RFL Electronics eXmux 3500 User manual

EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 1 973.334.3100
EXMUX®3500M IP Access Multiplexer
Quick Start Guide
Table of Contents
1. Overview ............................................................................................................................ 1
2. Connecting Alarm Relays and Power ................................................................................... 2
3. Installing the eXmux 3500 Visual Network Management Software (VNMS) ........................ 6
4. Setting IP Addresses through the USB Interface ................................................................. 8
5. Entering the Activation Key Code and Starting VNMS ........................................................ 16
6. Related Documentation ..................................................................................................... 19
1. Overview
Before the eXmux 3500M can be configured into a network, the Visual Network Management
Software (VNMS) needs to be installed onto the user’s laptop or PC. After this is done, IP address and
other limited settings can be changed through the USB port on the eXmux 3500M.
The following instructions are designed to get the user up and running quickly after receiving their
eXmux 3500M IP Access Multiplexer. These instructions are not to be used as a substitute for the
RFL Instruction Manual. Please refer to the Instruction Manual for detailed installation procedures,
set-up, and Interface Unit configuration. Note, once VNMS is installed on your computer the
Instruction Manual can be accessed through a short cut icon that is automatically placed on your
desktop. The Instruction Manual can also be accessed from the “Help” pull-down menu in VNMS.
Note: For set-up and operation of the eXmux 3500M TPS System, follow procedures in the Instruction
Manual.
This Quick Start Guide will give instructions on:
•Connecting Alarm Relays and Power.
•Installing the VNMS software into the user’s laptop or PC.
•Changing IP address information through the USB port on the eXmux 3500M.
•Activating the software through a key code and starting VNMS.

2. Connecting Alarm Relays and Power
The following section describes how to connect Alarm Relays and Power to the eXmux 3500M.
Before beginning the installation note the following:
•RFL recommends that wires only be terminated with ring lugs.
•The specified operating temperature of the eXmux 3500M is -30°C to +65°C
(-22°F to +149°F). Operation at higher temperatures may affect system reliability and
performance. Systems installed in enclosed cabinets should be well ventilated. A full 1U of
chassis space must be left open above the installed eXmux 3500M.
•Before proceeding with the connection of power to the eXmux 3500 ensure that the main and
redundant power supply switches are in the “OFF” position, and that the power wires to be
installed are disconnected at their source.
•All relay contacts are labeled in the de-energized position.
•Ensure that the power supply(ies) installed in your eXmux 3500M will operate at the
available input power.
•Follow all of your company’s policies and procedures regarding the installation of AC powered
or DC powered equipment. If there is a conflict between any procedure in this Quick Start
Guide and your company’s safety rules, then your company’s safety rules must take priority.
CAUTION
Any installation using an enclosed cabinet with a swing-out rack must be securely fastened to the
floor. This will prevent the cabinet from falling forward when the rack is moved outward.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 2 973.334.3100

Alarm Relay Connections
MAJOR
MINOR
NCNO CNCNO C
The alarm relays on the unit will respond to alarm and alert conditions, the functionality can be
programmed by the user as required and connected to their plant monitoring system. Under normal
operating conditions when the eXmux 3500M is turned on the relays are energized, in an alarm or
alert state the relays will be in the de-energized position.
Connect the Alarm Relays as required.
Connecting Power
The eXmux 3500M has labels located below the fuse on the power supply that indicate which
power supply(ies) were installed in the unit before leaving the factory. Main and redundant power
supplies do not have to be the same.
Before proceeding with the power and ground wire installation check the power supply labels to
ensure that the unit will operate at the input voltage available.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 3 973.334.3100

50/60 Hz38-150 V
3A MAX Label for a standard power
supply is shown
I
O
I
O
Main Power Supply Redundant Power Supply
38-150 V
50/60 Hz 3A MAX 38-150 V
50/60 Hz 3A MAX
WARNING!
The eXmux 3500M chassis must be properly grounded as described below before attempting to
connect input power. Improper ground connections may result in system malfunctions, equipment
damage, or electrical shock.
Grounding is accomplished by connecting a 6 AWG wire, or larger between the protective earth stud
shown below and the rack ground. The grounding wire should be kept as short and straight as
possible, to keep its resistance and inductance to a minimum.
!
Chassis Protective
Earth Terminal
MAIN RDNT
+-+-
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 4 973.334.3100

WARNING!
Individual double pole disconnects must be installed between the building or station battery supply and
the eXmux 3500M power supply(ies). This must be done for both the main and redundant supply.
Before proceeding with the connection of power to the eXmux 3500M ensure that the main and
redundant power switches on the rear of the unit are in the “OFF” position as shown in the illustration
below, and that the power wires to be installed are disconnected at their source.
MAIN
++
--
RDNT
Main Power Supply
On-Off Switch Redundant Power Supply
On-Off Switch
Rear View of
Modular eXmux
(3500M)
Input power connections can be either (24 Vdc, 48/125 Vdc, 250 Vdc) from a station battery, 120 or
220 Vac depending on which power supplies are installed in the unit. Make the required connections
as shown in the illustration above. Station battery positive goes to the “+” terminal and station battery
negative goes to the “-” terminal. If ac input power is used connections are made to the “+” and “-”
terminals and the polarity markings can be ignored.
Before connecting the power at its source and switching on the eXmux 3500M, check the following:
1. Is the unit grounded correctly?
2. Is the polarity of the input power correct?
3. Is the unit ventilated correctly?
The eXmux 3500M may now have power applied.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 5 973.334.3100

3. Installing the eXmux 3500 Visual Network
Management Software (VNMS)
The following section describes how the eXmux 3500 Visual Network Management Software (VNMS)
is installed into your Laptop or PC.
Computer and Operating System Restrictions
•The eXmux 3500 Visual NMS is compatible with Windows XP®Service Pack 2 or higher,
Windows Vista®and Windows 7®Operating Systems; currently when using Vista or Windows
7 Operating Systems certain changes must be made to file locations after the VNMS software is
installed. These changes are described after the software is installed in the steps below.
•An Intel Pentium D (dual core) 2.5 GHz or higher processor computer is recommended with a
minimum of 1 gigabyte of RAM. 2 gigabytes of RAM is recommended.
•RFL recommends that a high resolution screen be used for optimal VNMS viewing.
Before beginning the installation note the following:
•The eXmux 3500 Visual NMS software is conveniently loaded into the user’s laptop or PC
through the supplied CD (Part # MCD3500-XXX) or downloaded from the RFL website at
www.rflelect.com.
Follow the steps below to install the software.
1. Insert the CD into the CD ROM drive of your computer or run the downloaded file.
2. In most cases, a setup window will appear on the screen. Click the button to run the software.
If the window does not appear, do the following:
a. From the Start Menu, select run.
b. Type the following in the run window command line: D:\setup
Note: If your computer does not use ‘D’ for the CD ROM drive, substitute the correct
letter here.
c. Click OK.
3. Click on ‘Next’ to continue with the setup.
4. From this point on the software will prompt you to enter information it requires to complete the
installation. When the installation is complete the following icons will appear on your desktop,
clicking an icon will display its full description.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 6 973.334.3100

Shortcut to the Visual Network
Management Software (VNMS) Shortcut to launch the terminal program
to allow IP programming through the
"User Access USB" port
Special Settings for Vista and Windows 7
1. In Windows 7 or Vista go to Explorer and enable “Viewing Hidden Folders” from the
pull down menu. Follow the steps below to view “Hidden Folders.”
a. Open the Control Panel.
b. Click on “Appearance and Personalization” category.
c. Under the Folder Options icon click on “Show Hidden Files and Folders.”
d. Check “Show Hidden Files, Folders, or Drives.”
e. Check the “OK” button.
To install the data in a public folder take the following steps:
2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to Computer > Local Disk OS (C:) > Users >
Public > Public Documents.
Right click in an empty spot and select New > Folder. Name the folder “Exmux 3500
Visual NMS.”
3. In another Windows Explorer window, navigate to:
Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files > Exmux 3500 Visual NMS. Drag and
drop the entire ‘data’ folder into the folder created in step 2. The result should be the
creation of a new sub-folder:
Computer > Local Disk OS (C:) > Users > Public > Public Documents > Exmux 3500
Visual NMS > data.
4. Navigate to: Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files > Exmux 3500 Visual NMS
> ini. There should be only one file in this folder, ‘datalocation.ini.’ Open this file with
a text editor; notepad is OK.
Note: If you are not the ‘System Administrator’ or do not have administrator privileges
you will need to edit “User Permissions” to be able to modify and write to this
file. If necessary contact your System Administrator for assistance.
5. Change the one line in the file to read:
“C:\Users\Public\Documents\Exmux 3500 Visual NMS\data”
Quotations ARE necessary.
The VNMS software is now installed on your computer.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 7 973.334.3100

4. Setting IP Addresses through the USB Interface
The following section describes how to connect a laptop or PC through either the front or rear USB
port on the eXmux 3500M. This is done in order to set the Management IP address, Subnet Mask,
Gateway IP Address and Multicast IP Address in the eXmux 3500M.
Before beginning the installation note the following:
•The user will need to supply a USB cable with a type ‘B’ connector at the eXmux end.
•Only one USB connection is possible at one time.
•The following instructions are based on Windows7®(64 bit) operating system and
Windows XP®Operating System (XP service pack 2 or above), other Windows systems
will be similar.
•Currently RFL supplies a USB Driver for Windows7 (32 and 64 bit) operating system
users. The driver can be downloaded from the RFL website or supplied on a CD or other
electronic media. Once the driver software is copied to your computer the following steps
are required to configure the driver:
Typically a type "A"
connector is used at the
laptop Use a type "B"
connector at the EXMUX
After the USB cable is installed, windows will automatically detect the eXmux 3500M USB port. The
following dialog boxes will appear for Windows7 users. XP user’s go to page 13.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 8 973.334.3100

Windows 7 Operating System
After a USB cable is connected to an eXmux and the user’s computer go to the “Start” menu and
follow the steps below. Note; there are two parts to this configuration process. The USB Interface and
the USB Serial Port, both parts MUST be completed to correctly configure the USB Driver.
Double click on
"Exmux 3500 USB
Interface"
Select the
"Hardware" tab
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 9 973.334.3100

1. Configuring the USB Interface:
With the “Hardware” tab selected proceed as follows.
Select "Browse my computer
for driver software"
Browse to where the Driver Software is
located on your computer
Ensure this
box is
checked
Select the USB Driver
and click "Next"
Select "Install this driver
software anyway
Select
Select
Select "Update
Driver"
Click “Close” a confirmation window will appear as shown on the following page.
EXMUX 3500M Quick Start RFL Electronics Inc.
January 23, 2013 10 973.334.3100