Can I use plain Category 5 UTP cable, instead of Category 5e UTP?
Yes; however, you may not get the same performance as you would with Raritan certified Category 5e UTP or Category 6 UTP, or Category 7 UTP cables. Standard Category 5 UTP cable may not have the necessary characteristics for transmitting high-quality video over long distances.
Can I use standard Ethernet (10BASE-T) cable?
No. Standard Ethernet cable does not have the necessary bandwidth characteristics for transmitting high-quality video over long distances.
What happens if I do not use Raritan-certified cable?
Cable products that are not specifically certified by Raritan will not provide you with maximum performance and may cause your video to look blurry; in particular if the video signal is of high-resolution, or if the video signal must be transmitted over long distances. Furthermore, LCD monitors can become unusable.
I have a serially controlled device (i.e. Unix server, hub). Can I use my KVM switch to access and control this device?
Yes. Raritan's ASCII Terminal Converter (AUATC) adapter will convert the RS-232 connection to PS/2 and VGA video. Connect the AUATC to your serially controlled device, and then connect to your Raritan KVM switch with CCPdd or UTP Cable for access up to 650 feet.
I have Suns and/or Macs in addition to PCs. Can I control them all from a single keyboard, mouse, and monitor?
Yes. Use Raritan's Sun or Mac Guardian converter (APSSUN or APSMAC) to convert the Sun and Mac keyboard and video ports to PS/2 keyboard and mouse and VGA video. APSSUN includes the built-in mapping of all the Sun L-keys to PS/2 F-keys.
I have a Digital Alpha running UNIX and another running OpenVMS which use a special LK111 or LK461 keyboard. How will that affect operation with my switch?
The Alphas will operate flawlessly. Raritan's emulation incorporates unique functions to support LK111 or LK461 keyboard running UNIX and OpenVMS.
I have a Digital Alpha running UNIX and want to use a standard PS/2 keyboard. How will that affect operation with my switch?
Merely connect a Raritan converter (AUKME) to any Alpha running UNIX and all computers will operate flawlessly with a standard PS/2 keyboard.
What UTP cable does Raritan recommend for use with Paragon, Paragon Ready, and Cat5 Reach products?
Raritan certifies the following Category 5e UTP and Category 6 UTP cable products for use with its family of industry-leading data center solutions: Category 5e UTP: Belden DataTwist 350 UTP - #1700A - Solid, Belden DataTwist 350 patch - #1752A - Stranded Category 6 UTP: Belden MediaTwist - #1872A - Solid Use of non-certified cabling can result in video and data degradations that users may find unsatisfactory. The Raritan certified cable products listed above are widely available and competitively priced.
When using Raritan certified cable, users can transmit video signals at distances up to 1,000 feet at 1024 x 768 @75Hz, and up to 600 feet at 1600 x 1200 @75Hz.
(Note: Raritan does not have any marketing relationship with Belden, nor does Raritan receive any financial incentive for recommending Belden products.)
Can I use non-certified Category 5e UTP cable?
Yes, however, you may not get the same performance as you would with Raritan certified Category 5e UTP, Category 6 UTP, or Category 7 UTP cables. Using non-certified Category 5e UTP cable with Raritan products results in degraded video performance ranging from mildly irritating to severely unusable. The only occasion when a non-certified cable may be used with Raritan products without negative effects on system usability is when the total cable distance between any user console and any connected device is less than 300 feet. Because cable products certified by Raritan do not cost more than competing cable offerings, Raritan strongly suggests that users utilize Raritan certified cabling for maximum performance with Raritan product applications.
Can I use Category 6 UTP cable?
Yes. Currently only one Category 6 UTP cable product is Raritan certified for use with Raritan products. Raritan continues to test new Category 6 UTP cabling products as they are released to the market.
Category 5e UTP is standardized. Why can't I simply use any Category 5e UTP cable with Raritan products?
Because the intended application of UTP cabling is the transmission of digital data, cable specifications are optimized for that application. However, because video data is by its very nature analog, Raritan's exclusive technology - which enables such high-bandwidth video information to be transmitted over relatively thinly-shielded Category 5 UTP and Category 6 UTP cables - requires even stricter tolerances for certain cable properties.
One particular UTP cable characteristic has a large impact on how well your Raritan system performs: delay skew. UTP cabling consists of four "twisted pairs" of wire, each carrying one set of data. In order to minimize cross-interference between the pairs, each pair must be twisted at slightly different rates (twists/foot). Over long lengths of cable, however, slight differences in twist rates results in measurably different rates of data transmission among each twisted pair. The arrival time delta is called "delay skew".
How does this affect your Raritan solution? Raritan products sends red, green, and blue video information each over a different twisted pair; if that information does not arrive at the same time, observed video will be blurry. Raritan's unique algorithms correct for this behavior, but physical limitations create upper limits to the success of any algorithm. The TIA/EIA specification for delay skew tolerance is 45 nanoseconds for Category 5 UTP and Category 5e UTP cable. However, in analog video applications, a delay skew longer than 15 nanoseconds usually results in inadequate video performance at high resolutions (XGA and higher).
Raritan-certified cable products happen to surpass the acceptable tolerances of the TIA/EIA's specification for delay skew, and hence are best suited for connecting Raritan components.
I see that the CompuSwitch has an AC power socket. Where does it get its power?
CompuSwitch gets its power from the keyboard port of the PCs connected. Raritan offers an optional, external 6V DC power supply which is recommended for cascading CompuSwitch units.
Can I cascade CompuSwitches to access and control more than 8 PCs?
Yes, CompuSwitch can be cascaded from base channel to cascade user port. An external power supply (DC6500U) is recommended for this configuration.
How can I get access to more servers if I have already connected computers to all my KVM switch channels?
Cascade any KVM switch (except SwitchMan) to expand the capacity.
What is the distance between cascaded units?
Two feet to 30 feet with Raritan coaxial cables. By using Cat5 Reach, cascaded switches can be up to 1,000 feet apart. Or, by using FiberReach II, cascaded switches can be up to 6,600 feet apart. Additionally, user consoles and PCs can be 1,000 or 6,600 feet from the KVM switch with Cat5 Reach or FiberReach II.
I don't want to use the "scroll lock" to activate hot-key. What are my options?
The hot-key activator can be easily changed to either "num lock" or "caps lock". When in hot-key mode, touch the desired new hot-key activator followed by the enter key.
Can I use a trackball keyboard?
You can plug any PS/2 keyboard in the keyboard user port of a Raritan KVM switch.
What are the monitor resolution and refresh rates for Raritan KVM switches?
All Raritan KVM switches except SwitchMan operate up to 1600 x 1200 at 60Hz. SwitchMan operates at 1600 x 1200 at 70Hz.
Can I use a flat screen monitor?
The monitor needs to be VGA, with an HD15 connector, and support the resolution and refresh rate of the video settings on the target servers. Make sure the LCD monitor will work when connected directly to all the PCs in a stand-alone mode.
Can I use a touch-screen monitor with my Raritan KVM switch?
No. Most touch-screen monitors use a serial connection to interact with the PC. Currently, Raritan's KVM switches do not support the use of this style monitor.
I noticed that one of the servers connected to my Raritan KVM switch does not display the correct colors on my monitor. Does my KVM switch have a bad channel?
Probably not. That particular server may have a unique video card that is not of the 8514 type. Pin modification to the KVM switch cable video connector can be made to correct the problem. Refer to Technical Notes in the Manual for your particular Raritan KVM switch model, or call Raritan's Technical Support for assistance.
My mouse seems to be erratic and jumps around opening windows. What's happening?
There is a possibility that the proper mouse driver is not loaded or the mouse is not recognized. Check to make sure the mouse driver is correct for the mouse type you are using. MasterConsole must have a true PS/2 mouse connected; serial and bus mice are not supported as device peripherals.
How do I connect a PC with a DB9 serial mouse port to a Raritan KVM switch?
The CCPdd cable comes with an adapter to convert the 6-pin mouse connection to 9 pin. The conversion of serial to PS/2 mouse is handled by the firmware in the KVM switch.
Is there any software requirement for PCs connected to a Raritan KVM switch?
No. The Raritan KVM switch does not require any software to be loaded or operated, it is 100% software independent.
My computer has USB connectors. Can I connect it to a Raritan KVM switch?
Yes, plug a APSUSB adapter into one of the USB computer ports to convert PS/2 keyboard and mouse. Plug the KVM switch cables into the APSUSB and access your USB computer just like a PS/2 PC.
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