Moxa Technologies Mgate MB3660 User manual

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway
User’s Manual
Edition 2.0, June 2017
www.moxa.com/product
© 2017 Moxa Inc. All rights reserved.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway
User’s Manual
The software described in this manual is furnished under a license agreement and may be used only in accordance with
the terms of that agreement.
Copyright Notice
© 2017 Moxa Inc. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
The MOXA logo is a registered trademark of Moxa Inc.
All other trademarks or registered marks in this manual belong to their respective manufacturers.
Disclaimer
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of
Moxa.
Moxa provides this document as is, without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited
to, its particular purpose. Moxa reserves the right to make improvements and/or changes to this manual, or to the
products and/or the programs described in this manual, at any time.
Information provided in this manual is intended to be accurate and reliable. However, Moxa assumes no responsibility for
its use, or for any infringements on the rights of third parties that may result from its use.
This product might include unintentional technical or typographical errors. Changes are periodically made to the
information herein to correct such errors, and these changes are incorporated into new editions of the publication.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1-1
Overview ...........................................................................................................................................1-2
Package Checklist ............................................................................................................................... 1-3
Product Features ................................................................................................................................ 1-3
2. Getting Started.................................................................................................................................. 2-1
Connecting the Power .........................................................................................................................2-2
Connecting Serial Devices....................................................................................................................2-2
RS-485 Termination and Pull High/Low Resistors.............................................................................2-2
Connecting to a Host or the Network .............................................................................................2-3
Installing the Software.................................................................................................................2-3
Wiring Requirements...........................................................................................................................2-3
LED Indicators....................................................................................................................................2-4
Dimensions ........................................................................................................................................2-4
Adjustable Pull High/Low Resistors for the RS-485 Port ...........................................................................2-5
Pin Assignments .................................................................................................................................2-5
Power Input (DC Model) ...................................................................................................................... 2-6
Relay Output ..............................................................................................................................2-6
Rackmount ........................................................................................................................................ 2-6
Specifications .....................................................................................................................................2-7
3. Device Search Utility ......................................................................................................................... 3-1
Installing the Software ........................................................................................................................3-2
Starting Device Search Utility (DSU) .....................................................................................................3-5
Connecting to the Unit.........................................................................................................................3-5
Broadcast Search ........................................................................................................................3-6
Search IP ...................................................................................................................................3-8
Locate........................................................................................................................................3-8
Upgrading the Firmware ......................................................................................................................3-9
4. Web Console Configuration ............................................................................................................... 4-1
Overview ...........................................................................................................................................4-2
Basic Settings ....................................................................................................................................4-2
Network Settings ................................................................................................................................ 4-3
Serial Settings....................................................................................................................................4-4
RTS Delay ..................................................................................................................................4-4
Protocol Settings ................................................................................................................................4-5
Transparent Mode .......................................................................................................................4-6
Agent mode.............................................................................................................................. 4-16
System Management ................................................................................................................. 4-31
System Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 4-36
Save/Restart.................................................................................................................................... 4-38
Logout............................................................................................................................................. 4-38
MXView ........................................................................................................................................... 4-38
MXconfig ......................................................................................................................................... 4-38
5. Typical Applications .......................................................................................................................... 5-1
Ethernet Masters with Multiple Serial Slaves...........................................................................................5-2
Serial Masters with Multiple Ethernet Slaves...........................................................................................5-2
Modbus TCP Masters with ASCII and RTU Slaves ....................................................................................5-3
Serial Master(s) with Serial Slaves ........................................................................................................ 5-3
6. Case Studies...................................................................................................................................... 6-1
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 6-2
Replace Serial Masters with Ethernet Master(s), Configurable Slave IDs ....................................................6-2
Replace Serial Masters with Ethernet Master(s), Fixed Slave IDs...............................................................6-3
Keep Serial Master and Add Ethernet Master(s) ......................................................................................6-3
Integrate Modbus RTU, ASCII, and TCP at the Same Time .......................................................................6-4
A. Modbus Overview.............................................................................................................................. A-1
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................A-1
Devices are Either Masters or Slaves.....................................................................................................A-1
Slaves are Identified by ID...................................................................................................................A-1
Communication is by Request and Response ..........................................................................................A-1
Requests Need a Time Limit.................................................................................................................A-2
Modbus Ethernet vs. Modbus Serial.......................................................................................................A-3
Integrate Modbus Serial and Ethernet with Gateways ..............................................................................A-3

1
1. Introduction
Welcome to the MGate MB3660 Series of 8 or 16-port Modbus gateways that convert between Modbus TCP and
Modbus RTU/ASCII protocols.
All MB3660 gateways (MB3660-8, MB3660-16) have dual AC/DC power inputs and dual IP addresses built in for
redundancy. Magnetic serial port isolation is also provided for “-I” models.
In this chapter, we give an introduction to the MGate MB3660. The following topics are covered:

Overview

Package Checklist

Product Features

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Introduction
1-2
Overview
The MGate MB3660 (MB3660-8 and MB3660-16) Series comprises redundant Modbus gateways that convert
between Modbus TCP and Modbus RTU/ASCII protocols. They can be accessed by up to 256 Modbus TCP client
(master) devices, or connect to 128 Modbus TCP server (slave) devices. The MGate MB3660 isolation model
provides 2 kV isolation protection suitable for power substation applications. The MGate MB3660 gateways are
designed to easily integrate Modbus TCP and RTU/ASCII networks. The MGate MB3660 gateways offer features
that make network integration easy, customizable, and compatible with almost any Modbus network.
For large-scale Modbus deployments, MGate MB3660 gateways can effectively connect a large number of
Modbus nodes to the same network. The MB3660 Series can physically manage up to 248 serial slave nodes for
8-port models or 496 serial slave nodes for 16-port models (the Modbus standard only defines Modbus IDs from
1 to 247). Each RS-232/422/485 serial port can be configured individually for Modbus RTU or Modbus ASCII
operation and for different baudrates, allowing both types of networks to be integrated with Modbus TCP
through one Modbus gateway.
High Performance with Innovative Command Learning
The MGate MB3660 gateways support two communication modes: transparent mode and agent mode. For
transparent mode, the gateway converts Modbus commands from Modbus TCP to Modbus RTU/ASCII, and vice
versa, or from serial Master to serial Slave. However, since only one Modbus protocol request-response action
can be executed at any given time, each Modbus device has to wait its turn, resulting in poorer performance.
Agent mode is designed to overcome this performance weakness. By allowing users to manually key in Modbus
commands, the gateway can send Modbus commands to multiple Modbus devices at the same time. Since the
gateway actively and continuously retrieves data from Modbus devices simultaneously through the different
serial ports, users will see a dramatic reduction in the amount of time a Modbus device needs to wait to be
accessed. SCADA systems can retrieve Modbus device data directly from the gateway’s memory, instead of
waiting for the gateway to pass commands to the serial ports, enhancing the Modbus gateway’s communication
performance.
Transparent mode helps users adopt existing SCADA programs, but with reduced communication performance,
whereas agent mode is characterized by high performance, but it requires users to go through the trouble of
keying in Modbus commands. In order to provide better performance, without requiring users to key in a lot of
Modbus commands, the MGate MB3660 gateways are designed with an innovative Command Learning function,
which can be activated with a single mouse click. Once activated, the gateway will learn and memorize the
Modbus commands it receives, and once a command has been learned, the gateway will act as though it were
in agent mode and actively send Modbus requests to the relevant Modbus devices. Since the data is saved in
a different memory space that can be accessed by the SCADA system, the SCADA system can retrieve Modbus
response data directly from the gateway’s memory, instead of waiting for the data to pass through the Modbus
devices, dramatically increasing communication performance.
Windows-Based Utility and Web Console for Easy Setup
A Windows-based utility is provided to make it easy to search for and locate devices, assign IP addresses,
import/export configuration files, and upgrade the the MGate MB3660’s firmware. The utility automatically
connects to all available MGate MB3660 units on the LAN. A user-friendly web console is provided to configure
the device from a web browser.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Introduction
1-3
Package Checklist
All models in the MGate MB3660 Series are shipped with the following items:
Standard Accessories
•1 MGate MB3660 Modbus gateway
•1 8-pin RJ45-to-DB9 female serial cable for console setting
•2 L-shaped brackets for wall mounting
•2 AC power cord (for AC models)
•Documentation & software CD
•Quick installation guide (printed)
•Warranty card
Optional Accessories
•Mini DB9F-to-TB Adapter: DB9 female to terminal block adapter for RS-422/485 applications
•CBL-RJ45M9-150: 8-pin RJ45 to DB9 male cable, 150 cm
•CBL-RJ45F9-150: 8-pin RJ45 to DB9 female cable, 150 cm
NOTE
Notify your sales representative if any of the above items
are missing or damaged.
Product Features
•Innovative Command Learning eliminates the need to key-in SCADA Modbus commands (acts as an agent
gateway)
•Auto device routing (patent pending)
•High performance through active and parallel polling of serial devices
•Supports serial (Master) to serial (Slave) communication
•2 Ethernet ports with the same IP or dual IP addresses
•SD card for configuration backup
•Access by up to 256 Modbus TCP client (master) devices, or connect to 128 Modbus TCP server (slave)
devices
•Dual VDC or VAC power inputs with wide power input range
•3-pin fault relay circuit for event alarms
•2 kV isolation protection (for “-I” models)

2
2. Getting Started
This chapter provides basic instructions for installing the MGate MB3660.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:

Connecting the Power

Connecting Serial Devices
RS-485 Termination and Pull High/Low Resistors
Connecting to a Host or the Network
Installing the Software

Wiring Requirements

LED Indicators

Dimensions

Adjustable Pull High/Low Resistors for the RS-485 Port

Pin Assignments

Power Input (DC Model)
Relay Output

Rackmount

Specifications

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-2
Connecting the Power
The unit can be powered by connecting a power source to the terminal block for DC models or power connector
for AC models.
For DC power input models:
1. Loosen or remove the screws on the terminal block.
2. Connect the 20-60 VDC power line to the terminal block.
3. Tighten the connections using the screws on the terminal block.
For AC power input models:
•Connect the 100-240 VAC power line to the AC connector.
Note that the unit does not have an on/off switch. It automatically turns on when it receives power. The PWR
LED on the front panel will glow to indicate that the unit is receiving power. There are two DC power inputs for
redundancy.
Connecting Serial Devices
The unit’s serial port(s) are located on the back panel. If you are connecting an RS-485 multidrop network with
multiple devices, note the following:
•All devices that are connected to a single serial port must use the same protocol (i.e., either Modbus RTU
or Modbus ASCII).
•Each master device must connect to its own port on the unit. If you are connecting to a network with both
master and slave devices, the master must be connected to a separate port from the slaves.
For serial port pin assignments, refer to the Pin Assignments section.
RS-485 Termination and Pull High/Low Resistors
In some critical RS-485 environments, you may need to add termination resistors to prevent the reflection of
serial signals. When using termination resistors, it is important to set the pull high/low resistors correctly so
that the electrical signal is not corrupted. For each serial port, DIP switches or jumper settings are used to set
the pull high/low resistor values. A built-in 120 Ω termination resistor can also be enabled.
To modify the termination and pull high/low resistor settings, refer to the hardware reference chapter for your
model.
ATTENTION
Do not use the 1 KΩ pull high/low setting on the MGate
MB3660 when using the RS-
232 interface. Doing so will
degrade the RS
-232 signals and reduce the effective communication distance.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-3
Connecting to a Host or the Network
Two 10/100BaseT Ethernet ports are located on the gateway’s back panel. These ports are used to connect the
unit to a host or Ethernet network, as follows:
•For normal operation, use a standard straight-through Ethernet cable to connect the unit to your Modbus
TCP network.
•For initial configuration or for troubleshooting purposes, you may connect the unit directly to a PC.
The unit’s Link LED will light up to indicate a live Ethernet connection.
The MGate MB3660 has two Ethernet ports with two MAC addresses. Hence, the unit can be connected by two
different IP addresses.
Installing the Software
The Device Search Utility (DSU) can be installed from the Documentation and Software CD. Follow the
onscreen instructions after inserting the CD. For additional details, refer to Chapter 3: Device Search Utility.
Wiring Requirements
ATTENTION
Safety First!
Be sure to disconnect the power cord before installing and/or wiring your
MGate MB3660.
Wiring Caution!
Calculate the maximum possible current in each power wire and common wire. Observe all electrical codes
dictating the maximum
allowed current for each wire size.
If the current
goes over the allowed maximum, the wiring could overheat, causing serious damage to your
equipment.
Temperature Caution!
Be careful when handling the
MGate MB3660. When plugged in, the MGate MB3660’s internal components
generate h
eat, and consequently the board may feel too hot to touch.
You should also observe the following common wiring rules:
•Use separate paths to route wiring for power and devices. If power wiring and device wiring paths must
cross, make sure the wires are perpendicular at the point of intersection.
NOTE
Do not run signal or communication wiring and power wiring in the same wire conduit. To avoid interference,
wires with different signal characteristics should be routed separately.
•You can use the type of signal transmitted through a wire to determine which wires should be kept separate.
The rule of thumb is that wiring that shares similar electrical characteristics can be bundled together.
•Keep input wiring and output wiring separate.
•When necessary, we strongly advise labeling wiring to all devices in the system.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-4
LED Indicators
Item Description
Reset Button Press the Reset button for five seconds to load factory defaults. The MGate MB3660
will beep twice when the configuration has been reset.
(LEDs)
PWR 1, PWR 2 Red Power connection
Off Power cable is not connected
Ready Red Steady on: Power is on, and unit is booting up
Blinking: IP conflict, the DHCP or BOOTP server did not respond
properly, or a relay output occurred
Green Steady on: Power is on, and unit is functioning normally
Blinking: Unit is responding to locate function
Off Power is off, or power error condition exists
Tx 1–8 (16) Green Serial port is transmitting data
Rx 1–8 (16)
Amber
Serial port is receiving data
LAN 1, LAN 2 Green Indicates 100 Mbps Ethernet connection
Amber Indicates 10 Mbps Ethernet connection
Off Ethernet cable is disconnected
Dimensions
DC Model

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-5
AC Model
Adjustable Pull High/Low Resistors for the
RS-485 Port
In some critical environments, you may need to add termination resistors to prevent the reflection of serial
signals. When using termination resistors, it is important to set the pull high/low resistors correctly so that the
electrical signal is not corrupted. The MGate MB3660 uses DIP switches to set the pull high/low resistor values
for each serial port. Tear open the screws and find the DIP switches located at the back side of the PCB.
To add a 120 Ω termination resistor, set switch 3 on the port’s assigned DIP switch to ON; set switch 3 to
OFF (the default setting) to disable the termination resistor.
To set the pull high/low resistors to 150 KΩ, set switches 1 and 2 on the port’s assigned DIP switch to OFF.
This is the default setting.
To set the pull high/low resistors to 1 KΩ, set switches 1 and 2 on the port’s assigned DIP switch to ON.
ATTENTION
Do not use the 1 KΩ pull high/low setting on the MGate
MB3660 when using the RS-
232 interface. Doing so will
degrade the RS
-232 signals and reduce the effective communication distance.
Pin Assignments
The MGate MB3660 uses DB9 serial ports to connect to Modbus RTU or ASCII devices. Each port supports three
serial interfaces that select by software: RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 (both 2 and 4-wire).
RJ45 (Ethernet, Console)
Pin Ethernet Console (RS-232)
1
Tx+
DSR
2 Tx- RTS
3 Rx+ GND
4 – TxD
5 – RxD
6 Rx- DCD
7 – CTS
8 – DTR

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-6
Male DB9 (Serial port)
Pin RS-232 RS-422/RS-485-4W RS-485-2W
1 DCD TxD-(A) –
2 RxD TxD+(B) –
3 TxD RxD+(B) Data+(B)
4 DTR RxD-(A) Data-(A)
5 GND GND GND
6 DSR – –
7 RTS – –
8 CTS – –
9 – – –
Power Input (DC Model)
Relay Output
N.O.
Common
N.C.
Rackmount
The MGate MB3660 is designed to be mounted on a standard 19-inch rack. Use the enclosed pair of L-shaped
metal brackets and screws to fasten your MGate MB3660 to the rack cabinet. Each L-shaped bracket has six
holes, leaving two outer or inner holes available for other uses. You have two options. You can lock either the
front or rear panel of the MGate MB3660 to the front of the rack. Locking the front panel is shown in the
following figure.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-7
Specifications
Ethernet Interface
Number of Ports:
2 ports (2 IP addresses)
Speed
:10/100 Mbps, Auto MDI/MDIX
Connector
:RJ45 x 2
Protocols:
Modbus TCP Client/Server
Serial Interface
Number of Ports:
MGate MB3660
-8: 8 ports
MGate MB3660
-16: 16 ports
Serial Standards: RS-232/422/485, software selectable
Connector:
DB9 male
RS
-485 Data Direction Control: ADDC
®
(automatic data direction control)
Isolation Protection:
2 kV (for “-I” model)
Protocols:
Modbus RTU/ASCII Master/Slave
Serial Communication Parameters
Data Bits:
8
Stop Bits:
1, 2
Parity:
None, Even, Odd, Space, Mark
Flow Control:
RTS/CTS, DTR/DSR, RTS Toggle (RS-232 only)
Transmission Speed:
50 bps to 921.6 Kbps
Serial Signals
RS
-232: TxD, RxD, RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, DCD, GND
RS
-422: Tx+, Tx-, Rx+, Rx-, GND
RS
-485 (4-wire): Tx+, Tx-, Rx+, Rx-, GND
RS
-485 (2-wire): Data+, Data-, GND
Software
Configuration Options:
Web console, Serial console, Telnet console
Utilities:
Device Search Utility (DSU) for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, Windows XP, Server 2003, Vista,
Server 2008 (x86/x64), Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7/8/8.1 (x86/x64), Windows Server 2012 (x64),
Windows 2012 R2
Network protocols:
TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, SMTP, NTP, DNS, DHCP Client, SNMPv1 (read only), ARP, Telnet,
Radius
Multi
master and Multidrop: Master mode: 128 Modbus TCP servers; Slave mode: 256 Modbus TCP clients
Physical Characteristics
Fault Relay Circuit:
3-pin circuit with current carrying capacity of 2 A @ 30 VDC
External Storage Drive:
SD card for configuration backup
Housing:
Metal, IP30 protection
Dimensions:
Without ears: 440 x 45 x 198 mm (17.32 x 1.77 x 7.80 in)
With ears: 480 x 45 x 198 mm
(18.90 x 1.77 x 7.80 in)
Environmental Limits
Operating Temperature:
0 to 60°C (32 to 140°F)
Storage Temperature:
-40 to 85°C (-40 to 185°F)
Ambient Relative Humidity:
5 to 95% (non-condensing)
Power Requirements
Input Voltage:
For DC models:
Dual 20 to 60 VDC (1.5 kV isolation)
For AC models: Dual 100 to 240 VAC, 47 to 63 Hz
Power Connector: Terminal block (for DC models)

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Getting Started
2-8
Power Consumption:
MGate MB3660
-8-2AC: 144mA/110V, 101mA/220V
MGate MB3660
-8-2DC: 312mA/24V, 156mA/48V
MGate
MB3660I-8-2AC: 244mA/110V, 159mA/220V
MGate MB3660
-16-2AC:178mA/110V,120mA/220V
MGate MB3660
-16-2DC: 390mA/24V, 195mA/48V
Standards and Certifications
Safety:
UL 60950-1, EN 60950-1 (LVD)
EMC:
CE, FCC
EMS:
EN 550
32/24
EN 61000
-4-2 (ESD) Level 3 for power side, Level 4 for serial side (Contact: 8 kV, Air: 15 kV)
EN 61000
-4-3 (RS) Level 2
EN 61000
-4-4 (EFT) Level 2
EN 61000
-4-5 (Surge) Level 3
EN 61000
-4-6 (CS), Level 3
EN 61000-4-8 (PFMF) Level 3
Shock:
IEC 60068-2-27, IEC 60870
Freefall:
IEC 60068-2-32
Vibration:
IEC 60068-2-64, IEC 61373
Warranty
Warranty Period:
5 years
Details:
See www.moxa.com/warranty

3
3. Device Search Utility
The following topics are covered in this chapter:

Installing the Software

Starting Device Search Utility (DSU)

Connecting to the Unit
Broadcast Search
Search IP
Locate

Upgrading the Firmware

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Device Search Utility
3-2
Installing the Software
The following instructions explain how to install the Device Search Utility (abbreviated DSU), a utility for
configuring and monitoring MGate MB3660 units over the network.
1. Insert the Document and Software CD into the CD-ROM drive. Locate and run the following setup program
to begin the installation process:
dsu_setup_[Version]_Build_[DateTime].exe
The latest version might be named dsu_setup_Ver2.0_Build_xxxxxxxx.exe, for example:
2. You will be greeted by the Welcome window. Click Next to continue.
3. When the Select Destination Location window appears, click Next to continue. You may change the
destination directory by first clicking on Browse....

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Device Search Utility
3-3
4. When the Select Additional Tasks window appears, click Next to continue. You may select Create a
desktop icon if you would like a shortcut to DSU on your desktop.
5. Click Install to start copying the software files.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Device Search Utility
3-4
6. A progress bar will appear. The procedure should take only a few seconds to complete.
7. A message will indicate that DSU is successfully installed. You may choose to run it immediately by selecting
Launch DSU.
8. You may also open DSU through Start

Programs

MOXA

DSU,as shown below.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Device Search Utility
3-5
Starting Device Search Utility (DSU)
DSU is a Windows-based utility that is used to configure the MGate MB3660 Series.
Before running DSU, make sure that your PC and the MGate MB3660 are connected to the same network.
Alternatively, the MGate MB3660 Series may be connected directly to the PC for configuration purposes. Refer
to Chapter 2 for more details.
You may open DSU from the Windows Start menu by clicking Start

Programs

MOXA

DSU. The DSU
window should appear as shown below.
Connecting to the Unit
The DSU needs to connect to the unit before the unit can be configured. There are two methods to connect to
the unit. Broadcast Search is used to find all MGate MB3660 units on the LAN. Search IP attempts to connect
to a specific unit by IP address, which is useful if the unit is located outside the LAN or can only be accessed by
going through a router.

MGate MB3660 Modbus Gateway Device Search Utility
3-6
Broadcast Search
Click Search and a new Search window will pop up.