port Serial WAN Interface Card
HWIC-2A/S
2-Port Async/Sync Serial WAN Interface Card
Platform Support
Serial and asynchronous HWICs are supported in the HWIC slots of Cisco 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Integrated Services Routers, except the Cisco 1861. Table 2 indicates which platforms are supported. These HWICs are supported in all Cisco IOS Software feature sets. The minimum Cisco IOS Software release required is Release 12.4(20)T. Software support will also include 12.4(15)T7 which is planned for mid-August, 2008.
Table 2. Supported Platforms and Quantities
HWIC Product Number
Cisco 1841
Cisco 1861
Cisco 2801
Cisco 2811
Cisco 2821
Cisco 2851
Cisco 3825
Cisco 3845
HWIC-1DSU-T1
2
No
2
4
4
4
4
4
HWIC-1T
2
No
2
4
4
4
4
4
HWIC-2T
2
No
2
4
4
4
4
4
HWIC-2A/S
2
No
2
4
4
4
4
4
Connectors and Cabling
Smart Serial Cabling
The HWIC-1T, HWIC-2T, and HWIC-2A/S use Cisco Smart Serial connectors. The supported cables are noted in Table 3. The HWIC-1DSU-T1 uses a RJ-48 connector.
Table 3. Smart Serial Cabling for HWIC-1T, HWIC-2T, and HWIC-2A/S
Product Number
Cable Type
Length
Connector Type
CAB-SS-V35MT
V.35 DTE
10 ft (3m)
Male
CAB-SS-V35FC
V.35 DCE
10 ft (3m)
Female
CAB-SS-232MT
EIA/TIA-232 DTE
10 ft (3m)
Male
CAB-SS-232FC
EIA/TIA-232 DCE
10 ft (3m)
Female
CAB-SS-449MT
EIA/TIA-449 DTE
10 ft (3m)
Male
CAB-SS-449FC
EIA/TIA-449 DCE
10 ft (3m)
Female
CAB-SS-X21MT
X.21 DTE
10 ft (3m)
Male
CAB-SS-X21FC
X.21 DCE
10 ft (3m)
Female
CAB-SS-530MT
EIA/TIA-530 DTE
10 ft (3m)
Male
CAB-SS-530AMT
EIA/TIA-530A DTE
10 ft (3m)
Male
Specifications
The specifications of the HWICs are listed in Tables 4, 5, and 6.
Table 4. HWIC Signaling and Telecom Specifications
Specification
HWIC-1DSU-T1
HWIC-1T
HWIC-2T
HWIC-2A/S
Synchronous support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Synchronous maximum speed (per port)
1.544 Mbps
8 Mbps
8 Mbps
128 kbps
Asynchronous support
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Asynchronous maximum speed (per port)
-
115.2 kbps
115.2 kbps
115.2 kbps
Bisync support
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Serial protocols
-
EIA-232, EIA-449, EIA-530, EIA-530A, V.35, and X.21
EIA-232, EIA-449, EIA-530, EIA-530A, V.35, and X.21
EIA-232, EIA-449, EIA-530, EIA-530A, V.35, and X.21
Network clock synchronization
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NEBS
Type 1/3
Type 2/4
Type 2/4
Type 2/4
TelecommPTT
• TIA-968-A
• Industry Canada CS-03 Part II
• JATE Digital
• ID0002
• HK2017
• NEBS
• TBR1 and 2
• JATE Digital
• NEBS
• TBR1 and 2
• JATE Digital
• NEBS
• TBR1 and 2
• JATE Digital
• NEBS
Table 5. Specifications unique to Cisco 1-Port T1/Fractional T1 DSU/CSU WAN Interface Card (HWIC-1DSU-T1)
Specification
Data
Network interface specifications
• Transmit bit rate: 1.544 Mbps +/- 50 bps
• Receive bit rate: 1.544 Mbps +/- 100 bps
• Line code: AMI, B8ZS
• AMI ones density
• Forced/bit robbing (N X56)
• High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) data inversion (N X64)
