5MS-MDM Guide

Q: I can dial into the 5MS-MDM; however, I can’t communicate with any of the devices connected to it.
A: Verify that you have entered the IP address of the 5MS-MDM switch into the “Default Gateway” field of the device(s) you are trying to communicate with. For example, if the IP address of the 5MS-MDM switch is 192.168.1.54, then the default gateway of the devices connected to the 5MS-MDM switch must be 192.168.1.54 as well.

Q: When dialing from my computer, I am getting error code 678, etc.
A: These are actually Microsoft error codes. Make sure you have disabled firewalls on your PC and that they are allowing PPP connections on the remote site.

Q: I am calling the 5MS-MDM switch and it rings, but never answers.
A: Make certain you have followed the instructions for the Dial-In scenario from appendix F of the Software User Manual.

Q: My switch will not power up.
A: Please refer to the “Switch will not start up” guide.

RTR Configuration

Q: I cannot detect any ring switch(s) on my network using the Ethernet Switch Tools utility.
A: Check the following:

• Make sure that you are connected to a non-ring port. For example, Port 3 is usually not configured for a ring.
• If the switch was configured to have a Modbus IP Address through the Ethernet Switch Tools utility, then make sure the PC’s IP Address is on a compatible subnet. For example, if you configure the Modbus IP Address to be 10.20.30.40 with a mask of 255.255.255.0, then your PC should be IP Address 10.20.30.X , mask 255.255.255.0, where X = a number from 0–254 (excluding 40, which is configured for the ring switch).
• Ensure you have the most current version of the Ring switch tools. The current version as of April 2010 is v1.9. The most current version can always be downloaded from: http://www.redlion.net/files/1326/4772

Q: The Ring LED on my ring switch is flashing. Why is this?
A: Check the following:

• Make sure you are using all of the ports that are configured for a ring. If the ring is broken, the ring LED will flash.
• Make sure the Ring switch is connected to another ring switch or managed switch that is configured for Real-Time-Ring on the ports connected to it.
• Verify that the Ethernet cable works on other ports/devices.
• If the port is a fiber port, verify that you are using the same type of transceivers on both devices and the same type of fiber cable. Refer to the Fiber User Guide for more information on troubleshooting fiber issues.

Q: My ring switch will not power up.
A: Please refer to the Sixnet Power-Up Guide.

Q: My Ring switch is still not working. How can I get it repaired?
A: Please email a detailed description of the model type, date code and/or serial number, and a detailed description of the problem to [email protected]

IGMP Configuration

Q: Which managed switches support IGMP?
A: All Sixnet Managed switches fully support IGMP.

Q: What versions of IGMP do Sixnet switches support?
A: The ET, SL, SLX, EK and EF series all support IGMP V1 and V2. The EL Series supports IGMP V1, V2 and V3.

Q: Do Sixnet switches support IGMP Snooping?
A: Yes, all Sixnet switches support both active and passive IGMP Snooping. Active snooping actively controls the flow of multicast data; passive snooping only listens to the IGMP messages on the network.

Q: What are the differences between the multicast suppression modes in the ET, SL(X), EK/EF series?
A: The multicast suppression modes suppress packets as follows:

• None–Multicast packets are sent to all ports unless IGMP is enabled and one or more clients have sent IGMP Report requests.
• IP Multicast Groups–Multicast packets corresponding to IP multicast groups (with MAC addresses starting 01:00:5e) are suppressed unless one or more clients have sent IGMP Report messages. Multicast packets with other addresses (any other packet with a MAC address starting 01) are sent to all ports.
• All Unreserved Multicast–Multicast packets with reserved multicast addresses (01:80:c2:00:00:0x where x is 0..f) are sent to all ports. All other multicast packets are suppressed unless one or more clients have sent IGMP Report messages.

Message Rate Limiting Configuration

Q: Which managed switches support Message Rate Limiting?
A: All Sixnet switches support Message Rate Limiting.

Q: What exactly does Message Rate Limiting do?
A: Message rate limiting restricts the amount of Broadcast and Multicast traffic that passes through the switch. It has no effect on other types of communication, such as unicast.

Q: Is message rate limiting adjustable?
A: On all ET, SL, SLX, EK and EF switches, rate limiting is not adjustable; it can only be enabled and disabled on a per-port basis. The rate limits are fixed based on message type and priority. The rates are as follows:

The EL series supports fully adjustable rate limiting on both ingress and egress. This can be done on a per-port basis.

RSTP Configuration

Q: Which managed switches support RSTP?
A: All Sixnet managed switches fully support RSTP. By default, all EL series switches will have RSTP enabled. All SLX series switches with firmware 5.0 or newer will also have RSTP enabled by default.

Q: How many switches can I connect in an RSTP network?
A: You can have a maximum of 40 hops in an RSTP network. Hops are the number of connections between the two farthest points on the network. In most practical networks, this means you cannot have more that 40 switches between any two points.

Q: Can RTR and RSTP be enabled on the same switch?
A: Yes, however, a particular port may only be used for one protocol or the other. For example, if a port is part of a Real-Time-Ring, that port cannot also participate in a spanning tree.

Connecting Fiber Devices

Q: I see no link activity on the fiber transceiver(s).
A: Please see Section 4 above.

Q: Can I connect a device with an SC or ST connector on one end to a device that has an LC connector on the other end?
A: Yes, many vendors sell fiber optic cables with different connector types on each end.

Q: Do we sell fiber optic cable, or do we recommend a specific vendor?
A: No, Sixnet does not sell fiber optic cable nor do we recommend a specific vendor.

Q: I have tried all the steps in Section 4, but they still have only intermittent or no communications on the link. Is there anything else I can do?
A: Please send a complete description of the problem, model number, and the date code/serial number of the unit to [email protected] to be issued an RMA number for the evaluation and repair of the unit.