Specifications

CHAPTER 3: INTRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS 5
CHAPTER 3: CABLING REQUIREMENTS
CONSOLESWITCH CABLING: SERIAL OVER UTP
NOTE: The following information applies only to cables that attach directly to the ConsoleSwitch unit. Cables
that attach to Raritan’s Paragon switches must meet stricter requirements; if you are using ConsoleSwitch in
tandem with Raritan’s Paragon data center management system, be sure to see the following section,
“Paragon Cabling: KVM Over UTP” for more information.
CAT 5 CABLE REQUIREMENTS
ConsoleSwitch allows easy, organized, and convenient connection to devices via standard UTP cable. Because
serial data requires relatively little bandwidth in comparison to Ethernet traffic, any standard, straight-through
UTP cable fastened with RJ45 modular plugs will suffice (Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6).
DEVICE ADAPTERS
Each serial device and user console connected to ConsoleSwitch will require a nulling serial adapter. These
Raritan-supplied adapters will null ConsoleSwitch’s serial RJ45 connection, and adapt the physical plug to
match standard EIA-232 serial connectors (DB9 or DB25).
• To connect user consoles to ConsoleSwitch, use the adapters provided with your ConsoleSwitch unit.
• To connect devices to ConsoleSwtich, customers should order adapters appropriate for each device to
be connected (available from your Raritan reseller).
• Expert users may refer to Appendix B for ConsoleSwitch’s exact RJ45 serial pin-outs.
DISTANCE LIMITATIONS
While ConsoleSwitch does not itself impose cable distance limitations, all standard EIA-232 serial signals do.
Hence, devices connected to ConsoleSwitch should adhere to the following limitations specified in the EIA
standard. Longer cable lengths will result in signal degradation and therefore, cause functional errors to occur:
Data Rate
(baud)
Distance
(Feet)
Distance
(Meters)
2400 200 60
4800 100 30
9600-38400 50 15
Figure 3. EIA-232 Standard Speed / Distance Limitations
User consoles (dumb terminals, terminal emulators, etc.) connected to the user ports of ConsoleSwitch must
also adhere to the same distance limitations.
It is worth noting that the EIA created RS-232 cabling specifications many decades ago. In practice, using high
quality, shielded cable can yield much longer, successful cabling distances without data loss. However, Raritan
can only guarantee operation quality at the EIA specification.