I/O connectors are the gateways that the system uses to communicate with external devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, printer, or monitor. This section describes the various connectors on your system. If you reconfigure the hardware connected to the system, you may also need the pin number and signal information for these connectors. Figure B-1 illustrates the connectors on the system.
Figure B-1. I/O Connectors
Serial Connector
Serial connectors support devices such as external modems, printers, and mice that require serial data transmission. The serial connector uses a 9-pin D-subminiature connector.
Serial Connector Autoconfiguration
The default designation of the integrated serial connector is COM1. When you add an expansion card containing a serial connector that has the same designation as the integrated connector, the system's autoconfiguration feature remaps (reassigns) the integrated serial connector to the next available designation. Both the new and the remapped COM connectors share the same IRQ setting. COM1 and COM3 share IRQ4, while COM2 and COM4 share IRQ3.
NOTE: If two COM connectors share an IRQ setting, you may not be able to use them both at the same time. In addition, if you install one or more expansion cards with serial connectors designated as COM1 and COM3, the integrated serial connector is disabled.
Before adding a card that remaps the COM connectors, check the documentation that came with the software to make sure that the software can accommodate the new COM connector designation.
Figure B-2 illustrates the pin numbers for the serial connector and Table B-1 defines the pin assignments for the connector.
Figure B-2. Serial Connector Pin Numbers
Table B-1. Serial Connector Pin Assignments
Pin
Signal
I/O
Definition
1
DCD
I
Data carrier detect
2
SIN
I
Serial input
3
SOUT
O
Serial output
4
DTR
O
Data terminal ready
5
GND
N/A
Signal ground
6
DSR
I
Data set ready
7
RTS
O
Request to send
8
CTS
I
Clear to send
9
RI
I
Ring indicator
Shell
N/A
N/A
Chassis ground
Parallel Connector
The integrated parallel connector, intended primarily for use by printers that require data in parallel format, uses a 25-pin D-subminiature connector on the system's back panel. The default designation of the system's parallel connector is LPT1. If you add an expansion card containing a parallel connector configured as LPT1 (IRQ7, I/O address 378h), use the System Setup program to remap the integrated parallel connector. See "Using the System Setup Program" in the User's Guide. Figure B-3 illustrates the pin numbers for the parallel connector and Table B-2 defines the pin assignments for the connector.
Figure B-3. Parallel Connector Pin Numbers
Table B-2. Parallel Connector Pin Assignments
Pin
Signal
I/O
Definition
1
STB#
I/O
Strobe
2
PD0
I/O
Printer data bit 0
3
PD1
I/O
Printer data bit 1
4
PD2
I/O
Printer data bit 2
5
PD3
I/O
Printer data bit 3
6
PD4
I/O
Printer data bit 4
7
PD5
I/O
Printer data bit 5
8
PD6
I/O
Printer data bit 6
9
PD7
I/O
Printer data bit 7
10
ACK#
I
Acknowledge
11
BUSY
I
Busy
12
PE
I
Paper end
13
SLCT
I
Select
14
AFD#
O
Automatic feed
15
ERR#
I
Error
16
INIT#
O
Initialize printer
17
SLIN#
O
Select in
18–25
GND
N/A
Ground
PS/2-Compatible Keyboard and Mouse Connectors
The PS/2-compatible keyboard and mouse cables attach to 6-pin, miniature DIN connectors. Figure B-4 illustrates the pin numbers for these connectors and Table B-3 defines the pin assignments for these connectors.
Figure B-4. PS/2-Compatible Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pin Numbers
Table B-3. Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pin Assignments
Pin
Signal
I/O
Definition
1
KBDATA or MFDATA
I/O
Keyboard data or mouse data
2
NC
N/A
No connection
3
GND
N/A
Signal ground
4
FVcc
N/A
Fused supply voltage
5
KBCLK or MFCLK
I/O
Keyboard clock or mouse clock
6
NC
N/A
No connection
Shell
N/A
N/A
Chassis ground
Video Connector
You can attach a VGA-compatible monitor to the system's integrated video controller using a 15-pin high-density D-subminiature connector. Figure B-5 illustrates the pin numbers for the video connector and Table B-4 defines the pin assignments for the connector.
NOTE: Installing a video card automatically disables the system's integrated video controller.
Figure B-5. Video Connector Pin Numbers
Table B-4. Video Connector Pin Assignments
Pin
Signal
I/O
Definition
1
RED
O
Red video
2
GREEN
O
Green video
3
BLUE
O
Blue video
4
NC
N/A
No connection
5–8, 10
GND
N/A
Signal ground
9
VCC
N/A
Vcc
11
NC
N/A
No connection
12
DDC data out
O
Monitor detect data
13
HSYNC
O
Horizontal synchronization
14
VSYNC
O
Vertical synchronization
15
NC
N/A
No connection
USB Connector
The system's USB connector supports USB-compliant peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers and may also support USB-compliant devices such as diskette drives and CD drives. Figure B-6 illustrates the pin numbers for the USB connector and Table B-5 defines the pin assignments for the connector.
NOTICE: Do not attach a USB device or a combination of USB devices that draw a maximum current of more than 500 mA per channel or +5 V. Attaching devices that exceed this threshold may cause the USB connectors to shut down. See the documentation that accompanied the USB devices for their maximum current ratings.
Figure B-6. USB Connector Pin Numbers
Table B-5. USB Connector Pin Assignments
Pin
Signal
I/O
Definition
1
Vcc
N/A
Supply voltage
2
DATA
I
Data in
3
+DATA
O
Data out
4
GND
N/A
Signal ground
Integrated NIC Connector
The system's integrated NIC functions as a separate network expansion card while providing fast communication between servers and workstations. Figure B-7 illustrates the pin numbers for the NIC connector and Table B-6 defines the pin assignments for the connector.
Figure B-7. NIC Connector
Table B-6. NIC Connector Pin Assignments
Pin
Signal
I/O
Definition
1
MX1+
O
Data out (+)
2
MX1–
O
Data out (–)
3
MX2+
I
Data in (+)
4
MX3+
N/A
No connection
5
MX3-
N/A
No connection
6
MX2–
I
Data in (–)
7
MX4+
N/A
No connection
8
MX4-
N/A
No connection
Network Cable Requirements
The NIC supports a UTP Ethernet cable equipped with a standard RJ45-compatible plug. Observe the following cabling restrictions.
NOTICE: To avoid line interference, voice and data lines must be in separate sheaths.
Use Category 5 or greater wiring and connectors.
Do not exceed a cable run length (from a workstation to a hub) of 100 m (328 ft).
For detailed guidelines on operation of a network, see "Systems Considerations of Multi-Segment Networks" in the IEEE 802.3 standard.
