Connecting the MX2008 Router to Management and Alarm Devices
Connecting the MX2008 Router to a Network for Out-of-Band Management
To connect the RCB to a network for out-of-band management,
connect an Ethernet cable with RJ-45 connectors to the MGMT port on the RCB interface. One Ethernet cable is provided with the
router. To connect to the MGMT port on the RCB
interface:
Use shielded CAT5e cable for connecting the AUX, CONSOLE, and MGMT ports in MX2008 RCB (model number: REMX2008-X8-64G).
- Turn off power to the management device.
- Plug one end of the Ethernet cable (Figure 2 shows the connector) into the
MGMTport on the RCB interface. Figure 1 shows the port. Table 1 describes the Ethernet ports. - Plug the other end of the cable into the network device.


Table 1: Out-of-Band Management Port on the MX2008 RCB
Function No. | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|
3 |
| Dedicated management channel for device maintenance. It is also used by system administrators to monitor and manage the MX2008 remotely. |
Connecting an MX2008 Router to a Console or Auxiliary Device
To use a system console to configure and manage the Routing
Engine, connect it to the appropriate CONSOLE port on the RCB interface. To use a laptop, modem, or other auxiliary
device, connect it to the AUX port on the RCB
interface. Both ports accept a cable with an RJ-45 connector. One
serial cable with an RJ-45 connector and a DB-9 connector is provided
with the router. To connect a device to the CONSOLE port and another device to the AUX port, you
must supply an additional cable.
Use shielded CAT5e cable for connecting the AUX, CONSOLE, and MGMT ports in MX2008 RCB (model number: REMX2008-X8-64G).
The MX2008 router must be adequately grounded before powering on the console or auxiliary devices (see MX2008 Router Grounding Specifications).
To connect a management console or auxiliary device:
- Turn off power to the console or auxiliary device.
- Plug the RJ-45 end of the serial cable (see Figure 4) into the
AUXport orCONSOLEport on the RCB interface. Figure 3 shows the ports. Table 2 describes the auxiliary and console ports. - Plug the female DB-9 end into the device's serial port.
Note For console devices, configure the serial port to the following values:
Baud rate—9600
Parity—N
Data bits—8
Stop bits—1
Flow control—none


Table 2: Console and Auxiliary Ports on the MX2008 RCB
Function No. | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 |
| Connect a laptop, modem, or other auxiliary unit. |
2 |
| Connect a laptop or console terminal to configure the MX2008 router. |
Connecting an MX2008 Router to an External Alarm-Reporting Device
To connect the router to external alarm-reporting devices, attach
wires to the RED and YELLOW relay contacts on the craft interface (see Figure 5). A system condition
that triggers the red or yellow alarm LED on the craft interface also
activates the corresponding alarm relay contact.
The terminal blocks that plug into the alarm relay contacts are supplied with the router (see Table 3). They accept wire of any gauge between 28 AWG and 14 AWG (0.08 and 2.08 mm2); the wire is not provided. Use the gauge of wire appropriate for the external device you are connecting.
Use shielded CAT5e cable for connecting the AUX, CONSOLE, and MGMT ports in MX2008 RCB (model number: REMX2008-X8-64G).
To connect an external device to an alarm relay contact (see Figure 5):
- Prepare the required length of wire with gauge between 28 AWG and 14 AWG (0.08 and 2.08 mm2).
- While the terminal block is not plugged into the relay contact, use a 2.5-mm flat-blade screwdriver to loosen the small screws. With the small screws facing left, insert wires into the slots in the front of the block based on the wiring for the external device. Tighten the screws to secure the wire.
- Plug the terminal block into the relay contact, and use a 2.5-mm flat-blade screwdriver to tighten the screws on the face of the block.
- Attach the other end of the wires to the external device.
To attach a reporting device for the other kind of alarm, repeat the procedure.

Table 3: Alarm Relay Contacts
Function No. | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 |
| The alarm relays consist of three terminal contacts with normal closed (NC), common (C), and normal open (NO) relays that signal a minor or major alarm when broken. |