Network Connectivity Solutions |
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The serial-to-ethernet solutions are used when the communications reach for an existing legacy device with a serial interface (RS232 or RS485) is it to be extended to an ethernet network (intranet or internet), preferably without changing the hardware and/or software of the device itself. A serial-to-ethernet solution can also be used for realizing a web interface for a serial device. Or for realizing a multi-device server/gateway for communications with a group of RS485 devices.
Solution example 1: Using ethernet to enable access to serial device via intranet/internet (serial-to-ethernet bridging)
Original configuration: a device that has a serial interface (RS232) and PC that runs a OEM specific application that communicates with the OEM device over the serial interface, possibly using a customer specific protocol.
Wanted: Access to the device over ethernet is wanted. (access over intranet or internet)
Solution
Data is ‘bridged’ transparently between the PC and the OEM device, ethernet (TCP/IP) is used as a transport channel to get the data to/from the device. The NCS0401 does the serial-to-ethernet conversion and the S2E solution takes care of the conversion from ethernet-to-serial.
If the OEM application software on the PC already supports of communications over an ethernet infra-structure (e.g. supports TCP/IP, sockets interface) or can be extended for this support, then the NCS0401 can be omitted. This reduces the solution to:
In the figures above the S2E solution represents one of the following:
Necoso has ready-to-use Serial-to-Ethernet bridge solution available, click here for the specifications.
Solution example 2: Web-enabling a serial device
Original configuration: A device that has a serial interface (RS232/RS485) and that uses an OEM specific protocol for interactive access to parameters and data of the device.
Wanted: A web interface for the OEM device that enables using a web browser for accessing the device over an intranet/internet.
Solution
The S2E solution takes care of the handling the serial protocol of the device and presenting device information in the form of (dynamic) web pages.
In the figures above the S2E solution represents one of the following:
Solution example 3: Replacing PSTN access with ethernet access
Original configuration: a device that has a serial interface (RS232/RS485) and enables access over a PSTN using an analog modem. The PC runs a OEM specific application that enables using a serial modem and communicates with the device over the PSTN, often using a OEM specific protocol.
Wanted: The PSTN is to be replaced by ethernet, allowing direct access over internet.
Solution
Here the NCS0401 does the modem emulation and the serial-to-ethernet conversion. The S2E solution also includes modem emulation and takes care of the conversion from ethernet-to-serial.
If the application software on the PC already supports of communications over an ethernet infra-structure (e.g. TCP/IP, sockets interface) or can be extended for this support, then the solution can be reduced to:
In the figures above the S2E solution represents one of the following:
Solution example 4: Ethernet access to multiple devices on an RS485 network
Original configuration: Contains a server PC and a RS485 network with multiple RS485 devices attached.
The RS converter is a RS232-to-RS485 converter, which is required because by default a PC only supports RS232, not RS485.
Wanted: The communication between the PC and the devices is to be extended over ethernet, allowing direct access over an ethernet network.
Solution
The NCS0401 does the serial-to-ethernet conversion and the S2E takes care of the conversion from ethernet-to-rs485. The RS converter at PC side is no longer needed.
If the application software on the PC already supports of communications over an ethernet infra-structure (i.e. supports TCP/IP, sockets interface) or can be extended for this support, then the solution can be reduced to:
The S2E can perform the multiplexing and de-multiplexing of the multiple RS485 connections over the ethernet link. Multiplexing can be implemented in one of the following forms:
1) Same IP address + UDP/TCP port for all RS485 devices together. 2) Same IP address for all RS485 devices, but a different UDP/TCP port for each RS485 device. 3) Dedicated IP address for each RS485 device.
Which implementation fits best depends on the OEM protocol that is used for the RS485 link and the options that are available for the application on the server PC. The S2E solution is also responsible for serialization of the half-duplex data stream over the RS485 link.
In the figures above the S2E solution represents one of the following:
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Necoso, Het Kasteel 315, 7325 PE Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
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