Mrc Dcc System Question


C

conrail92

Member
ok this may be a dumb question but i was always curious about it. As youmay or may not know Mrc systems uses a eithernet cord to connect the cab to the system now is it possible. to use a router such as a linksys one to conert the cable so u can plug in a number of cabs into one system. Im not sure if this would work.
 
conrail92 said:
ok this may be a dumb question but i was always curious about it. As youmay or may not know Mrc systems uses a eithernet cord to connect the cab to the system now is it possible. to use a router such as a linksys one to conert the cable so u can plug in a number of cabs into one system. Im not sure if this would work.
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It would be a good guess that it would not work. Why create a new cable type when these are so cheap and plentiful? An Ethernet cord does not an Ethernet make.
 
GandyDancer said:
It would be a good guess that it would not work. Why create a new cable type when these are so cheap and plentiful? An Ethernet cord does not an Ethernet make.
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I would have to agree there. I would think it would be a completely different type of signal. We're (family machine shop) using what amounts to older style Mac printer cables for some PLC's in a new automated machine...you could connect them to a hub, but it sure wouldn't do you any good...
 
No Cigar

Neither an ethernet router nor a hub or a switch for that matter would function properly with the MRC asuming that it is similar to the Lenz Expressnet and the Digitrax Loconet. Actually the Lenz and the Digitraxx only require a simple 'dot OR' of all the wires to connect or expand the network. No electronic circuitry is required, just straight pin to pin wiring.

I do, however, use a stock Ethernet 'patch panel' jumper all pin 1 to 1, 2 to 2 etc and that allows me to expand the Lenz network to what ever extent I require. (I actually use the 48 port patchpanel to wire all my connections to the layout which allows me to have all my DCC equipment in a drawer that can be easily removed from the layout for maintenance or modification. See my web page for pictures of the drawer.

In all likelyhood, the MRC functions in the same manner.

Translation, the routers, hubs etc are actually overkill for the purpose.

If someone has better information on the MRC, it will be good to learn about it.

Best!

Joe
 
how much does a mrc splitter cost. so i could have more then on line. because not that im adding another cab i just need plug the one cab in. In more Places.
 
I don't believe that it's actually ethernet cabling - I think instead it uses a 6-pin cable.
I remember looking at them and not seeing the "twist" where a couple of wires are crossed in normal ethernet.
 
JeffShultz said:
I don't believe that it's actually ethernet cabling - I think instead it uses a 6-pin cable.
I remember looking at them and not seeing the "twist" where a couple of wires are crossed in normal ethernet.
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I thought you only used crossover cables for direct (computer-to-computer) connections...normal ethernet (device to router) is straight through. We finished a section of our basement off about a year ago and wired the whole thing for our network...it's soooo much cheaper to buy cat5 cable by the spool :)
 
Wow!

JeffShultz said:
Nate,
You're confusing serial with ethernet. http://pinouts.ru/NetworkCables/Ethernet10BaseTStraightThru_pinout.shtml

Shows how one of the colors, either brown or orange, is separated and twisted over the blue center wires. I didn't see anything like that in the MRC stuff.

Oh wait, I know the kind of crossover cable you are talking about. You're right, but it's a different beast.
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OK, lets get some facts straight before everyone out there gets their heads scrambled.

First

Serial cables have 7 or 15 pin D connectors on each end. They have nothing to do with Ethernet, they were the original IBM computer mouse connector which then went to PS2 and now typically use USB. (For the purist, some older ethernet equipment used serial cables to provide terminal management capability.)

Second

Ethernet cables (RJ45 8 wire 4 pair) come in two basic types:
  1. Straight through where all the pins go directly from one connector to the other, except that in all cases, the twisted pairs are not wired directly pin to pin. (Speeds higher than 10mb are EXTREMELY sensitive to requiring the proper twists between proper pins. (Cat3 has fewer twists than cat5 and cat5 has fewer twists than cat5e.) These cables are for use between hubs and computers and are the most common cables around.
  2. Crossover cables have certain pins rotated, (not pin to pin) to allow a person to connect one computer to another. Hubs, switches and routers have the 'rotation built into them', which is why they use the straight through cable.
Third

Telephone cords (RJ11) 4 wire
Come in four basic configurations

  1. Two wire straight through
  2. Two wire where wires are rotated (This is the standard 2 wire telephone tabel top cord)
  3. Four wire straight through (Works fine for Lenz & Digitraxx expressnet/loconet)
  4. Four wire where the wires are rotated (This is the standard 4 wire telephone tabel top cord)
Fourth

Telephone System cords RJ12 (6 wire) typically come 2 ways
  1. Six wire straight through (What we use for Lenz and Digitraxx with the two outside pins NOT used)
  2. Six wire rotated

Finally

Lenz and Digitraxx require a minimum of 4 wires straight through. I just tested it as I have both systems (Set 100 Lenz and Super Chief Digitraxx). I used my $400 pair scanner to verify the wiring too.

If you do not have brain damage by now, my suggestion is that unless you have a pair scanner and the proper network tools, stay with RJ12 (6wire) straight through wiring. As a caution here, just because it has 6 wire plugs does not mean it is straight through wired and if it is rotated, things will not work. Does not seem to cause damage, but things don't work, I just reverified this.

This means you could use 4, 6 or 8 wire cable to properly operate Lenz and Digitraxx networks, if they are wired straight through. 4 & 6 are easiest, as you do not have to change any of your connectors.

Hope this helps.

There is lots of detailed wiring information on the net. I am amazed at how complicated people can get with 4, 6 or 8 wires.

Best regards,

Joe
 
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Joe Daddy said:
Ethernet cables (RJ45 8 wire 4 pair) come in two basic types:
  1. Straight through where all the pins go directly from one connector to the other, except that in all cases, the twisted pairs are not wired directly pin to pin. (Speeds higher than 10mb are EXTREMELY sensitive to requiring the proper twists between proper pins. (Cat3 has fewer twists than cat5 and cat5 has fewer twists than cat5e.) These cables are for use between hubs and computers and are the most common cables around.
  2. Crossover cables have certain pins rotated, (not pin to pin) to allow a person to connect one computer to another. Hubs, switches and routers have the 'rotation built into them', which is why they use the straight through cable.
If you do not have brain damage by now, my suggestion is that unless you have a pair scanner and the proper network tools, stay with RJ12 (6wire) straight through wiring. As a caution here, just because it has 6 wire plugs does not mean it is straight through wired and if it is rotated, things will not work. Does not seem to cause damage, but things don't work, I just reverified this.
Click to expand...
That's what I was referring to.

We wired our basement (a little overkill, but we had fun). We borrowed a fancy/expensive pair tester from a customer and have since purchased one for our shop, which does just about any cable you can think of (RJ11, RJ45, USB, serial, parallel, firewire, and everything in between, so long as it is 25 pair or less). I enjoyed all the trimming, aligning, and crimping, but it about drove the rest of the family nuts :rolleyes:
 
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