Cabling the T1 and E1 Port Adapters

This chapter describes supported cabling configurations for the T1 (1.544-Mbps) and E1 (2.048-Mbps) ATM port adapters, which provide T1 UTP, E1 UTP, and E1 coaxial connections. This chapter is organized into the following sections:

T1 and E1 Port Adapter Supported Interfaces
T1 and E1 Port Adapter Trunk Connectors
T1 and E1 Port Adapter LEDs

For detailed, up-to-date configuration instructions, see the following publications:

Catalyst 8540 MSR Software Configuration Guide
LightStream 1010 ATM Switch and Catalyst 8510 MSR Software Configuration Guide
Catalyst 5000 Series Software Configuration Guide

For command-line interface (CLI) command descriptions, see the following publications:

Catalyst 8540 MSR Command Reference
LightStream 1010 ATM Switch and Catalyst 8510 MSR Command Reference
Catalyst 5000 Series Command Reference

Note All ATM interfaces are full duplex. You must use the appropriate ATM interface cable to connect the ATM BNC or UTP port adapter interface with an external ATM network.

T1 and E1 Port Adapter Supported Interfaces

The T1 and E1 port adapters provide an interface to ATM switching fabrics for transmitting and receiving data at 1.544 and 2.048 Mbps bidirectionally. The actual data rate is determined by the physical layer interface module (PLIM). The T1 and E1 port adapters can support interfaces that connect to the following physical layers:

T1 1.544-Mbps UTP cable with RJ-45 connector
E1 2.048-Mbps UTP cable with RJ-45 connector
E1 2.048-Mbps coaxial cable with BNC connector

Note The terms "RJ-45 connector" and "RJ-48c connector" are sometimes used interchangeably. The RJ-48c is the jack or receptacle; the RJ-45 is the plug.

Caution The T1 and E1 ports must be connected to a network termination unit (NTU). NTU devices should comply with UL 1950, CSA 950, EN 60950, and IEC 950 standards.

Note For detailed descriptions of ATM cabling requirements, refer to the section "ATM Connection Equipment Requirements" in the chapter "Installing ATM Port Adapters."

T1 and E1 Port Adapter Trunk Connectors

For T1 and E1 trunks, use an RJ-48 connector and UTP cable to connect the T1 and E1 trunk port adapter with the WAN or other switches. (See Figure 6-1.)

For BNC E1 connections, use the 75-ohm, RG-59 coaxial cable with bayonet-style, twist-lock (BNC) connectors to connect the E1 port adapter with the WAN or external ATM switch.

Note For a description of these connectors, see the section "ATM Connection Equipment Requirements" in the chapter "Installing ATM Port Adapters." (Figure 2-3 shows an RJ-48 connector. Figure 2-4 shows a BNC connector with a coaxial interface cable.)

Figure 6-1: T1 and E1 Trunk Connections and LEDs

T1 and E1 Port Adapter LEDs

The LEDs provide status information for the individual T1 and E1 interface connections. The LEDs are described in Table 6-1 and shown in Figure 6-1.

Table 6-1: T1 and E1 Port Adapter LED Descriptions

LED	Description
CD (carrier detect)	Off—Carrier detect signal not received Green—Carrier detect signal received
RX (receive)	Off—No receive line activity Flashing green—Cells being received: blinks every five seconds and pulse rate increases with data rate Flashing yellow—Loopback Red—Alarm (LOF¹, LCD², AIS³)
TX (transmit)	Off—No transmit line activity Flashing green—Cells being transmitted: pulse rate increases with data rate Flashing yellow—Loopback Steady yellow—Alarm FERF⁴

¹LOF = loss of frame.
²LCD = loss of cell delineation.
³AIS = alarm indication signal.
⁴FERF = far-end receive failure.

Table of Contents

Cabling the T1 and E1 Port Adapters

T1 and E1 Port Adapter Supported Interfaces

T1 and E1 Port Adapter Trunk Connectors

T1 and E1 Port Adapter LEDs