Management and Configuration Guide K/KA/KB.15.15

for correct operation. The following port types on your switch support the IEEE 802.3ab standard,
which includes the "Auto MDI/MDI-X" feature:
• 10/100-TX xl module ports
• 100/1000-T xl module ports
• 10/100/1000-T xl module ports
Using the above ports:
• If you connect a copper port using a straight-through cable on a switch to a port on another
switch or hub that uses MDI-X ports, the switch port automatically operates as an MDI port.
• If you connect a copper port using a straight-through cable on a switch to a port on an end
node—such as a server or PC—that uses MDI ports, the switch port automatically operates
as an MDI-X port.
HP Switch auto-MDIX supports operation in forced speed and duplex modes.
For more information on this subject, see the IEEE 802.3ab Standard Reference. For more
information on MDI-X, see the Installation and Getting Started Guide.
Manual override
If you require control over the MDI/MDI-X feature, you can set the switch to either of these non-default
modes:
• Manual MDI
• Manual MDI-X
Table 4 (page 104) shows the cabling requirements for the MDI/MDI-X settings.
Table 4 Cable types for auto and manual MDI/MDI-X settings
MDI/MDI-X device type
Setting
Switch, hub, or other MDI-X devicePC or other MDI device type
Straight-through cableCrossover cableManual MDI
Crossover cableStraight-through cableManual MDI-X
Either crossover or straight-through cableAuto-MDI-X (the default)
The AutoMDIX features apply only to copper port switches using twisted-pair copper Ethernet
cables.
About using friendly port names
Optional: This feature enables you to assign alphanumeric port names of your choosing to augment
automatically assigned numeric port names. This means you can configure meaningful port names
to make it easier to identify the source of information listed by some show commands. (Note that
this feature augments port numbering, but does not replace it.)
Configuring and operating rules for friendly port names
• At either the global or context configuration level, you can assign a unique name to a port.
You can also assign the same name to multiple ports.
• The friendly port names you configure appear in the output of the show name <port-list>,
show config, and show interface port-number commands. They do not appear
in the output of other show commands or in Menu interface screens. (See “Viewing friendly
port names with other port data” (page 94).)
• Friendly port names are not a substitute for port numbers in CLI commands or Menu displays.
104 Port Status and Configuration