MLis MLB-S4101 User manual

MLiS-S4101 Manual
MLB-S4101
Ethernet Serial Server
USER MANNUAL

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Index
1INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 FEATURES..................................................................................................................................................................1
1.2 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS..........................................................................................................................................2
DEFAULT SETTINGS ...............................................................................................................................................................3
2COMMUNICATION MODES ...........................................................................................................................................4
2.1 DIRECT IP MODE ........................................................................................................................................................4
2.2 VIRTUAL COM MODE..................................................................................................................................................4
2.3 PAIRED MODE.............................................................................................................................................................4
2.4 HEART BEAT...............................................................................................................................................................5
3MAKING THE HARDWARE CONNECTIONS................................................................................................................6
3.1 SERIAL CONNECTION ..................................................................................................................................................6
3.2 POWER CONNECTION..................................................................................................................................................6
3.3 ETHERNET CONNECTION.............................................................................................................................................6
3.4 RESET BUTTON...........................................................................................................................................................6
3.5 LED DEFINITION .........................................................................................................................................................6
3.6 DIP SWITCHES............................................................................................................................................................7
3.7 SERIAL PORTS............................................................................................................................................................7
3.8 SERIAL SERVER/PORT OPERATIONAL MODES ..............................................................................................................7
3.8.1 Console Mode ...................................................................................................................................................7
3.8.2 Upgrade Mode...................................................................................................................................................7
3.8.3 Default Mode.....................................................................................................................................................8
3.8.4 RS-232 Mode ....................................................................................................................................................8
3.8.5 RS-422 Mode ....................................................................................................................................................8
3.8.6 RS-485 Mode ....................................................................................................................................................8
3.9 DB9 PIN CONFIGURATION...........................................................................................................................................8
4MLB-S4101 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION ....................................................................................................................9
4.1 NEW INSTALLATION.....................................................................................................................................................9
4.2 UPDATING AN EXISTING INSTALLATION .......................................................................................................................11
5USING MANAGER SOFTWARE ..................................................................................................................................12
5.1 SEARCHING LAN FOR MLB-S4101............................................................................................................................12
5.2 CONFIGURING SERVER PROPERTIES..........................................................................................................................13
6SERVER PROPERTIES................................................................................................................................................14
6.1 SERVER NAME..........................................................................................................................................................14
6.2 SERIAL NUMBER .......................................................................................................................................................14
6.3 PASSWORD...............................................................................................................................................................14
6.4 DHCP......................................................................................................................................................................14
6.5 IP ADDRESS .............................................................................................................................................................15
6.6 NETMASK .................................................................................................................................................................15
6.7 GATEWAY.................................................................................................................................................................15
6.8 MAC ADDRESS.........................................................................................................................................................15
6.9 VERSION &DATE ......................................................................................................................................................15
6.10 LINK STATUS.........................................................................................................................................................15
6.11 SERVER SERIAL PORT...........................................................................................................................................15
6.12 BAUD RATE...........................................................................................................................................................15
6.13 DATA/PARITY/STOP...............................................................................................................................................15
6.14 FLOW CONTROL....................................................................................................................................................15
6.15 PROTOCOL............................................................................................................................................................16
6.16 SERIAL TIMEOUT ...................................................................................................................................................16
6.17 TCP ALIVE TIMEOUT .............................................................................................................................................16
6.18 CONNECTION MODE ..............................................................................................................................................17
6.19 DELIMITER HEX1 AND DELIMITER HEX 2...............................................................................................................17

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6.20 FORCE TRANSMIT..................................................................................................................................................17
6.21 PORT STATUS.......................................................................................................................................................17
6.22 TCP/UDP PORT...................................................................................................................................................17
6.23 SERIAL PORT MODE..............................................................................................................................................17
6.24 CONNECTION AT...................................................................................................................................................18
6.25 MAXIMUM CONNECTION.........................................................................................................................................18
6.26 REMOTE IP ADDRESS............................................................................................................................................18
6.27 UPDATE/SAVE.......................................................................................................................................................18
6.27.1 Updating the Server Properties in Manager Software.....................................................................................18
6.27.2 Saving Configuration Data in Console Mode or Telnet...................................................................................19
6.27.3 Web Server Interface.......................................................................................................................................20
7INSTALLING VIRTUAL COM PORT ............................................................................................................................21
8CONFIGURING VIRTUAL COM PORT ........................................................................................................................23
8.1 CONFIGURATION WITH MANAGER SOFTWARE .............................................................................................................23
8.2 CONFIGURATION WITH DEVICE MANAGER...................................................................................................................24
9UNINSTALLING THE VIRTUAL COM PORT...............................................................................................................25
9.1 REMOVING THE VIRTUAL COM PORT WITH MANAGER SOFTWARE ...............................................................................25
9.2 REMOVING THE VIRTUAL COM PORT USING DEVICE MANAGER...................................................................................26
10 USING CONSOLE .....................................................................................................................................................27
11 USING TELNET.........................................................................................................................................................31
12 USING WEB SERVER...............................................................................................................................................32
13 UPGRADING THE SERIAL SERVER FIRMWARE..................................................................................................35
14 TROUBLESHOOTING...............................................................................................................................................36

MLiS-S4101 Manual
1 Introduction
The MLB-S4101 Ethernet serial server connects RS-232, 422, 485 serial devices to an Ethernet LAN/WAN providing a
reliable communication connection. Existing Windows based serial software using standard Windows API does not have
to be modified to communicate over an Ethernet LAN to a serial device. The MLB-S4101 virtual COM port will make this
an easy transition.
The MLB-S4101 operates in “Direct IP Mode”, “Virtual COM Mode”, and “Paired Mode”. The MLB-S4101 has one
asynchronous DB-9 serial port, and have one 10/100 Mbps Ethernet RJ-45 connection. The Ethernet port wills auto-select
10BaseT or 100BaseTX.
The MLB-S4101 Windows driver installs virtual COM ports in the Device Manager of the operating system. The virtual
COM port is designed to establish a connection with the MLB-S4101. This in turn will allow communications with the
connected serial device in the same manner as a device connected to the COM port on a PC. The LAN becomes
transparent to the serial device and the software running on the PC.
The MLB-S4101 can be configured as a TCP or UDP Client/Server. In direct IP and virtual COM modes, MLB-S4101
should be configured as a server. MLB-S4101 also offers a Heart Beat feature to insure a reliable communications
connection.
1.1 Features
DIN rail or Panel mount
Supports 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
Supports RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 serial interface
Supports LAN and WAN communications
In Server mode supports individual client sessions for security.
Management access password protected.
Virtual COM drivers for Windows NT/98/ME/2000/XP

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1.2 Product Specifications
LAN: 10/100 Mbps Auto-detecting –10 Base T,
100 Base TX
Serial Interfaces: RS-232 - TX, RX, RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR,
DCD, GND
RS-422 –TX+, TX-, RX+, RX-, RTS+, RTS-,
CTS+, CTS-, GND
RS-485 - Data +, Data –, GND
Serial Connection: DTE-DB9
Data Rate: 110 bps to 230.4 k bps
Parity: none, even, odd, mark, space
Data Bits: 5, 6, 7 or 8
Stop Bits: 1, 1.5 or 2
Protocol: TCP, IP, ARP, DHCP, Telnet, HTTP, UDP, ICMP
Management: Manager software, Serial Console, Telnet, Web server
Firmware upgradeable
Operating Temperature:0 to 50 °C (32 to 122 °F)
Storage Temperature: -20 to 60 °C (-4 to 140 °F)
Humidity: 0 –90% Non-Condensing
Approvals: CE, FCC
MLB-S4101
Serial Output buffer
64Kbytes
Serial Input Buffer
8K bytes
Power
Requirement
7.5 ~ 15VDC
500mA
RS232
Yes
RS422
Yes
RS485
Yes
Dimension
W: 3.35in
L: 4.5 in
H: 0.90 in

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Default Settings
Server name: MLB-S4101
Serial number: Fixed –see bottom label
Password: Blank
DHCP: Disable
IP address: 192.168.1.1
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway : 192.168.1.254
MAC address: Fixed –see bottom label
Version & Date: current firmware version number and date
Serial port: 1
Baud rate: 9600
Data/Stop bits: 8-1
Parity: None
Flow control: None
Protocol: TCP
Serial timeout: 0 seconds
TCP alive timeout: 0 minutes
Connection mode: Server
Delimiter HEX 1: 00
Delimiter HEX 2: 00
Force transmit: 0 ms
TCP/UDP port: MLB-S4101 port 1: 4000
Serial port mode: Console
Maximum connection: 1
Remote IP address: 255.255.255.255

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2 Communication Modes
The MLB-S4101 allows serial devices to communicate over a LAN or Intranet network. Serial devices are no longer
limited to a physical connection to the PC COM port. They can be installed anywhere on the LAN using TCP/IP or UDP/IP
communications. This will also allow traditional PC COM ports access to a serial device anywhere on the LAN network.
2.1 Direct IP Mode
Direct IP connections allow applications using TCP/IP or UDP/IP network socket programs to communicate with the
asynchronous serial port on the MLB-S4101. In this type of application the MLB-S4101 is configured to TCP or UDP
server. The socket program running on the PC establishes a communication connection with the MLB-S4101. The raw
data is sent directly to and from the serial port.
2.2 Virtual COM Mode
The Virtual COM mode requires the installation of a driver. When installed a new COM port is added to the Device
Manager. Windows programs using standard Windows API calls will be able to interface with Virtual ports. The PC will act
as the host connecting to the MLB-S4101 when the program opens the virtual COM port.
Once the connection is made, the LAN is transparent to the serial device. Applications work just as if the serial device is
connected a host’s physical COM port. The virtual COM port converts the application’s data into IP packet destined for the
MLB-S4101, which in turn converts the IP packet back to serial data.
In this mode, the MLB-S4101 must be set to either TCP/server or UDP/server in the menu with a designated
communication port number. The virtual COM driver is a TCP or UDP client.
2.3 Paired Mode
Paired mode is also called serial tunneling. When this type of configuration is selected additional software will not have to
be loaded on a host PC. In fact a PC is not required to make the connection. Any two dumb serial devices that can
communicate with each other through a serial link will be able to communicate using two MLB-S4101s and the LAN.
Two MLB-S4101s are configured with one setup as a TCP or UDP client and the other to TCP/UDP server. When setting
up the Server, the Remote IP address section must contain the address of the Client. This will allow the Client’s IP
address to pass the IP address-filtering feature of the Server. Conversely, the Remote IP address of the Client must
contain the Server’s IP address.

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2.4 Heart Beat
The MLB-S4101 provides a convenient way to establish reliable communications between two devices. Communication
port 5300 is reserved for the Heartbeat Protocol. Without this feature a device that loses a connection and stops
communicating would not be able to reconnect without personally attending to the problem. A TCP data connection can
be lost when there is a power failure or temporary loss of an Ethernet connection on either the client or server.
If a loss occurs the Heart Beat feature will try to reconnect the TCP data connection every 5 seconds until
communications is established again. The Heart Beat feature is available to use with the Virtual COM Mode, Paired Mode
and Direct IP Mode. This is not available when using a UDP application.

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3 Making the Hardware Connections
The following information is provided to give the user an understanding of how to connect the MLB-S4101 to the LAN and
serial device. A review of the switch settings and the functionality of the LED’s are also provided.
3.1 Serial Connection
The MLB-S4101 has one, two or four DB-9 male connectors. The serial port is configured as a DTE (data terminal
equipment) device. All PC COM ports are DTE ports. A null modem cable is required to make a connection between the
COM port on a PC and the MLB-S4101 serial port. A straight through cable is required to connect the MLB-S4101 serial
port to a DCE device.
3.2 Power Connection
The MLB-S4101 has a two pins terminal block and power jack. Power can apply on either terminal block or the power jack.
It accepts 9VDC-15VDC 500mA power supply. When power is apply a green light label as run will flash every one second
to indicate the system is up and running.
3.3 Ethernet Connection
A straight-through Ethernet cable can be used to connect the serial server to an Ethernet hub, switch, or wall plate. A
crossover Ethernet cable can be used to make a connection directly to the NIC (Network Interface Card) on a PC or
laptop.
3.4 Reset Button
The reset button can be found between the switch and terminal block. To reset the unit manually apply power, insert a
small plastic tool, and press lightly depressing switch. Hold for 3 seconds and release. The Link and Run light will go out
and turn back on.
3.5 LED Definition
Led Name
Led Function
Link
Green –100 BaseTX Ethernet connection established
Yellow –10 BaseT Ethernet connection established
Run
Flashing Green –system is ready
Serial 1/2/3/4
Green –connection established
Flashing Green –data is transmitting