Using the Craft Interface

You can use the craft interface to view and obtain status and troubleshooting information about the router. The craft interface is located on the front of the router and contains the following elements:

• System LEDs—Report the status of the Routing Engine, the status of each Flexible PIC Concentrator (FPC), and general system alarm conditions.
• System buttons—Used to reset clocks and stop alarms. Each FPC has a button that you press to take the FPC offline, allowing safe removal of the FPC.
• LCD display (on some routers)—Displays current system status or alarm conditions.
• Alarm relay contacts—Allow you to connect external alarm devices.
• Routing Engine ports—Allow you to connect the following external management devices:

• Console port—Connects a system console to the Routing Engine with an RS-232 serial cable.
• Auxiliary port—Connects a laptop or modem to the Routing Engine with an RS-232 serial cable.
• Ethernet management port—Connects the Routing Engine to a management LAN (or any other device that plugs into an Ethernet connection) for out-of-band management of the router system. The Ethernet port can be 10 or 100 Mbps and uses an autosensing RJ-45 connector.