White Paper: M Modbus Protocol
White Paper: M Modbus Protocol
White Paper: M Modbus Protocol
iretrol
Modbus is a communication protocol. It is a method used for transmitting informa-
tion between electronic devices. The device requesting the information is called the
Modbus Master for Modbus RTU and Modbus Client for Modbus TCP/IP. The devices
supplying information are Modbus Slaves for Modbus RTU and Modbus Server for
Modbus TCP/IP.
The two types of Modbus1 communication transmission methods used with the
Firetrol MarkIII panels are either RS4852 - RTU3 or TCP/IP4.
The most basic difference between Modbus RS485-RTU and Modbus TCP/IP is that
Modbus TCP/IP runs on an Ethernet physical layer, and Modbus RTU is a RS485 serial
level protocol. Modbus TCP/IP is simply the Modbus RTU protocol with a TCP interface
that runs on Ethernet.
Modbus was originally designed to run over direct links between two devices (vari-
ous types of serial cabling) whereas TCP/IP was designed for networks where many
devices are all connected to the same wire.
Firetrol MarkIII Controllers are supplied as standard with a Modbus TCP/IP Ethernet port
and acts as a Modbus server.
Definitions:
Modbus: Modbus is a ‘communication protocol’ developed by Modicon systems. The Modbus mes-
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saging structure defines the rules for organizing and interpreting the data independent of the data
transmission medium. Modbus utilizes either the RS-485 or Ethernet as its data transmission medi-
um or wiring type. Modbus supports communication to and from multiple devices connected to the
same cable or Ethernet network.
RS-485: Also known as TIA-485(-A) or EIA-485, is a standard defining the electrical characteristics of
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