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4 Using the Notebook PC
Network Hub or Switch
Network cable with
RJ-45 connectors
This is an example of the Notebook PC connected to a Network
Hub or Switch for use with the built-in Ethernet controller.
Fast-Ethernet Connection
Connect a network cable, with RJ-45 connectors on each end, to the modem/network port on the Notebook
PC and the other end to a hub or switch. For 100 BASE-TX speeds, your network cable must be
category 5 or better (not category 3) with twisted-pair wiring. If you plan on running the interface at
100Mbps, it must be connected to a 100 BASE-TX hub (not a BASE-T4 hub). For 10Base-T, use
category 3, 4, or 5 twisted-pair wiring. 10/100 Mbps Full-Duplex is supported on this Notebook PC but
requires connection to a network switching hub with “duplex” enabled. The software default is to use
the fastest setting so no user-intervention is required.
Twisted-Pair Cable
The cable used to connect the Ethernet card to a host (generally a
Hub or Switch) is called a straight-through Twisted Pair Ethernet
(TPE). The end connectors are called RJ-45 connectors, which
are not compatible with RJ-11 telephone connectors. If connecting
two computers together without a hub in between, a crossover
LAN cable is required.
NOTE: The built-in modem and network cannot be installed later as an upgrade. After
purchase, modem and/or network can be installed as a PC card (PCMCIA).