Cabletron MMAC-Plus 9F206-02 FDDI Blade Module 2-Port Fiber 2 Blanks FPIM

Cabletron MMAC-Plus 9F206-02 FDDI Blade Module 2-Port Fiber 2 Blanks FPIM

The Cabletron 9F206-02 is an FDDI blade module designed for use in the Cabletron MMAC-Plus modular chassis. It provides FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) connectivity by accepting FPIM (Fiber Port Interface Modules) in its two front-facing expansion slots, with both slots currently fitted with blank covers. The board carries multiple National Semiconductor DP83257VF PLAYER+ FDDI MAC/PHY controller ICs and connects to the chassis backplane via a large edge connector.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Cabletron
• Part Number: 9F206-02
• Module Type: FDDI Blade for MMAC-Plus Chassis
• FPIM Slots: 2 (labeled FNBA A and FNBA B)
• Installed FPIM Transceivers: None — both slots fitted with blank covers
• Network Technology: FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface)
• Main Controller ICs: National Semiconductor DP83257VF PLAYER+ (3 visible on PCB)
• Firmware ROM: Part No. 2151462-02, Ver. 1.00.01 (Cabletron, 1996)
• Form Factor: Blade/card module for Cabletron MMAC-Plus chassis
• Backplane: Large multi-pin edge connector for MMAC-Plus slot
• Includes: Blade module with 2 FPIM blank covers installed

Applications

The Cabletron MMAC-Plus was a modular, chassis-based network hub and switching platform from the mid-1990s, designed for enterprise campus and data center environments. FDDI blade modules like the 9F206-02 were used to extend the MMAC-Plus chassis with 100 Mbps fiber ring connectivity — at a time when FDDI was the primary high-speed backbone technology before Gigabit Ethernet displaced it. FDDI ran at 100 Mbps over dual-ring fiber and was widely deployed in university, government, and corporate backbone networks from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. This blade connects to the chassis backplane and accepts FPIM transceivers (multi-mode or single-mode fiber) in its two front slots, allowing the chassis to serve as an FDDI concentrator or bridge node. Today these modules are primarily sought by legacy network operators maintaining MMAC-Plus infrastructure and collectors of 1990s enterprise networking equipment.