MARCH 2001 SW651A SW652A Customer Support Information: FREE tech support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax 724-746-0746. Mailing address: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Dr., Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 World-Wide Web: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: info@blackbox.com © Copyright 2001. Black Box Corporation. All rights reserved.
MARCH 2001 SW651A-K SW652A-K Addendum for ServSwitch™ Wizard Kits The ServSwitch™ Wizard Kits were accidentally left out of your ServSwitch Wizard manual dated March 2001. They include the matching Wizard chassis plus two (SW651A-K) or four (SW652A-K) of each of these accessories: • Premium KVM CPU Cables. These are identical to the cables identified in your manual as “ServSwitch Duo CPU-Extension Cables” (product code EHN409).
THE SERVSWITCH™ FAMILY Welcome to the ServSwitchTM Family! Thank you for purchasing a BLACK BOX® ServSwitch™ Brand KVM switch! We appreciate your business, and we think you’ll appreciate the many ways that your new ServSwitch keyboard/video/mouse switch will save you money, time, and effort. That’s because our ServSwitch family is all about breaking away from the traditional, expensive model of computer management.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS MANUAL BLACK BOX and the logo are registered trademarks, and ServSwitch and ServSwitch Wizard are trademarks, of Black Box Corporation. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Compaq and Alpha are registered trademarks of Compaq Computer Corporation. Hewlett-Packard, HP, and Vectra are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard.
FCC/IC STATEMENTS FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND INDUSTRY CANADA RADIO-FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy, and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio communication.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD EUROPEAN UNION DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B computing device in accordance with the specifications in the European standard EN55022. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference.
NOM STATEMENT NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS (NOM) ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD 1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado. 2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas para referencia futura. 3. Todas las advertencias en el aparato eléctrico y en sus instrucciones de operación deben ser respetadas. 4. Todas las instrucciones de operación y uso deben ser seguidas. 5.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 12. Precaución debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la polarización del equipo no sea eliminada. 13. Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra ellos, poniendo particular atención a los contactos y receptáculos donde salen del aparato. 14. El equipo eléctrico debe ser limpiado únicamente de acuerdo a las recomendaciones del fabricante. 15.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Chapter Page 1. Specifications ............................................................................................. 9 2. Introduction ............................................................................................. 2.1 Features and Benefits ....................................................................... 2.2 The Complete Package ..................................................................... 2.3 The ServSwitch Wizard Illustrated ............
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD Contents (continued) Chapter 5. 6. Page Operation ................................................................................................. 5.1 Power Status .................................................................................... 5.2 The Front-Panel Pushbutton and the Remote-Control Module .. 5.3 The Status Display .......................................................................... 5.4 Things to Keep in Mind About the Keyboards and Mice ............ 5.
CHAPTER 1: Specifications 1.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD Connectors — All rear-mounted: User port: (1) HD15 female for monitor attachment, (2) 6-pin mini-DIN female for keyboard and mouse attachment; CPU ports ([2] on SW651A, [4] on SW652A): (1) HD15 female for video-port attachment, (2) 6-pin mini-DIN female for keyboard- and mouseport attachment; (1) Multipurpose DB15 female (see Section A.
CHAPTER 2: Introduction 2. Introduction The ServSwitch™ Wizard is a high-performance keyboard-, monitor-, and mousesharing device that supports a wide range of IBM® PC compatible hardware and software platforms, including some high-end IBM PS/2® compatible computers (IBM RS/6000®, Compaq® Alpha®, and SGI™). 2.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD • Mixed PC/AT® and PS/2 keyboards and PS/2 and RS-232 mice supported as standard. • Supports keyboard modes 1, 2, and 3, as well as both “prompt” and “stream” mouse modes, for maximum compatibility. • Support for Microsoft® IntelliMouse™ and many other “wheel mice.” • Mouse-restoration functions that make it possible to hot-plug certain systems. • Supports IBM ThinkPad® notebooks and their “Y” cables. • Also supports IBM RS/6000®, Compaq® Alpha®, and SGI™ computers.
CHAPTER 2: Introduction 2.3 The ServSwitch Wizard Illustrated Button for changing channels and entering configuration mode Display shows status and mouse/keyboard data activity Figure 2-1. The ServSwitch Wizard’s front panel.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 2.4 Safety Concerns As you prepare to install the ServSwitch Wizard, please keep these things in mind: • The Wizard is for use in dry, oil-free indoor environments only. • Do not attempt to fix the Wizard yourself. • Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the Wizard, its optional power supply, and any other accessories.
CHAPTER 3: Installation 3. Installation 3.1 What You Will Need You’ll need these things to be in place before you can install your ServSwitch Wizard: • Cables to connect the ServSwitch Wizard to the keyboard, video, and mouse ports of each of your computers. If you’ll be installing synchronized or cascaded Wizards, you’ll also need cables to attach the Wizards to each other. Cable specifications are given in the Appendix. (You don’t need to connect a mouse cable if you are not using the mouse.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 3.2 Placement The ServSwitch Wizard should be placed on a desktop or shelf near your monitor and peripherals. You can use the optional Remote-Control Module if you want to put a Wizard farther from your monitor and peripherals. 3.3 Connecting Your Equipment NOTES When you connect devices to Wizards’ “control ports” and “CPU ports,” refer to Figure 2-2 in Section 2.3 to see where these ports are. Any unused CPU-port or control-port connectors on a ServSwitch Wizard can be left vacant.
CHAPTER 3: Installation 3.3.1 SYSTEMS WITH A SINGLE WIZARD Make sure that the Wizard is unplugged and powered down. If possible, turn off and unplug all of the devices that you want to attach to it. (If you have to “hotplug” any powered computers into the Wizard, see Section 5.8.) Connect your user equipment (keyboard, PS/2 mouse, and monitor) to the appropriate “control port” connectors on the Wizard’s rear panel.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 3.3.2 CASCADED WIZARD SYSTEMS FOR MORE THAN FOUR CPUS Multiple ServSwitch Wizards can be cascaded (connected together in a one-tomany scheme) in order to increase the maximum number of available CPU ports in your KVM-switching system. (Note that each Wizard in a cascade must be powered through a power supply and not from the keyboard interface.
CHAPTER 3: Installation Finally, connect each computer CPU to the Wizard system by running cabling from the CPU’s keyboard, mouse, and video ports to the matching connectors in one of the CPU ports on one of the subsidiary Wizards. As with the master-tosubsidiary Wizard connections, this cabling can be either separate keyboard-, mouse-, and video-extension cables or ServSwitch Duo CPU-Extension Cable. If you need to run farther than 100 ft. (30.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 3.3.3 SYNCHRONIZED WIZARD SYSTEMS FOR CPUS WITH MULTIPLE VIDEO OUTPUTS Some business environments, such as engineering and financial services, often make use of CPUs with multiple video outputs (as in, multiple video cards and/or video cards with multiple video heads). This is because these environments frequently require more “video real estate” than a single monitor can provide.
CHAPTER 3: Installation Connect each computer CPU to the synchronized Wizard system. First run cabling from the CPU’s keyboard port, mouse port, and primary video output to the matching connectors in one of the master Wizard’s “CPU ports.” This cabling can be either separate male-to-male keyboard-, mouse-, and video-extension cables, or our three-in-one ServSwitch Duo CPU-Extension Cable. If you need to run farther than 100 ft. (30.5 m) to a CPU, you’ll need to use one of our ServSwitch brand KVM extenders.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 3.3.4 SERVSWITCH DUO CABLES, SERVSWITCH EXTENDERS, AND PC/AT ADAPTERS The ServSwitch Duo Cables—so called because they were first offered for use with the ServSwitch Duo—come in two types: User-Extension Cables, designed to extend the distance between a switch and a set of user equipment (keyboard, monitor, and mouse); and CPU-Extension Cables, designed to extend the distance between a switch and a CPU or another switch.
CHAPTER 3: Installation 6-Pin mini-DIN 6-Pin mini-DIN HD15 10" (25.4 cm) 9" (22.9 cm) Cross-section: Central video strand Keyboard and mouse strands molded to sides Figure 3-4. The ServSwitch Duo cables. To connect computers with serial mouse ports and/or PC/AT style keyboard ports, you’ll need adapters like those shown in Figure 3-5. Refer to the Appendix.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 3.4 Powering the Wizard Once you’ve installed your ServSwitch Wizard system and attached your equipment to it, you need to apply power to each Wizard. You can do this in either of two ways: If you are not using the optional power supply: Power up the attached CPUs.
CHAPTER 4: Configuration 4. Configuration To configure your ServSwitch Wizard system, you’ll need to configure first the attached PCs, as directed in Section 4.1, then the Wizard itself, as directed in the rest of this chapter. IMPORTANT NOTE Throughout the rest of this manual, the [Enter] designation refers to the main “enter” or “carriage-return” key (often labeled “↵”) on the main section of the keyboard.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 4.2 Configuring the ServSwitch Wizard The ServSwitch Wizard comes from the factory preset to default configuration settings which are suitable for most applications. If you need to set the Wizard differently, you can access its “configuration mode” to do so; once you do, the new settings are stored in the ServSwitch Wizard’s EEPROM memory and are retained when the Wizard is powered OFF. 4.2.
CHAPTER 4: Configuration 4.2.2 SETTING THE SCREEN-SAVER TIMEOUT The ServSwitch Wizard has a programmable screen-saver function which will blank the display on the shared monitor after a certain time elapses with no activity on the shared keyboard or mouse. The Wizard’s front-panel display will flash while the Wizard is in screen-saver mode. To restore the blanked monitor display, just type at the keyboard or move the mouse.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 4.2.3 AUTOSCANNING: SETTING THE SCAN MODE AND PAUSE TIME The ServSwitch Wizard begins autoscanning its CPU channels (that is, briefly displaying each channel’s video in turn) when you type in the hotkey sequence followed by the letter “A” (see Section 5.5). By default, the Wizard only scans those channels that have a powered-up computer or cascaded switch connected to them. But if you need the Wizard to scan all of its channels, you can send it the [L][2] or [L][4] command.
CHAPTER 4: Configuration While autoscanning, the Wizard will pause at each channel to display that channel’s video signal for the duration of the currently selected autoscan-pause time: T1 During autoscan, the Wizard pauses at each channel for 2 seconds (default) T2 5 seconds T3 7 seconds T4 10 seconds T5 15 seconds T6 20 seconds T7 30 seconds T8 60 seconds To get out of autoscan mode, simply select a fixed channel using the on-screen menu, the Wizard’s front-panel pushbutton, the keyboard h
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 4.2.4 ENFORCING MOUSE SPEED In its factory-default state, the ServSwitch Wizard allows each CPU to handle mouse communication any way the CPU wants to. However, some CPUs with particular rare combinations of operating systems, mice, and mouse drivers can be abnormally sensitive to small timing changes in mouse communication. These CPUs can react badly to the presence of the Wizard, making persistent timing errors that cause the mouse to seem slow or sluggish.
CHAPTER 4: Configuration 4.2.6 SETTING MOUSE-MODE REPORTING AND ENABLING/DISABLING MOUSE SWITCHING In the ServSwitch Wizard’s factory-default state, you can use a three-button PS/2 mouse or an IntelliMouse to cycle through the Wizard’s CPU channels. To switch to the next channel, simply hold down the center or “wheel” button on the mouse, then press its left button.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 4.2.7 CHOOSING ACTIVE PORTS OR ALL PORTS FOR KEYBOARD-TAB AND MOUSE SWITCHING In the ServSwitch Wizard’s factory-default state, when you “cycle through” the CPU ports on the Wizard by pressing {Hotkeys} + [Tab] or when you switch to the next or previous channel with your mouse, the Wizard stops at every channel. It does this even if the device attached to a particular channel is off or not outputting video, or even if there isn’t any device attached to that channel.
CHAPTER 4: Configuration 4.2.8 SETTING THE HOTKEY SEQUENCE You can access many of the ServSwitch Wizard’s main functions (such as CPUchannel selection, autoscanning, and locking) by sending commands from the shared keyboard. Each command must start with a “hotkey sequence” (series of keystrokes) that alerts the Wizard to interpret the keyboard data that follows it as a command. The default hotkey sequence is [Ctrl] and [Alt] pressed simultaneously.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 4.2.9 VIEWING THE FIRMWARE REVISION, RESTORING MOUSE FUNCTION, OR RESETTING TO FACTORY DEFAULTS For technical-support purposes, it might be necessary to find out the firmwarerelease version of the control software in your ServSwitch Wizard.
CHAPTER 4: Configuration 4.2.10 SETTING THE PASSWORD There are many situations where access to corporate file servers or sensitive information needs to be controlled. In such circumstances, the ServSwitch Wizard can be locked away in a room or secure cabinet and controlled remotely. In this mode, you can type the hotkey sequence followed by the number “0” (zero) at the shared keyboard of the active control port in order to “lock” the Wizard.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 5. Operation This chapter explains how to operate the ServSwitch Wizard. Please read this chapter carefully before starting to use the Wizard; also make sure you have read the important note at the start of Chapter 4. 5.1 Power Status At power-up, the ServSwitch Wizard will try to select CPU channel #1 unless (a) a password has been set or (b) the Wizard isn’t getting enough power to operate properly.
CHAPTER 5: Operation 5.2 The Front-Panel Pushbutton and the Remote-Control Module You can use the ServSwitch Wizard’s front-panel pushbutton to select which CPU channel (CPU port) is currently controlled by the active control port. Press the key once during normal operation to select the next CPU channel in sequence (for example, to select channel 4 if channel 3 is currently selected); press the key repeatedly to manually cycle through the channels.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 5.3 The Status Display The ServSwitch Wizard’s front-panel 7-segment status display usually shows the number of the currently selected computer channel, while the dot LED alongside it flashes in response to data from the shared keyboard or mouse (see the top illustration in Figure 5-2).
CHAPTER 5: Operation 5.4 Things to Keep in Mind About the Keyboards and Mice CPU bootup sequence: When your computer CPUs are powered on, they communicate with any attached keyboards and mice and load the setup parameters required by their particular operating systems. It is necessary for the ServSwitch Wizard to be attached and powered on during this sequence so that it can give the CPUs the required responses and keep track of all the modes and settings requested by each of the connected CPUs.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 5.5 Keyboard Control: Hotkey Commands You can control many functions on the ServSwitch Wizard—such as CPU-channel selection, autoscanning, or locking—from the keyboard, using commands triggered with the Wizard’s currently selected hotkey combination. All of the hotkey-control commands are invoked by holding down the one or two hotkeys and then pressing a command key. By default, the two hotkeys are [Ctrl] and [Alt], although other keystroke combinations can be selected (see Section 4.2.
CHAPTER 5: Operation • Use {Hotkeys} + [0] to select nonexistent “channel zero” in order to shut off the video output from the Wizard to the shared monitors. The Wizard’s frontpanel display will show “0”. You can re-enable video by selecting another channel through the keyboard, front-panel pushbutton, on-screen menu, or mouse.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD Examples of common hotkey commands (assuming the hotkeys are [Ctrl] and [Alt]): • To select channel 2: Press and hold [Ctrl] and [Alt], press and release [2], release [Ctrl] and [Alt]. • To “tab through” channels: Press and hold [Ctrl] and [Alt], press and release [Tab] (repeat as many times as necessary), release [Ctrl] and [Alt].
CHAPTER 5: Operation 5.7 Re-Enabling a Disconnected PS/2 Mouse If you accidentally disconnect the shared PS/2 mouse from the ServSwitch Wizard while the Wizard is operating, the mouse will not work correctly when you plug it back in. To avoid having to reboot the entire system in this situation, the Wizard has an automatic mouse-recovery system. With the PS/2 mouse disconnected, change the channel using the Wizard’s front-panel pushbutton or the keyboard hotkeys.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD Standard PS/2 mouse data uses a different data format than IntelliMouse data, so two reset functions are provided on the ServSwitch Wizard. The type of data format expected by the CPU depends upon the driver and the type of mouse that was connected when the driver was booted.
CHAPTER 5: Operation 5.9 RS-232 Control There is yet one more way to select channels on the ServSwitch Wizard: through its RS-232 serial port. (This is a proprietarily pinned DB15 connector; see Section A.3 of the Appendix for more information.) This connector serves more often as the attachment point for the Wizard’s optional Remote-Control Module, but by using an adapter you can connect a different RS-232 device to it.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD • To switch to channel 13 of a 16-port subsidiary Duo attached to channel 2 of your 4-port master Wizard: Press and hold [Ctrl] + [Alt], press and release [0], press and release [2], press and release [1], press and release [3], release [Ctrl] + [Alt]. Please note that it is not possible to autoscan every channel in a cascaded system with a single scan. Cascaded Wizards must be scanned individually using their front-panel pushbuttons or {Their Hotkeys} + [A].
CHAPTER 5: Operation 5.11 Operating Synchronized ServSwitch Wizards As described in Section 3.3.3, multiple ServSwitch Wizards can be interconnected with serial cable and synchronized to support CPUs with multiple video outputs. To select channels in synchronized systems, just send a hotkey command from the master Wizard’s attached keyboard, press the master Wizard’s front-panel pushbutton, or—if this is enabled—send a switching command from the master Wizard’s attached mouse.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 5.13 Upgrading the Wizard’s Firmware Because the ServSwitch Wizard stores most of its firmware (its “operating system,” if you will) in flash memory, the firmware is upgradable. To fix bugs in existing firmware, or to add features to your Wizard, Black Box Technical Support might sometimes recommend that you upgrade the Wizard’s firmware if a newer revision is available. (Follow the procedure described in Section 4.2.9 to find out which firmware version your Wizard is currently running.
CHAPTER 5: Operation The ServSwitch Wizard’s front-panel 7-segment display should now show a lowercase “u” to indicate that the Wizard is ready to be upgraded: 5. Run the SSWxyz.EXE firmware-upgrade program that you downloaded in step 1. Follow the directions that appear on the host PC’s screen to transfer the new firmware to the Wizard. The Wizard’s 7-segment display will change to show an uppercase “U” and its dot will flash to show that the Wizard’s receiving data from the PC: 6.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD 6. Troubleshooting 6.1 Things to Try This section suggests possible answers for a number of problems that people sometimes encounter when trying to operate the ServSwitch Wizard. If the suggested actions don’t solve your problem, or if you don’t see a listing for the type of trouble you’re having, contact Black Box Technical Support as described in Section 6.2. Problem: Poor video quality with smearing, fuzziness, or rippling.
CHAPTER 6: Troubleshooting Problem: Your keyboard does not function or functions only intermittently. The Num Lock LED does not always light when the Num Lock key is pressed. Possible Solution: Some older keyboards were designed for use with specific computers and are not truly PC/AT or PS/2 compatible. These are not common, but if you’re having problems like this and you’re using an old keyboard, try a newer keyboard. Problem: Just using your mouse normally causes the CPU channel to change unexpectedly.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD Problem: Compaq MX11800 model integrated keyboard and mouse only: The mouse consistently fails to boot when the Wizard is connected to PCs running Windows NT 4.0 through their PS/2 style mouse ports. Possible Solutions: There are three possible solutions to this problem: 1. Use a different type of mouse. 2. Connect the Wizard to your NT 4.0 PCs through adapters and their serial ports rather than through their PS/2 ports. 3.
APPENDIX: Cable Guidelines Appendix: Cable Guidelines IMPORTANT NOTE The maximum supported cable lengths vary widely between devices and cables. It might be possible to use cables that are longer than those specified in this Appendix with certain computers and peripherals, but this can’t be guaranteed. If you have problems, try using shorter cables. A.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD Keyboard and PS/2 mouse ports: 6-pin mini-DIN male to 6-pin mini-DIN male with all lines connected straight through (1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc.). If the PC has a 5-pin DIN PC/AT style keyboard connector, you will need a PS/2 to PC/AT keyboard adapter, 6-pin mini-DIN female to 5-pin DIN male (product code FA212.) If you are not using the Wizard’s optional power supply, the keyboard- and mouse-extension cables should be no longer than 15 ft. (5 m) in any situation.
APPENDIX: Cable Guidelines 6-pin mini-DIN attaches to Wizard or cable from Wizard DB9 attaches to PC’s serial port or cable to PC’s serial port KDAT RLSD (DCD) N/C TD RD SGND TD (-12V) +5V DTR KCLK SGND -12V DSR RTS Male 5 N/C CTS N/C RI 1 6 5 Male 4 3 1 6 2 Female 6 5 Female 1 5 4 9 3 2 1 9 6 Figure A-1. The RS-232 mouse adapter.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD A.3 Cabling Attached to the OPTIONS Port The DB15 connector labeled “OPTIONS” on the back of the ServSwitch Wizard is a proprietarily pinned port using RS-232-type signaling. You can connect any of these devices to it: • The Wizard’s optional Remote-Control Module (RCM, see Section 5.2); • An RS-232 device for serially controlled channel switching (see Section 5.9); • Another Wizard, to create a synchronized system for CPUs with multiple video outputs (see Section 3.3.
APPENDIX: Cable Guidelines DB15 male attaches to master Wizard DB15 male attaches to second Wizard RD TD RD SGND SGND Male 1 8 9 Male 1 15 8 9 15 Figure A-2. The synchronization cable. DB9 female attaches to PC DB15 male attaches to Wizard TD RD RD TD DTR DSR CTS SGND SGND 5 Female 1 9 6 Male 1 9 8 15 Figure A-3. The firmware-upgrade cable KV6SER.
SERVSWITCH™ WIZARD DISCLAIMERS While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this manual, neither the manufacturer nor its authorized agents assume any responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor do they assume any liability for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. They reserve the right to change the specifications, functions, or circuitry of the product without notice.
