Users Guide

4–Installing the Hardware
Installation of the Add-In NIC
21 BC0054508-00 J
Connecting the Network Cables
The QLogic BCM57xx and BCM57xxx adapters have either an RJ45 connector
used for attaching the system to an Ethernet copper-wire segment or a fiber optic
connector for attaching the system to an Ethernet fiber optic segment.
Copper Wire
To connect a copper wire:
1. Select an appropriate cable. Table 4-1 lists the copper cable requirements
for connecting to 100 and 1000BASE-T and 10GBASE-T ports.
2. Connect one end of the cable to the RJ45 connector on the adapter.
3. Connect the other end of the cable to an RJ45 Ethernet network port.
NOTE
This section does not apply to blade servers.
Table 4-1. 100/1000BASE-T and 10GBASE-T Cable Specifications
Port Type Connector Media
Maximum
Distance
100/1000BASE-T
a
a
1000BASE-T signaling requires four twisted pairs of CAT-5 balanced cabling, as specified in
ISO/IEC 11801:2002 and ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-B.
RJ45
CAT-5
b
UTP
b
CAT-5 is the minimum requirement. CAT-5e, CAT-6, CAT-6a, and CAT-7 are fully supported.
100m (328ft)
10GBASE-T RJ45
CAT-6
c
UTP
CAT-6a and CAT-7
c
UTP
c
10GBASE-T signaling requires four twisted pairs of CAT-6 or CAT-6A (augmented CAT-6) balanced
cabling, as specified in ISO/IEC 11801:2002 and ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.
40m (131ft)
100m (328CAT-ft)