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ShackLAN Network and Power Wiring

 

Network wiring   All units in the ShackLAN product line use the same connecter and pinouts for their network connections. Older units, as well as antenna switches and controllers, network connections are made to a 4-pin removable terminal block using the diagram below. Only a single connection to a power source is required as power is distributed throughout the network. A good, inexpensive source for the network cable is standard CAT-5 network cable. Stranded cable is recommended as solid wire is prone to breaking under the screw connectors. A good source for stranded CAT-5 cable is Monoprice. Parallel three wires for the +12 and three other wires for the Ground connections. Be sure you use one of the twisted pairs for the data connections. Only a single wire is needed for each of the data lines as they carry no current. When using CAT-5 cable, be sure to use the same parallel combinations on each unit in the system.

    Newer ShackLAN products use a 6-pin "RJ-12" connector, also known as a modular telephone connector, for interconnecting the ShackLAN units. Connections from the antenna switch controllers to the antenna switch still use the 4-pin screw terminal connector. Many units have a pair of connectors to facilitate "daisy-chaining" of the units. Each unit is supplied with a 36" cable. Be aware that 6-conductor modular telephone cables are rare in your local variety store. Some may have 4 conductors and can be used if necessary but many of these "cheap" cables have only 2-conductors which will not work.

   Only one ShackLAN device should be connected to your power supply as power is distributed over the network. For early units with only the green 4-pin connector, connect the power to the +12 and GND pins on only one unit. Later units have a separate power jack and a modular network connector. The power jack on the later units is a standard 2.1mm connector with center pin positive. Voltage should be between 12 vdc and 14 vdc. Do not exceed 15 vdc as each unit has spike and surge suppression that clamps at 16 volts. Current requirements depend on how many devices are on the network but supply of 1 amp is adequate for most systems. Those with multiple antenna switches should have at least 500 ma for each switch. A 36 inch power cable is supplied with each unit. The wire with the white tracer is positive and the solid black wire is ground.