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46 VIP-4R/4T Installation and Configuration
VIP Port Adapter Functions
EIA/TIA-232, which is by far the most common interface standard in the U.S., supports unbalanced
circuits at signal speeds up to 64 kbps. EIA/TIA-449, which supports balanced (EIA/TIA-422) and
unbalanced (EIA/TIA-423) transmissions, is a faster (up to 2 Mbps) version of EIA/TIA-232 that
provides more functions and supports transmissions over greater distances. The EIA/TIA-449
standard was intended to replace EIA/TIA-232, but it was not widely adopted. The resistance to
convert to EIA/TIA-449 was due primarily to the large installed base of DB-25 hardware and to the
larger size of the 37-pin EIA/TIA-449 connectors, which limited the number of connections possible
(fewer than is possible with the smaller, 25-pin EIA/TIA-232 connector).
EIA-530, which supports balanced transmission, provides the increased functionality, speed, and
distance of EIA/TIA-449 on the smaller, DB-25 connector used for EIA/TIA-232. The EIA-530
standard was created to support the more sophisticated circuitry of EIA/TIA-449 on the large
number of existing EIA/TIA-232 (DB-25) hardware instead of the larger, 37-pin connectors used for
EIA/TIA-449. Like EIA/TIA-449, EIA-530 refers to the electrical specifications of EIA/TIA-422
and EIA/TIA-423. The specification recommends a maximum speed of 2 Mbps for EIA-530.
EIA-530 is used primarily in the United States.
The V.35 interface is most commonly used in the United States and throughout Europe, and is
recommended for speeds up to 48 kbps.
The X.21 interface uses a 15-pin connection for balanced circuits and is commonly used in the
United Kingdom to connect public data networks. X.21 relocates some of the logic functions to the
data terminal equipment (DTE) and data communications equipment (DCE) interfaces and, as a
result, requires fewer circuits and a smaller connector than EIA/TIA-232.
You can install 4T-configured VIPs in any available interface processor slot in the Cisco 7000 series
and Cisco 7500 series routers; there are no restrictions on slot locations or sequence. All interface
types except EIA-530 can be individually configured for operation with either external (DTE mode)
or internal (DCE mode) timing signals; EIA-530 operates with external timing only. In addition, all
VIP serial interface types support nonreturn to zero (NRZ) and nonreturn to zero inverted (NRZI)
format, and both 16-bit and 32-bit cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs). The default configuration is
for NRZ format and 16-bit CRC. You can change the default settings with software commands. (See
the section “Configuring the 4T Interfaces” on page 60.)
There is no default mode or clock rate set on the VIP serial ports, although an internal clock signal
is present on all ports for DCE support. The internal clock also allows you to perform local loopback
tests without having to terminate the port or connect a cable. (All interface types except X.21 DTE
support loopback.) To use the port as a DCE interface, you must set the clock rate and connect a DCE
adapter cable. To use the port as a DTE interface, you need only connect a DTE adapter cable to the
port. Because the serial adapter cables determine the mode and interface type, the 4T port adapter
interface becomes a DTE when a DTE cable is connected to it.
If a DTE cable is connected to a port with a clock rate set, the DTE ignores the clock rate and uses
the external clock signal that is sent from the remote DCE. For a brief description of the clockrate
command, refer to “Configuring Timing (Clock) Signals” on page 65. For complete command
descriptions and instructions, refer to the publications listed in the section “If You Need More
Configuration Information” on page 2.