StarTech.com NETRS232 User manual

Rev.E01
NETRS232
One/Two/Four Port
Quick Installation Guide

1
Congratulations on your purchase of a StarTech NETRS232.
NETRS232s connect serial devices to Ethernet networks.Any serial
device—POS equipment,factory machinery,monitoring hardware,
or security devices,for example—can send its information to the
NETRS232.The NETRS232 places the serial data in aTCP/IP wrapper
and sends it out its Ethernet port.Data moving the other direction,
from the Ethernet side of the NETRS232 to the serial device,
undergoes the same process in reverse.NETRS232s use industry-
standard hardware interfaces and have broadWindows operating
system support ("Driver mode").In other modes the NETRS232 is
operating system independent.
WithaNETRS232,you can:
• Network serial devices
• Make devices available to multiple users
• Manage multiple serial devices from a single PC
• Eliminate long dedicated serial runs
• Stop using costly PCs as dedicated serial port servers
• Remotely access and control serial devices
• Eliminate long-distance phone-modem charges
Included with your package,you should have the following:
• StarTech NETRS232
• Power supply
• Quad DB-9 cable (4-DB9 Cabled version only)
• Installation CD
• Quick Installation Guide
Getting Started

1. Connect the power supply to the NETRS232 and to AC power.
2. The power (red) LED will light to indicate that the unit is
receiving power.
3. Connect a network cable to the Ethernet RJ-45 jack of the
NETRS232.The other end of the network cable can be attached
to either:
• an Ethernet hub or switch,using a length of standard
Ethernet network cable
• a host PC directly,using an Ethernet cross-over cable.
Network status is indicated by two LEDs on the RJ-45 connector.
The left (yellow) LED indicates network activity.It is on by default,
turning off when network activity occurs at the NETRS232.The right
(green) LED indicates a network link.It is off by default,but lights
when a network link exists.
Hardware Setup
2
Power
connector
Power
indicator
Network
connector (RJ-45)
Network
Activity and Link
indicators

4. Connect a serial device to the NETRS232.
Serial port activity is indicated by two status LEDs per port.The
yellow LED illuminates when the serial port is transmitting data.
The green LED illuminates when the serial port is receiving data.
3
Single Port
Serial connector
SerialTx
indicator
Serial Rx
indicator
Dual Port
Serial1
connector
Serial2
connector
SerialTx
indicators
Serial Rx
indicators
NOTE: This NETRS232 is factory pre-configured with passwords
as follows:
(if needed):
... etc.
Before using the NETRS232 you will need to unlock the unit
using the administrative password in order to configure the
device’s IP address and other settings. We recommend changing
the administrative password to something other than the factory
default for best security.
Port passwords can be removed or altered as needed provided
administrative access is granted.
Administrative password:
Port 1 password:
Port 2 password
admin
port1
port2

Software installation and configuration consists of the following:
A. Running the NETRS232 setup software
B. Configuring network settings
C. Activating and deactivating NETRS232 ports
D. Optional advanced port configuration
E. WAN configuration
F. Upgrading software
The installation CD has files to installWindows NETRS232 drivers on
your PC and to detect NETRS232s on your network.To run the
installation software,insert the installation diskette and run
"Setup.exe".The
SetupWizard will ask
you to supply basic
installation
information.
The SetupWizard will
finish by opening the
StarTech.By default
the will display
StarTech NETRS232
devices that it has
detected on your
network.
A.Running the NETRS232 setup software
IP-Extender
Manager
IP-Extender
Manager
Configuration
4

B.Configuring network settings
The StarTech displays NETRS232 information
in aWindows Explorer-like interface.Any NETRS232s that are
discovered on your network are displayed in the "IP-Extenders Near
Me" branch of the "My IP-Extender Network" tree.
NETRS232s installed on your network will need unique IP
addresses.These can be set by using either the
a web browser,or aTelnet client.
The factory default network settings for the NETRS232 are:
IP address: 192.168.0.35
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway address: 0.0.0.0
Name: [empty]
Workgroup: [empty]
DHCP detection: disabled
IP-ExtenderManager
IP-Extender
Manager,
5
BeforeProceeding:The NETRS232 is factory preset with an IP address of
192.168.0.35.If this IP address cannot be used on the network (it may already
in use,for instance),do not initially connect the NETRS232 to the network.
Instead,either:
1) connect the NETRS232 to a network segment that is not already using the
NETRS232 default IP address for another device or,
2) connect the NETRS232 directly to a host PC using an Ethernet crossover
cable.
Follow the procedure described in the "Configuring network settings" section
of this manual to set the IP address to a usable address for the network onto
which the NETRS232 will be installed.

ConfiguringNETRS232networksettings using theIP-Extender
Manager
To set a NETRS232's network
settings using the
,right-click on it in the
IP-Extender tree and select
“Properties”.If the NETRS232 is
accessible on the network,a
dialog will open that allows you
to give it a new name,IP
address,subnet mask,and
gateway address.If your
network assigns IP addresses
using a DHCP server,DHCP
detection can also be enabled.
The can
also auto-configure a link when
a DNS server is used.
Changes made using the
will be
updated to both the local PC
and to the NETRS232.
Changing the network settings of a NETRS232 device may
make that device unavailable to other stations that have activated
a connection to that device using older network settings.
The is the recommended method of
changing all NETRS232 settings.
IP-Extender
Manager
IP-ExtenderManager
IP-
ExtenderManager
IP-ExtenderManager
NOTE:
NOTE:
6

ConfiguringNETRS232networksettings usingawebbrowser
To set a NETRS232's
network settings
using a web browser,
open the browser and
enter the IP address
of the NETRS232 into
the browser's location
bar.The embedded
web server running
on the NETRS232 will
display the opening
screen of the
NETRS232
configuration menu.
Choose the setting
you wish to change.In the configuration screen that appears,enter
the network settings you wish for that NETRS232.Once the new
values are entered and accepted,the NETRS232 will reboot to
implement the new network settings.
Changes made using a web browser will be updated to the
NETRS232 but not to the local PC.
Changing the network settings of a NETRS232 device may
make that device unavailable to other stations that have activated
a connection to that device using older network settings.
NOTE:
7

ConfiguringNETRS232networksettings usingaTelnet client
Noteon subnetconfiguration
To set a NETRS232's
network settings using a
Telnet client,open a Telnet
session to the IP address of
the link whose settings you
want to change.Details on
Telnet connection can be
found in the“advanced
features.pdf”file on the
Installation CD.
If the NETRS232 is on a different subnet from a client station that is
attempting to access it,the NETRS232 will be visible in an instance
of the running on the client station,and its
ports can be activated on that client station,but applications
running on the client station will not be able to open a serial port
on the NETRS232.
For example,if the IP address of the NETRS232 is 192.168.0.35 and
the IP address of the client station is 192.168.1.1,the two devices
are on different subnets (as indicated by the difference between
the "0" and the "1" in the third portion of the two IP addresses).
Two solutions exist:
• change the subnet of the either the NETRS232 or the client
station so that they are both on the same subnet or,
• change the subnet mask of the NETRS232 to encompass both
subnets.By default,the NETRS232 has its subnet mask set to
255.255.255.0.This setting excludes all but the fourth portion of
the IP address when assessing IP addresses.In the example
above,a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 will include the NETRS232
in both subnets.
IP-ExtenderManager
8

C.Activating & Deactivating NETRS232 ports
NETRS232 ports that have been detected as existing on the
network are not initially activated for your PC.To access a NETRS232
port it must be activated.You may wish to activate on a given
computer some,all,or none of the NETRS232 ports that are
available on the network.To activate a particular port,right click on
the port where it is displayed in the right panel of the
,and select "Activate".To activate all ports on a particular
NETRS232,right click on that device in the left panel of the
and select“Activate All”.
Before activation,NETRS232 ports only appear under the "My IP-
Extender Network" branch of the IP-Extender Desktop.Once they
have been activated for a local system,they will also appear under
"My Computer" in the .
To deactivate ports
individually,right-
click on the port
where it is displayed
in the right panel of
the ,and select
"Deactivate".To
deactivate all ports
on a particular NETRS232,right click on that device in the left panel
of the and select“Remove All”.
IP-Extender
Manager
Manager
IP-ExtenderManager
IP-Extender
Manager
Manager
9

Icons depict the states of NETRS232s and ports as follows:
Activated ports appear inWindows’Device Manager under the
"Ports (COM & LPT)" branch as "IP-Extender" ports,with their
associated COM numbers.
Activating and deactivating NETRS232 ports on one computer does
not affect the operation of those ports on other systems.
10
Device available
on the
network
Device not
available on the
network Under“My Computer”:
Port available
Under“My IP-Extender Network”:
Port activated locally
Under“My Computer”:
Port not available
Under“My IP-Extender Network”:
Port not activated locally

11
D.Optional advanced port configuration
NETRS232 ports that have
been activated on your
PC can generally be used
immediately without
further configuration.
Additional configuration
options can however be
accessed through the
.These
configuration options are
discussed in detail in the
“advanced.pdf”readme
file on the Installation CD.
Advanced settings
include passwords;port
binding options that can
associate a port with a
specified IP address,
NetBios name,or MAC
address;port modes for
raw server or client
connection,Ethernet
modem operation,RFC
2217 communications,or
data connect operation;
and a COM port number reassignment feature.
IP-
ExtenderManager

12
E.WAN activation
Activating a NETRS232 on aWAN is be done in two different ways,
depending on the network location of the NETRS232:
• NETRS232 located externally – NETRS232 is directly accessible
on the Internet.
• NETRS232 located internally – NETRS232 is located behind a
gateway or router and is not directly accessible.
All steps assume the NETRS232 has already been configured
and is working on a public IP address.
1. Obtain the IP address of the NETRS232.
2. Open the embedded web page of the NETRS232 from your
browser by typing in its IP address in the address bar.
3. Ensure that the port(s) to create theWAN activation on are
configured for "Driver Mode".
4. Record theTCP port number of the port(s) to be accessible.
5. Close your browser.
6. Open the and click on the "WAN
Activation" button,located on the main toolbar.
7. This will open the "WAN Port Settings" window.
8. Enter the IP address of the NETRS232 and theTCP port number
of the first port you wish to create theWAN activation on,then
click OK.
9. This will create a new COM port that you can configure and
connect to as you would a standard NETRS232 COM port.Verify
this by clicking on "My Computer" in the
In the right hand pane you should find a new port titled
"NETRS232 Port (COMXX)" resembling theWAN activation icon.
10. Repeat step 8 for any additionalWAN activations you wish to
create.
Configuration&installation whenNETRS232 isexternal:
IP-ExtenderManager
IP-ExtenderManager.
NOTE:

13
Configuration&installation whenNETRS232 isinternal:
All steps assume the NETRS232 has already been configured
and is working on a public IP address.
1. Obtain the IP address of the gateway/router that the NETRS232
is located behind.
2. To configure the NETRS232 yourself you will need to
reconfigure the gateway/router to allow HTTP port redirection
to the NETRS232 to access the embedded web page of the
NETRS232.To do this please consult either your system
administrator or the technical documentation that
accompanied your gateway/router.If you would rather not turn
on HTTP port redirection you can easily have another user with
direct access to the NETRS232 perform the next three steps.
3. Open the embedded web page of the NETRS232 from your
browser by typing in its IP address,or the IP address of the
gateway/router,in the address bar.
4. Ensure the port(s) to create theWAN activation on are
configured for "Driver Mode".
5. Record theTCP port number of the port(s) to be accessible.
6. Close your browser.
7. With the IP address andTCP port number(s) of the NETRS232 in
mind,enable port forwarding on your gateway/router for each
port to be made remotely accessible.This will require you to
create a port forwarding association between the IP
address/TCP ports on the NETRS232 and the TCP ports on the
gateway/router (i.e.A rule specifying that all incoming
connections received by the gateway/router onTCP port x will
be forwarded internally to IP address 192.168.0.35 and x).To do
this please consult either your system administrator or the
technical documentation that accompanied your
gateway/router.
EveryTCP port that is accessible externally MUST be
unique and may not be shared between multiple internal
targets.
NOTE:
NOTE 1:

14
NOTE 2: Certain gateways may allow for port redirection (i.e.
Any external availableTCP port may be redirected to any IP
address andTCP port on the network).If however your gateway
doesn't support port redirection,then all externalTCP port
connections will need to be matched to the exact same internal
TCP port number.As a result,if you wish to make multiple
devices accessible over the gateway/router then you will be
required to reconfigure the NETRS232 to prevent multiple
NETRS232s from using the sameTCP port numbers.
8. Open the and click on the "WAN
Activation" button,located on the main toolbar.The "WAN Port
Settings" window will open.
9. Enter the IP address of the gateway and the externally
accessibleTCP port of the first port you wish to create theWAN
activation on,then click OK.
10. A new COM port will be created that you can configure and
connect to as you would a standard NETRS232 COM port
activation.To verify this simply click on "My Computer" in the
.In the right hand pane you should find a
new port "NETRS232 Serial Port (COMXX)" resembling theWAN
activation icon.
11. Repeat step 9 for any additionalWAN activations you wish to
create.
New versions of NETRS232 software and firmware may be found at
www.startech.com.
IP-ExtenderManager
IP-ExtenderManager
F.Upgrading Software

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.Operation is subject
to the following conditions:(1) This device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference received,including interference
that may cause undesired operation.