MasterConsole CAT MCCAT18/MCCAT116 User Guide Release 1.1 Copyright © 2007 Raritan, Inc.
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Power Safety Guidelines To avoid potentially fatal shock hazard and possible damage to Raritan equipment: • Do not use a 2‐wire power cord in any product configuration. • Test AC outlets at your computer and monitor for proper polarity and grounding. • Use only with grounded outlets at both the computer and monitor. When using a backup UPS, power the computer, monitor and appliance off the supply.
Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Product Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Product Photos........................................................................................................................................... 1 Product Features........................................................................................................................................
Contents Accessing Active Channels Only .......................................................................................................... 22 The Security Feature ............................................................................................................................... 23 Activating the Security Feature.................................................................................................. 23 Accessing the System in the Security Mode ..................................
Contents STEP 2: Connect the Second‐Tier MasterConsole II Units...................................................... 50 STEP 3: Specify the Type of the Connected Second‐Tier Device in the OSD.......................
Introduction Chapter 1 Congratulations on purchasing a Raritan MasterConsole CAT KVM (keyboard/video/mouse) switch. This User Guide explains how to use these KVM switches to access and control multiple computers (or servers). In This Chapter Product Overview..............................................................................................1 Product Photos ...................................................................................................1 Product Features ......................
Product Features Model: MCCAT116 (Front and Rear View) Product Features • 2 One user can control up to 16 computers per unit.
Chapter 1: Introduction • A maximum of 256 computers can be controlled in a two‐tier cascaded MCCAT system • The unit interconnects with each computer via the standard Cat5 UTP cables • The units can be cascaded to form a two‐tier KVM switch system • The OSD interface features simple system control and management • Support the video resolution up to 1600x1200 • The user can be located at a distance up to 100 feet (30.
Chapter 2 Quick Start This chapter addresses only the basic connections for setting up an MCCAT system and basic operations for interacting with the computers being connected to the system. For advanced hardware installation or OSD operations, refer to Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration (on page 17) and Chapter 5: Two‐Tier System (on page 32) for details. In This Chapter A Glance at the Product ....................................................................................
Chapter 2: Quick Start p SCAN button Toggles AutoScan on/off. When the AutoScan function is on, the system automatically cycles through all channels until the function is turned off. q r Channel buttons TIER LED These buttons enable immediate access to the computer connected to the corresponding channel. In addition, each channel button can show each channelʹs status through its LED color change. • Off: Either no device is connected to the channel, or the connected device is NOT powered.
Connecting Computers r Admin port Connects to a computer via a serial cable for upgrading the MCCATʹs firmware. s HD15 video port Connects to a monitor for displaying the MCCAT OSD and the video of the accessed computer. t Channel ports Connect to computers via standard Cat5 UTP cables. The number of available channels varies depending on the model you purchased.
Chapter 2: Quick Start Connect the HD15 video connector of the CIM to the HD15 video port of the computer. If the CIM is a USB CIM: Connect the USB connector of the CIM to one of the USB ports of the computer. Connect the HD15 video connector of the CIM to the HD15 video port of the computer.
Connecting Computers 3. Use a Cat5 UTP cable to connect from one of the channels ports of the MCCAT to the RJ45 port of the CIM being connected to the computer. 4. Repeat Steps 2 to 3 if you want to connect more computers. 5. Connect a keyboard, mouse and monitor to the MCCAT unit. a. Connect the mouseʹs connector to the PS/2 mouse port of the MCCAT unit. b. Connect the keyboardʹs connector to the PS/2 keyboard port of the MCCAT unit. c.
Chapter 2: Quick Start 6. Connect one end of the MCCATʹs power cord to its power jack and the other end to the appropriate power outlet. 7. Power on the monitor, connected computer(s) and the MCCAT unit. Selecting a Channel After finishing the hardware installation, try to access one or more channels to verify the connections.
Selecting a Channel Note: The front panel operation becomes invalid if the OSD remains displayed on the screen. Therefore, make sure the OSD is NOT onscreen when operating with the front panel buttons. OSD Operation 10 1. Press the hot key twice QUICKLY (default: Scroll Lock) to activate the OSD. 2. The Selection Menu similar to the following image appears, with eight channels shown on one page.
Chapter 2: Quick Start Now you can control the computer with the keyboard and mouse attached to the MCCAT unit. Warning!! MCCAT does not support real‐time channel detection when channel changes occur. Therefore, if you disconnect the computer from the channel you are accessing now and reconnect another computer to that channel, you must activate the OSD to select the same channel again. Otherwise, you may have mouse or keyboard input issues with the channel being accessed.
Changing Channel Names 2. Press F3 to go to the Edit Names and Scan Rate menu. 3. Press the arrow keys (Ï, Ð, Í, Î), Tab or Shift+Tab to select the desired channel name. The selected character blinks, indicating where the selection is. 4. Type the new name up to eight characters and each blinking character is replaced. However, a second‐tier device does not allow you to change its first character “/” so you can only type up to seven characters for such a device name. 5.
Chapter 3 Introduction to the On-Screen Display (OSD) The product provides a simple OSD user interface for both of the channel selection and system configuration. In addition, the OSD shows information relevant to the MCCAT unit or the channel being accessed. In This Chapter Activating the OSD..........................................................................................13 OSD Layout ......................................................................................................
Frequently Used Keys q Message bar, which shows the options or keys that are applicable to the selected field, or shows prompt messages for the action being performed Frequently Used Keys The following keys are frequently used with the OSD operation. • Tab and Shift+Tab: These keys allow you to move between fields. • Arrow keys (Ï, Ð, Í, Î): These keys, usually the Up and Down arrow keys, are mainly used to change the numeric values or to switch between available options of the selected field.
Chapter 3: Introduction to the On-Screen Display (OSD) Introduction to the Selection Menu The Selection Menu, showing all channels of the system, allows you to access channels. Besides, it displays the scan time setting for ʺIndividual scan modeʺ of each channel . Every time when you activate the OSD, the system always displays the Selection Menu similar to the image below. Field Meaning Description MC Name of the MCCAT unit The default is the model name: MCCAT18 or MCCAT116.
Introduction to the Selection Menu Field Meaning Description Name Name of the device or If there is any computer or device connected to the channel, the computer connected to default name is PC, where indicates the channel number. For example, the computer connected to the channel channel number 3 is shown PC0003. The name can be changed. For more information, see Changing Channel Names (on page 11).
Chapter 4 Advanced Operation and System Configuration In this chapter, you will learn more about the OSD or front panel operations for advanced features, such as updating the channel status, setting up the security feature, etc. If your MCCAT is a two‐tier system, you must perform these operations on the first‐tier MCCAT unit.
Toggling the Channel Sorting 2. If the current OSD menu is not the Selection Menu, press F2 to have the Selection Menu displayed. 3. Press F12 to toggle the sorting. TIP: When the channels are sorted by channel name, you can type the first character of the name of the desired channel, the system will jump to the channel whose name begins with the same character.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration Cycling Through Channels Instead of manually selecting the desired channel to view its video, you can activate the AutoScan function to make the MCCAT system automatically display the video of all channels one after another. There are two types of AutoScan modes: Global and Individual. The default AutoScan mode is Global.
Cycling Through Channels Turn off AutoScan Press the SCAN button so the LED light is off. The system will stop at the last scanned channel. Cycling Through Active Channels Only When AutoScan is on, the system cycles through all channels, including ʹactiveʹ and ʹinactiveʹ ones. To shorten the scanning time, you can have the system skip inactive channels by activating the AutoSkip function. Activate the AutoSkip Function: Press the SKIP button on the front panel. The LED under the button is lit.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration Turn off AutoScan Activate the OSD again and press Alt+F6. Cycling Through Active Channels Only You can choose to skip inactive channels through the OSD after the AutoScan function is activated. Therefore, only active channels are scanned. 1. (Optional) If the OSD is not onscreen, press the hot key twice QUICKLY (default: Scroll Lock) to activate it. 2. Press F7 to activate the AutoSkip function. 3.
Refreshing the Channel Status Refreshing the Channel Status From the OSD or LED status, you can tell which channel is connected to a powered device and which is not. However, MCCAT does not support real‐time channel detection. Besides, the OSD remembers and shows the last second‐tier channel status instead of re‐detecting the second‐tier channel status after the MCCAT unit is power cycled.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration The Security Feature You can prevent unauthorized access to the system and the attached computers by activating the security feature. When the security feature is ON, the system will enter the security mode after the mouse and keyboard activity is not detected for a preset period of time. Users have to enter a password in order to access the system in the security mode. Activating the Security Feature 1.
The Security Feature Accessing the System in the Security Mode After the system or the MCCAT unit enters the security mode, a message “Security Mode Protected”appears on the screen. Do the following to access the system: 1. Press any key and the prompt message “Password:” appears. 2. Type either the administrator (Admin) or user password and press Enter. Unless changed, type one of the default passwords shown below.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration 3. Type raritan and press Enter. Note that the password is case sensitive. The Administration Menu appears. 4. Press Tab or Shift+Tab to highlight the field of which you want to change the password; for example, if you want to change the administrator password, highlight Admin. 5. Press Enter and the following fields appear. 6. Type the new password in the Enter New Passwd field and press Enter.
System Configuration 3. Type the Admin password (default: raritan) and press Enter. Note that the password is case sensitive. The Administration Menu appears. 4. Press Tab to highlight the Language Mode field. There are three options available: English, German and French. 5. Press Ï or Ð to select the appropriate option. 6. Press Esc to quit the OSD menu. System Configuration Many system settings are available in the Configuration Menu. Press F4 to go to this menu when the OSD is onscreen.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration 2. Press Ï or Ð to change the value or switch between options of the selected field. Exception: You need to type a letter or symbol in the Device field to change its values, instead of using the arrow keys. The table below explains the functions and available options of each field in the menu. Field Available options Description Connected No options The field CANNOT be configured. It shows the number and name of the channel being accessed now.
System Configuration Mode Skip Global, Individual On, Off Determines which scan mode is applied once the AutoScan function is activated. There are two scan modes: Global and Individual. • Global scan mode: The scan time for each channel is the same. • Individual scan mode: The scan time for each channel varies depending on the settings you have set for each channel in the Edit Names and Scan Rate menu. Toggles the AutoSkip mode on or off.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration Green Mode On, Off Toggles the power‐saving function on or off. If setting the mode to On, the MCCAT unit will enter the power‐saving mode after no keyboard/mouse activity is detected for a period of time specified in the Minutes field. Minutes 01~99 (minutes) Determines the length of time for which no keyboard/mouse activity is detected before the MCCAT unit enters the power‐saving mode.
Accessing the Help Menu 4. Type numeric digits to change the scan time. The scan time is measured in seconds. 5. Press Esc to quit the current menu. 6. The message “Save the changes [Y/N]” appears on the message bar. Click Y to save the changes or N to abort them. Accessing the Help Menu While the OSD is onscreen, you can view the OSD help at any time by pressing F1. This displays the Help Menu, which lists all function keys available and the current version of the firmware.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operation and System Configuration Function Key Description F4 Displays the Configuration Menu. F5 Displays the Administration Menu. F6 Turns on the AutoScan function. Alt+F6 Turns off the AutoScan function. F7 Turns on the AutoSkip function. Alt+F7 Turns off the AutoSkip function. F8 Checks channels one by one and updates the channel status accordingly. F12 Toggles the channel sorting between sorting by “channel number” and sorting by “name” in the Selection Menu.
Two-Tier System Chapter 5 You can cascade various MCCAT units to organize a two‐tier KVM switch system and expand the number of available channels accordingly. A mix of different MCCAT models is permitted. If the two‐tier system completely comprises the MCCAT116 models, the number of connected computers can even be expanded up to 256 computers. In This Chapter Overview...........................................................................................................
Chapter 5: Two-Tier System q First‐tier MCCAT unit r Keyboard, mouse and monitor (attached to the first‐tier unit only) Setting Up a Two-Tier System Basically, there are five major steps to set up a two‐tier system: STEP 1: Programme an MCCAT unit as a second‐tier device STEP 2: Connect the second‐tier MCCAT unit to the first‐tier MCCAT unit STEP 3: Connect the keyboard, mouse and monitor to the first‐tier MCCAT unit STEP 4: Specify the type of the second‐tier device in the Configuration
Setting Up a Two-Tier System STEP 2: Connect the Second-Tier MCCAT Unit Now you need to connect the second‐tier MCCAT units to the first‐tier MCCAT unit. A mix of different MCCAT models is permitted in such a system. For example, you can connect the MCCAT18 to the MCCAT116 unit. Important: Use only MCIM‐PS2 to connect the second‐tier KVM switches. Do NOT use other CIMs for connecting the second‐tier switches. 1. Make sure all of the MCCAT units are turned OFF. 2.
Chapter 5: Two-Tier System 3. Connect one end of the Cat5 UTP cable to the RJ45 port of the CIM being attached to the second‐tier MCCAT unit; connect the other end of the cable to one of the channel ports of the first‐tier MCCAT unit. 4. Connect one end of the power cord to the power jack of the MCCAT unit and the other end to the appropriate power outlet. 5. If you want to connect more second‐tier MCCAT units to the first‐tier MCCAT unit, repeat Steps 1 to 4. 6.
Setting Up a Two-Tier System STEP 3: Connect the Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor to the First-Tier Device Connect a keyboard, mouse and monitor to the first‐tier MCCAT unit. For details, refer to Step 5 in Connecting Computers (on page 6). STEP 4: Specify the Type of the Connected Second-Tier Device in the OSD MCCAT cannot detect which type of the second‐tier device is connected. Therefore, you must specify the type(s) by yourself. Otherwise, you cannot properly access the second‐tier channels.
Chapter 5: Two-Tier System 4. The characters or dots (see the figure below), from left to right, represent channel numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on of the first‐tier unit. If the first‐tier unit contains 16 channels, you will see 16 characters or 16 dots in the field. Press Í or Î to select the character representing the channel where the second‐tier device is connected. 5. Type the appropriate code that corresponds to the type of the connected second‐tier device.
Accessing the Second-Tier Channels STEP 5: Connect Computers to the MCCAT System You can connect computers to available channel ports of any MCCAT units in the two‐tier system, including those of the first‐tier and second‐tier MCCAT units. For details, see Steps 2 to 4 in Connecting Computers (on page 6). Accessing the Second-Tier Channels Unlike the first‐tier channels, there is only one way to access the second‐tier channels, that is, through the OSD.
Chapter 5: Two-Tier System Press Page Down or Page Up until you see the page where the desired second‐tier channel is available. Note: A second‐tier channel is always shown with two channel numbers: the first one is the number of the first‐tier channel where the second‐tier device connects, and the second one is the number of the second‐tier channel where the computer connects. 3. Press Ð or Ï to highlight the desired channel among the second‐tier channels. 4. Press Enter to select the channel.
Firmware Upgrade Chapter 6 You can upgrade MCCAT’s firmware to benefit from the latest enhancements and features whenever new MCCAT firmware is released on Raritan’s website.
Chapter 6: Firmware Upgrade STEP 2: Connect the MCCAT Unit to the Computer Running the Upgrade Utility 1. Prepare one DB9 male‐to‐female serial (RS‐232) cable. Note: If you donʹt have this cable, contact Raritan technical support for details. 2. Connect one end of the serial cable to one of the serial ports of the computer; connect the other end to the Admin port of the MCCAT unit.
STEP 3: Launch the Upgrade Utility STEP 3: Launch the Upgrade Utility The upgrade utility for MCCAT is the same one for Raritanʹs Paragon products, that is, the ParagonUpdate utility. However, the ParagonUpdate utility which is implemented with the capability to upgrade the MCCAT units starts from version 2.4.3. To ensure the success of the upgrade, it is strongly recommended to use the upgrade utility downloaded along with the MCCAT firmware when upgrading MCCAT units. 1.
Chapter 6: Firmware Upgrade d. Click the Port field and type the appropriate number of the serial port. For example, if the MCCAT unit connects to the computer via COM 1, type 1. e. Ensure is selected in the Encryption Key field. f. (Optional) Click Save to save the device information so next time you donʹt have to specify the same information again. 3. Select the checkbox next to the MCCAT unit. 4. Click Load Hex File . The Open dialog appears. 5.
STEP 4: Power Cycle the Upgraded MCCAT Unit 7. Click Yes when the following message box appears. 8. A progress indicator is shown on the bottom of the dialog, displaying the upgrade status. The upgrade may last for several minutes. 9. The “Device Update Successful” message appears when the upgrade completes successfully. Click OK.
Appendix A Specifications In This Chapter Measurement....................................................................................................45 Supported Resolutions....................................................................................45 Measurement MCCAT18 (8‐channel model) 1U rackmountable Dimension: Weight: 17.32”(W) x 7.20”(D) x 1.73”(H) or 44 cm (W) x 18.3 cm (D) x 4.4 cm (H) 5.30 lb or 2.40 kg MCCAT116 (16‐channel model) 1U rackmountable Dimension: Weight: 17.
Appendix B MCCAT Default Settings Field or Function Factory Default Setting Administration password raritan (note the password is case sensitive) AutoScan OFF AutoScan mode Global AutoSkip OFF Scan time per channel in the Individual scan 5 seconds mode Device “.
Appendix C Compatibility with Other Raritan Products You can connect other Raritan products to the MCCAT unit, such as MasterConsole II, which can work as the second tier, or P2CIM‐SER, which enables the connection of an ASCII serial device to the MCCAT unit. In This Chapter Compatible CIMs.............................................................................................47 Compatibility with MasterConsole II ...........................................................
Compatible CIMs Connecting a Serial Device via the Serial CIM To connect an ASCII serial device, LAN/WAN component or a computer through a serial port (RS‐232) to the MCCAT system, use one of Raritanʹs serial CIMs: P2CIM‐SER or P2CIM‐SER‐EU. These CIMs can emulate an ASCII terminal and convert the serial data from the ASCII device to VGA video (800x600x60) and PS/2 keyboard signals. This conversion allows users to access and operate any ASCII serial device connected to the MCCAT system.
Appendix C: Compatibility with Other Raritan Products Installing a Serial CIM Take these steps to attach a serial CIM to the serial port of a serial device or computer and to your MCCAT system. 1. Connect the CIM to a serial port on the serial device or computer, using its serial DB9 connector. 2. Connect the CIM to the MCCAT system using a standard Cat5 UTP cable. 3. Connect the CIMʹs USB connector to a powered USB port, or to a separately available Raritan PWR‐SER‐4 power adapter, to obtain power.
Compatibility with MasterConsole II 3. The rightmost LED on the front panel is lit, indicating the device is now programmed as a second‐tier device. 4. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 if more MasterConsole II units are to be programmed as the second‐tier devices. STEP 2: Connect the Second-Tier MasterConsole II Units 1. Attach a PS/2 CIM to a MasterConsole II unit that is programmed as a second‐tier device. 2.
Appendix D Troubleshooting Problem Solution No power • Check the power cord. • Make sure the power switch is turned ON. • Check the cable connection from the computer to MCCAT.
Compatibility with MasterConsole II Problem Solution • After a period of trouble‐free operation, the keyboard attached to MCCAT locks (unable to input keystrokes) when a particular computer is selected, but works normally when other • computers are selected The most likely cause of the problem is either a voltage ʺspikeʺ (increase) or a ʺbrown outʺ (decrease) in the power supply, which would cause the microprocessors in the MCCAT to malfunction.
Index A O A Glance at the Product • 4 Accessing Active Channels Only • 22 Accessing the Help Menu • 30 Accessing the Second‐Tier Channels • 38 Accessing the System in the Security Mode • 24 Activating the OSD • 13 Activating the Security Feature • 23 Advanced Operation and System Configuration • 4, 17 OSD Layout • 13 OSD Menus • 14 OSD Operation • 10, 20 Overview • 32 C Q Changing Channel Names • 11, 16 Changing Passwords • 24 Changing the Keyboard Layout Setting • 25 Compatibility with MasterConsole
Index Connect the Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor to the First-Tier Device • 36 Launch the Upgrade Utility • 42 Specify the Type of the Connected Second-Tier Device in the OSD • 50 STEP 4 Power Cycle the Upgraded MCCAT Unit • 44 Specify the Type of the Connected Second-Tier Device in the OSD • 36, 50 STEP 5 Connect Computers to the MCCAT System • 38 Supported Resolutions • 45 Switching between Pages • 16 System Configuration • 13, 15, 19, 21, 26 T The Security Feature • 23 Toggling the Channel Sorting • 17
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