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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION SOFTWARE OVERVIEW
MULTILINK ML1600 ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS SWITCH – INSTRUCTION MANUAL 1–7
1.4.3 Before Starting
This section explains how to setup the GE MultiLink family of switches using the console
port on the switch. Some of the functionality includes setting up the IP address of the
switch, securing the switch with a user name and password, setting up VLANs and more.
Before you start, it is recommended to acquire the hardware listed below and be ready
with the items listed.
For initial configuration through the serial/console port:
1. A female-female null modem cable.
2. A serial port. If your PC does not have a serial port, you may want to invest in
a USB-to-serial converter or USB-to-serial cable.
3. Terminal emulation software such as HyperTerminal or other equivalent
software. Ensure the software supports Xmodem protocol, as you may need
this in the future to update the MultiLink Switch Software.
4. Enough disk space to store and retrieve the configuration files as well as copy
software files. We recommend at least 15 MB of disk space for this purpose.
5. For access security - decide on a manager level account name and password
6. IP address, netmask, default gateway for the switch being configured.
As a default, the switch has no IP (Internet Protocol) address and subnet mask. For first
time use, the IP address has to be assigned. This can only be done by using the console
interface provided.
The same procedure can also be used for other configuration changes or updates (for
example, changing the IP address, VLAN assignments and more). Once the IP address is
assigned and a PC is networked to the switch, the switch's command line interface (CLI)
can be accessed via telnet. To manage the switch through in-band (networked) access
(e.g. telnet, or web browser Interface), you should configure the switch with an IP address
and subnet mask compatible with your network. Also, change the manager password to
control access privileges from the console.
Many other features such as optimizing the switch's performance, traffic engineering and
traffic prioritizing, VLAN configuration, and improving network security can be configured
through the switch's console interface as well as in-band (networked) access, once the IP
address is setup. Besides the IP address, setting up the SNMP parameters allows
configuration and monitoring through an SNMP network MGMNT station running a
network MGMNT program.