The I/O ports and connectors on your system are the gateways through which the system communicates with external devices such as a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Figure B-1 identifies back-panel I/O ports and connectors.
The integrated serial port uses a 9-pin D-subminiature connector on the back panel. This port supports devices such as external modems, printers, plotters, and mice that require serial data transmission (the transmission of data one bit at a time over one line).
Most software uses the term COM (for communications) plus a number to designate a serial port. The default designation for your system's integrated serial port is COM1.
The following is pin information for the serial port connector. Figure B-2 illustrates the pin numbers for the serial port connector and Table B-1 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the serial port connector.
Figure B-2. Pin Numbers for the Serial Port Connector
The system has an autoconfiguration capability for the serial port. This feature lets you add an expansion card containing a serial port that has the same designation as the integrated port, without having to reconfigure the card. When the system detects the duplicate serial port on the expansion card, it remaps (reassigns) the integrated port to the next available port designation.
Both the new and the remapped COM ports share the same IRQ setting, as follows:
COM1, COM3: IRQ4 (shared setting)
These COM ports have the following I/O address settings:
COM1: 3F8h COM3: 3E8h
For example, if you add an internal modem card with a port configured as COM1, the system then sees logical COM1 as the address on the modem card. It automatically remaps the integrated serial port that was designated as COM1 to COM3, which shares the COM1 IRQ setting. (Note that when you have two COM ports sharing an IRQ setting, you can use either port as necessary but you may not be able to use them both at the same time.) If you install one or more expansion cards with serial ports designated as COM1 and COM3, the corresponding integrated serial port is disabled.
Before adding a card that remaps the COM ports, check the documentation that accompanied your software to make sure that the software can be mapped to the new COM port designation.
To avoid autoconfiguration, you may be able to reset jumpers on the expansion card so that the card's port designation changes to the next available COM number, leaving the designation for the integrated port as is. Alternatively, you can disable the integrated ports through the System Setup program. The documentation for your expansion card should provide the card's default I/O address and allowable IRQ settings. It should also provide instructions for readdressing the port and changing the IRQ setting, if necessary.
For general information on how your operating system handles serial and parallel ports, and for more detailed command procedures, see your operating system documentation.
The system uses a PS/2-style keyboard and supports a PS/2-compatible mouse. Cables from both devices attach to 6-pin, miniature DIN connectors on the back panel of your system.
Mouse driver software can give the mouse priority with the microprocessor by issuing IRQ12 whenever a new mouse movement is detected. The driver software also passes along the mouse data to the application program that is in control.
The following is pin information for the keyboard connector. Figure B-3 illustrates the pin numbers for the keyboard connector. Table B-2 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the keyboard connector.
Figure B-3. Pin Numbers for the Keyboard Connector
The following is pin information for the mouse connector. Figure B-4 illustrates the pin numbers for the mouse connector. Table B-3 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the mouse connector.
The system uses a 15-pin high-density D-subminiature connector on the back panel for attaching a VGA-compatible monitor to your system. The video circuitry on the system board synchronizes the signals that drive the red, green, and blue electron guns in the monitor.
The following is pin information for the video connector. Figure B-5 illustrates the pin numbers for the video connector, and Table B-4 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the video connector.
Your system includes two USB connectors on the back panel for attaching USB-compliant devices.
NOTICE: Do not attach a USB device or a combination of USB devices that draw a
maximum current over 500 mA per channel or +5 V. Attaching devices that exceed
this threshold may cause the USB ports to shut down. See the documentation that
accompanied the USB devices for their maximum current ratings.
The following is pin information for the USB connectors. Figure B-6 illustrates the USB connector and Table B-5 defines the pin assignments and interface signals for the USB connector.
Your system has two integrated 10/100/1000–Mbps NICs. The 10/100/1000-Mbps NICs provide communication between servers and workstations and efficient utilization of host resources, freeing more of the system resources for other applications. They support 10 Base-T, 100 Base-T, and 1000 Base-T Ethernet standards.
Your system's RJ45 NIC connectors are designed for attaching a UTP Ethernet cable equipped with standard RJ45-compatible plugs. Press one end of the UTP cable into the NIC connector until the plug snaps securely into place. Connect the other end of the cable to an RJ45 jack wall plate or to an RJ45 port on a UTP concentrator or hub, depending on your network configuration. Observe the following cabling restrictions for 10 Base-T, 100 Base-TX, and 1000 Base-T networks.
NOTICE: To avoid line interference, voice and data lines must be in separate sheaths.
Use Category 5 or greater wiring and connectors.
The maximum cable run length (from a system to a hub) is 328 ft (100 m).
Guidelines for operation of a network can be found in "Systems Considerations of Multi-Segment Networks" in the IEEE 802.3 standard.
