Connect PIC Cables

Now plug network cable into the PICs housed in the FPCs. For information about the cable used by the PICs supported on the M40 router, see the M20 and M40 Internet Routers PIC Guide.

To connect the PIC cables into the PIC cable connectors at the front of the chassis, follow this procedure:

1. Have ready a length of the type of cable used by the PIC.
2. If the PIC cable connector port is covered by a rubber safety plug, remove the plug.  
   
   

   Do not look directly into the ends of fiber-optic cables or the transceivers on the faceplate of a PIC that connects to fiber-optic cable. Single-mode fiber-optic cable and the PICs that use it (such as ATM or SONET/SDH) emit laser light that can damage your eyes. Do not leave a transceiver uncovered except when removing or inserting the cable. The safety cap keeps the port clean and prevents accidental exposure to laser light.

   
   
3. Insert the cable connector into the cable connector port on the PIC faceplate (see Figure 50, which shows a fiber-optic connector).
4. Carefully thread the cable through the hooks in the cable management system at the upper front of the chassis (see Figure 1), to prevent the cable from dislodging or developing stress points. Secure the cable so that it is not supporting its own weight as it hangs to the floor. Place excess cable out of the way in a neatly coiled loop in the cable management system. Placing fasteners on the loop helps to maintain its shape. 
   
   

   Avoid bending fiber-optic cable beyond its minimum bend radius. An arc smaller than a few inches in diameter can damage the cable and cause problems that are difficult to diagnose. Never let fiber-optic cable hang free from the connector. Do not allow fastened loops of cable to dangle, which stresses the cable at the fastening point.

   
   

Figure 50: Connect Cable to a PIC