Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.lans:6713 comp.dcom.sys.cisco:740 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!comp.vuw.ac.nz!rata.vuw.ac.nz!newbery From: newbery@rata.vuw.ac.nz (Michael Newbery) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,comp.dcom.sys.cisco Subject: Help, my FOIRL doesn't work (long) Keywords: cisco, Cabletron Message-ID: <1990Dec11.042930.23031@comp.vuw.ac.nz> Date: 11 Dec 90 04:29:30 GMT Sender: news@comp.vuw.ac.nz (News Admin) Organization: Computing Serv. Ctr, Victoria Uni., Wellington, New Zealand Lines: 42 Nntp-Posting-Host: rata.vuw.ac.nz Originator: newbery@rata.vuw.ac.nz I have a short (150m or so) length of 62.5u fibre with a cisco AGS and a Cabletron FOT-1 (F.O. transceiver using FOIRL standard, SMA connectors) on one end and a Cabletron FR3000 repeater (Fibre optic SMA & AUI repeater) on the other. It doesn't work. The LINK light is on on the FOT-1 but not on the FR3000. Transmissions from the cisco light the RECEIVED and (~75%) JAM lights on the FR3000 (but NOT the COLLISION light!). This is not a situation that is described in the FR3000 or FOT-1 manuals. Pings from the cisco to the connected network fail. Pings to the cisco interface connected to the FOT-1 fail. Replacing the FR3000 with a MR2000 (AUI & thinwire repeater) + another FOT-1 lights the link light on the new FOT-1 but transmissions from the cisco still light the RECEIVED and JAM lights (only) on the MR2000! Again, not a situation described by the MR2000 manual. This setup actually allows the odd ping through but the line is still unusable. We moved the FR3000 next to the cisco, connected only via FO patch leads and the LINK light stayed off and the JAM light went on with most transmissions from the cisco. The LINK light on the FR3000 seems to be 'alive', it flashes briefly when you power cycle the FR3000. Putting the FOT-1 and the FR3000 on a bench and connecting them with a piece of F.O patch cable seems to work EXCEPT that the LINK light does not come on, but transmissions transit the repeater (at least, I can LanLoad a TRW ACU through it in either direction) without rasing JAM. The fibre installer claims the fibre is good and the OTDR runs seem to back this up. However, the fibre run is actually FR3000[SMA----ST barrel ST--------ST barrel ST-------ST barrel ST---SMA]FOT-1 I.e. two lengths of ST terminated fibre patched together in the middle through barrel connectors with SMA-ST patch leads at either end. We don't have an OTDR trace on the whole run, just the individual sections. We have swapped patch leads, barrel connectors and FOT-1s just in case one of them was faulty, to no avail. We have carefully cleaned the ends of the patch leads with isopropyl alcohol. What do we do now? Where do we look? Does anyone know what the lights on the Cabletrons are saying to us? Alas we DON'T have an OTDR or even a Lanalyzer. Help! Oh yes,... this segment of the network services the Vice-Chancellor's (University talk for C.E.O) office. Sigh. -- Michael Newbery Cheop's Law: Nothing ever gets built on time or within budget.