Before powering up the router, you must set up a management console. The console enables you to communicate with your system during the power-up process and to manage your system using the command-line interface (CLI).
When connecting a console directly to the SRP IOA, use a cable appropriate for your terminal connector. The cable must have a female DB-9 connector to attach to the RS-232 port on the SRP IOA. See Figure 26.
The console port is considered a data terminal equipment interface (DTE). Direct connection to a terminal or PC (which also have DTE interfaces) requires a crossover cable.
The router has network timing ports and management ports located on the SRP IOA. See Figure 26 and Table 8 for details on each component.
Table 8: SRP IOA Ports
The SRP IOA has two input ports for external network clock sources (75-ohm E1 2.048-Mbps/T1 1.544–Mbps inputs with BNC connectors). These ports provide a way to ensure that the router system clock remains synchronized with the network's system clock. The primary clock is labeled A; the secondary, redundant clock, is labeled B. See Figure 26.
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Note: We recommend you use shielded cables to connect the external clock sources to the clock source input ports. Shielded cables are not required for the operation of the system and do not need to be grounded at both ends. |
Figure 26: SRP IOA

To connect the clock source input ports:
The Management section of the SRP IOA has three ports (Figure 26) for management access:
The management port is considered a data terminal equipment interface (DTE). Direct connection to a terminal or PC (which also have DTE interfaces) requires a crossover cable.
See Accessing E-series Routers for more information about management access.
To connect the router to the network:
When you connect a console directly to the SRP IOA, use a cable appropriate for your terminal connector. The cable must have a female DB-9 connector to attach to the RS-232 port on the SRP IOA.
To connect the console to the SRP IOA: