EtherPath

User’s Guide

Revised April 18, 2002

Firmware Version 4.0
FCC Statement
This device complies with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference.
(2) This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.

CE Marking Warning

This is a class B product. In a domestic environment this product

may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required
to take adequate measures.

Copyright  1999…2002. All rights reserved.

Version 4.0

All trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective
owners.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................ 1
EtherPath Functions..................................................... 2
Other Features ............................................................. 4
Physical Details ........................................................... 6

Chapter 2 Installation ............................................ 11

Overview ................................................................... 11
LAN Installation........................................................ 11

Chapter 3 Terminal/Telnet Configuration........... 13

Overview ................................................................... 13
Terminal Configuration ............................................. 14
Telnet Configuration ................................................. 15
Terminal/Telnet Interface.......................................... 17

Chapter 4 Browser Configuration ........................ 33

Overview ................................................................... 33
Connection Procedure ............................................... 33
Web-based Interface.................................................. 35

Chapter 5 Operation .............................................. 49

Client/Server Point-to-Point (Nailed-Up) Mode....... 49
Server Mode .............................................................. 51
Client/Server Point-to-Multiple-Point (EtherModem)
Mode ........................................................................ 51
Client (Reverse Telnet) Mode ................................... 54
i
Chapter 6 Troubleshooting.................................... 57
Hardware Problems ................................................... 57
Can't Connect via the LAN........................................ 59
Other Problems.......................................................... 61
Checking Device Operation....................................... 63

Appendix A Specifications ..................................... 64

EtherPath Specifications............................................ 64
RS-232 PIN Assignments .......................................... 65
Control Signal Operation........................................... 66
CABLES.................................................................... 68

Appendix B Programming..................................... 70
Introduction ............................................................... 70
Description and Behavior .......................................... 71
Application Notes...................................................... 74
Example Code ........................................................... 75

Appendix C AT Command Summary .................. 76

AT Commands........................................................... 76
AT Command Responses .......................................... 77
AT Command Operation ........................................... 77

Appendix D RS-422/ RS-485 Interface ................. 78

Description ................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
RS-422 / 4-Wire RS-485 Interface Pinout................. 79
Last Word…............... Error! Bookmark not defined.

ii
Chapter 1
Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of the
EtherPath's features and capabilities.

C ongratulations on the purchase of your new EtherPath. The

EtherPath is a versatile product that enables serial communications
devices to operate via Ethernet. It is designed to easily connect a
serial port device to your network. A remote PC or other serial
device can then be used to monitor, configure, manage and send or
receive data to the serial port device through the LAN/WAN.
The EtherPath can receive data from any Serial device, convert the
data to a valid IP packet, and transmit that data over the
LAN/WAN. Serial devices can then be accessed from anywhere on
your LAN/WAN by any workstation computer running telnet,
dedicated software, or COM: port redirection software. Two
EtherPaths may be used in “nailed-up” mode to build a “RS-232
path” through the WAN/LAN. Multiple EtherPaths may be
connected via Ethernet by using them in Point-to-Multiple point
"AT Dial " mode.
Some serial port devices in common use are Bar Code Readers,
UPSs, SCADA RTUs, security alarms, access control devices, time
clocks, POS terminals, and multiplexers.
For easy connection to your LAN, the EtherPath supports both
10BaseT and 100BaseT connections.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

EtherPath Functions
The EtherPath can be used in several modes – simple Client/Server
or Server, as illustrated below, point-to-multiple-point
(EtherModem) Client/Server, and reverse telnet Client. These
modes are described below.

Figure 1: Modes of Operation

Client/Server Mode

In this mode, two EtherPaths are used. Both are connected to serial
RS-232 devices. This is termed a “Nailed-Up” connection.
• The "Client" EtherPath will automatically establish a
connection to the "Server" EtherPath upon power-up.
• The device on one EtherPath communicates with the other
serial port device as if it was directly connected via a serial port
cable.

2
 Introduction
• The EtherPaths and the LAN are completely transparent to PC
application and serial port device.

Server Mode

This mode requires only a single EtherPath. The EtherPath is

connected to the serial port device, and to the LAN.
Users on the LAN can then connect to the serial port device and
communicate with it via Telnet, using any assigned serial port
address. Many serial port devices provide support for
communication via Telnet.
A special-purpose utility program or port redirector program may be
used instead of Telnet, or the user may create custom software using
Visual Basic, C++, or other network programming tools. By using
port redirection, the EtherPath may function as a remote serial port
on a PC.

Point-to-Multiple-Point (EtherModem) Mode

Point-to-multiple-point (EtherModem) operation allows a single

EtherPath running in client mode to connect to multiple server-
mode EtherPaths, one at a time, under the control of the attached
RS-232 device. The client operates similar to a modem with “AT”
dialing enabled. The attached device treats the EtherPath as if it
was a modem, using remote IP addresses instead of telephone
numbers.

Reverse Telnet (Telnet Client) Mode

This mode requires only a single EtherPath. The EtherPath is

connected to the serial port device, and to the LAN.
The EtherPath will connect to most remote telnet servers under user
control by using “reverse telnet” or telnet client operation. The

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EtherPath User’s Guide
EtherPath will connect to any port number under user control with
either hardware (pin6) dialing or AT dialing.
By using the "AT Dial" commands, the connected device can direct
the EtherPath to connect to multiple remote devices, one at a time.

Other Features
Automatic Connection
When used in Client/Server mode, the “Client” EtherPath will
automatically establish a connection to the “Server” EtherPath on
power-up, or under the control of an RS-232 control signal.
AT Commands
The EtherPath responds to most common AT commands when in
the Client mode. Commands are listed in the Appendix.
Connection Recovery
The EtherPath uses a proprietary protocol to ensure the client/server
session always exists on TCP/IP. When data hasn't been transferred
through the connection for some time, the EtherPath will
communicate with the other device (either EtherPath or PC) to
ensure that the connection is still open.
If there is no response, the device will reset to the initial state, and
attempt to reconnect.
Also, if the RS-232 link is broken, it will be reconnected
automatically if possible (when in Hardware-connect mode).
This operation is described in the Appendix.
Protocol Conversion
The RS-232 device at the client end and the device at the server end
of a link do not have to use the same communications protocols on

4
 Introduction
the RS232 link (speed, parity, flow control). The EtherPaths will
convert the data to the correct protocol.
Upgradeable Firmware
Firmware upgrades are downloadable to the EtherPath. The utility
program required for this, and the actual firmware upgrades, are
available from your dealer.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Physical Details
The EtherPath front and rear panels are shown below.

Figure 1: EtherPath

1 Power port Connect the power adapter here.

2 10/100Base-T Connect lan cabling here.
port
3 Red LED Client/Server/Setup Indicator
4 Red LED LAN Activity Indicator.
5 Green LED Connection Indicator.
6 RS-232 Port DE-9 (DB-9) RS-232 Interface.

6
 Introduction
Configuration Switch
There is a momentary action push button switch on the right side of
the unit behind a small hole. Pressing this switch places the unit in
configuration mode and is used only when configuring the
EtherPath via the serial port, as explained in Chapter 3 -
Configuration. Return from configuration mode by exiting the
configuration menu or by power cycling the unit. This switch may
be depressed with a tiny screw driver or stiff wire. (A straightened
paper clip works nicely).

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EtherPath User’s Guide

LED Indicators
There are two red LED indicators on the rear panel adjacent to the
LAN connector and one green LED indicator on the front panel
between the 9-pin serial connectors.

Rear Panel LED Indicators

• The lower red LED is the Ethernet Status indicator. It is lit
when there is a valid 10/100BaseT Ethernet connection. This
LED flashes with activity on the Ethernet (even if the activity
isn't directly to this unit).
• The upper red LED is multi-function indicator. The different
states indicated by these LED are described below.

Red LED Status Description

Indication

OFF Client Mode

ON Server Mode

Rapid Flashing Setup Mode

Irregular Flashing Power On Self Test

-or-
Firmware Download

8
 Introduction

Front Panel LED Indicators

• There is one front panel green LED indicator. This
corresponds to Port 1 status.
• This LED is a multi-function indicator. The different states
indicated are described below.

Green LED Status Description

Indication

OFF Pin 6 input is low and

there is no telnet
connection

ON Pin six is high and

there is no telnet
connection

Rapid Flashing Telnet session is

active

Slow Flashing Pin 6 is tied high via

Software and there is
no telnet connection

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EtherPath User’s Guide
Package Contents
You should find the following items packaged with your EtherPath:
• The EtherPath Unit
• Power Adapter
• This User’s Guide
If any of the above are missing, contact your dealer immediately.

Software Requirements
The EtherPath supports the following protocols.
• TCP/IP
• UDP
• ARP
• ICMP
• TELNET

The EtherPath has been tested to work with:

• All versions of Windows
• Unix - SCO, Sun, AIX, Linux, etc.
• Macintosh
• Most serial devices such as scanners, RTUs, SCADA
hosts, alarm controllers, POS devices, PCs, terminals, etc.

10
Chapter 2
Installation
This Chapter details the LAN installation process
for the EtherPath.

Overview
For Telnet Mode or Web Browser Mode configuration, LAN
installation is performed before configuration. There must also be a
valid IP address in the unit prior to configuration with these
methods. The default value may not work with your network.
If you use Terminal Mode configuration, then the configuration
should be performed prior to LAN installation. See Chapter 3 for
details.

LAN Installation

1. Connect the Network Cable

• The EtherPath network interface is auto-sensing. Simply
connect your network cable to the appropriate connector on the
EtherPath panel.

2. Connect the Power Adapter Cable

Plug in the power adapter cable. After about a 4 second boot
process the EtherPath is ready for operation.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
Only use the power adapter provided
with the EtherPath. Using a different
one may cause hardware damage.

3. Connect the Serial Port Device

Connect the serial port device to the serial port on the EtherPath. If
connecting to a PC 9-pin port, a cross-over (null modem) cable
is required. See the Appendix for wiring details.
Then apply power lead to the serial port device.

12
Chapter 3
Terminal/Telnet
Configuration
This Chapter describes how to configure the
EtherPath's using Terminal configuration mode or
Telnet configuration mode. Web Browser mode is
covered in the next chapter.

Overview
The EtherPath can be configured using any of the following
methods:
• Web Browser - After installing the EtherPath in your LAN,
use your Web Browser for configuration. See Chapter 4 -
Browser Configuration for details.
• Terminal Mode - Use a serial cable connection and a
communication program. The advantage of this method is that
you give the EtherPath a compatible IP Address prior to
installation in your network.
• Telnet Mode - After installing the EtherPath in your LAN,
connect to it using Telnet for configuration.
Both Terminal and Telnet modes provide the same user interface.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Terminal Configuration
Terminal configuration requires the following:
• PC with terminal emulation program, or a dumb terminal.
• Serial cable to connect the PC to the EtherPath. See the
Appendix for cable requirements. A Crossover (null modem)
cable is required when using a 9 pin PC port.

Procedure
1. Connect the EtherPath to your PC or terminal using a null-
modem cable.
2. Press the configuration setup switch momentarily. It is located
on the side of the EtherPath and accessed through a small hole.
Use a small pen or paper clip to access the switch.
3. Start the terminal program and configure the terminal program
with the following settings.

Setting Value
Flow control protocol None
Baud rate 9600
Data 8 bits
Parity None
Stop Bit 1
4. Connect your terminal program to the appropriate port (e.g.
COM 1).

14
 Operation
5. The configuration program should now start and after a few
seconds display a sign-on screen.
If nothing appears on your screen, press ESC.
Refer to Terminal/Telnet Interface on page 17 for details on
using the configuration program.

Telnet Configuration
1. Install the EtherPath into your LAN as described in Chapter 2.
Ensure that the EtherPath is powered on. The EtherPath must
have anIP address appropriate for YOUR network.
2. Connect to the EtherPath with the command:
telnet IP_Address Port_number
Where:
IP_Address is the IP address of the EtherPath
Port_number (for configuration) is 8000.
For example, if the default IP address had not been changed,
then you would enter the command:
telnet 192.168.1.1 8000

If you can't connect

If the EtherPath does not respond, check the following:
• The EtherPath is properly installed, LAN connections
are OK, and it is powered ON.
• Check that your PC is using a compatible IP Address
and Network Mask.
In Windows9x variations, the IP Address and Network
Mask can be checked by using Control Panel-Network

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EtherPath User’s Guide
to examine the Properties for the TCP/IP protocol.
• If your PC is NOT using an IP Address within the range
192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254, with a Network Mask of
255.255.255.0, then you must either change the
EtherPath's IP address using a directly connected
terminal or change your PC to an address in the above
range and reboot. Once the PC will communicate with
the EtherPath, the EtherPath address may be changed,
and the PC reconfigured to its proper address.

3. Refer to the following section for details on using the

configuration program.

16
 Operation

Terminal/Telnet Interface
The Signon screen displays the version number.

EtherPath V4.0
--------------------------------
Device Name: GW403930
Physical Location: Head Office

Operational Mode: SERVER

Configuration setup.

[Press any key to continue]

Pressing any key will then take you to the Main Menu.

EtherPath Main Menu

------------------------------------------
1 Set Local & Remote IP Address,
Subnet Mask, and Gateway Address
2 Set Manager/Telnet IP Address
3 Serial Port Configuration
4 Advanced Configuration
5 Display Configuration Settings
6 Reset Configuration to Default
7 Save and Exit
0 Exit without Saving

Choose a Number =>

Each of these menu options is explained in the following pages.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
Entering Data
Enter the number of the field you wish to change, followed (on the
same line) by a space and the data for that field.
Example
On screen one, to set the IP address (field 1) to 192.168.1.10
=>1 192.168.1.10

Menu Options
Main Menu Option 1.
Setting IP Addresses

18
 Operation
Selecting 1 ( 1. Set Local & Remote IP Address, Subnet
Mask, Gateway Address ) from the Main Menu will result in a
screen which looks like the following.

LOCAL UNIT CONFIGURATION:

Local Address: 205.166.54.215 Serial NO: 00:09:AA:00:15:11
Remote Address: 205.166.54.221
Gateway Address: (NOT SET) Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Name of Contact Person: john
Device Name: SS001511
Physical Location: champaign
Server Mode - Listen on Port: 3000
IP Fragmentation: ALLOWED

SET LOCAL UNIT CONFIGURATION:

1 Local IP Address
2 Remote IP Address
3 Gateway IP Address
4 Subnet Mask
5 Name of Contact Person
6 Device Name
7 Physical Location
8 Port Number
9 IP Fragmentation [0=ALLOWED, 1=NOT ALLOWED]
10 Operational Mode [0=Server, 1=Client]
0 -- Return to previous menu

Enter Command =>

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EtherPath User’s Guide

1. Local IP Address
The IP address of this EtherPath device on your LAN. The default
IP Address is 192.168.1.1
2. Remote IP Address
In “Client” mode, this is the IP address of the remote “Server”
device which this client will automatically connect to when powered
up (if RS-232 PIN 6 is high or forced) and configured for hardware
dialing. This is also the default server that will be used for AT
dialing when in PMP mode.
In “Server” mode, this value is not required, and will be ignored.
3. Gateway IP Address
If the remote EtherPath (in “Client/Server” mode) is not on the same
LAN, then the gateway to the other LAN must be entered here.
4. Subnet Mask
The network mask indicates what class of TCP/IP network you
have. The default value is for a class “C” network, with up to 255
users. This value should work in small networks. If in doubt, consult
your network administrator.
5. Name of Contact Person: Supervisor
This is a text field. It can be used to store the name of the person
responsible for the Serial Port Device.
6. Device Name
This is a text field. It can be used to store a descriptive name for the
device.

20
 Operation
7. Physical Location
This is a text field. It can be used to store a the location of the
device.
8. Port Number
This is the TCP/IP port number the EtherPath listens on when in
server mode. The default is port 3000. When in client mode, this is
the port on the remote server that a connection is attempt with. This
value may be overridden when in Ethermodem mode by including a
port number in the ATD command.
9. IP Fragmentation
If set to ZERO, IP blocks sent from this EtherPath may be
fragmented in transit, and blocks may be fragmented by the
EtherPath. If set to ONE, the 'DONTFRAG' bit is set in IP packets,
and all blocks are transmitted intact. This is normally set to 0 , but
is set to 1 for some SCADA applications. The default is 0.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
Main Menu Option 2.
Set Manager/Telnet IP Address
Selecting (2) from the Main Menu will result in the following
screen.
Entry Manager_IpAddr
***** ***************
1. 000.000.000.000
2. 000.000.000.000
3. 000.000.000.000
4. 000.000.000.000

MANAGER SETUP:
set Entry_Number IP_Address
clear Entry_Number
0 --Return to main menu.

EXAMPLE:
to set entry #3 to IP address=138.239.0.24,
=> set 3 138.239.0.24
to clear entry #2 IP address,
=> clear 2

Enter Command =>

This screen shows a table containing four (4) entries. By default, all
entries are blank. These entries provide a security feature. Only a
user at one of the IP addresses shown can configure the EtherPath.
(All users on the LAN can still access the EtherPath, but not
configure it.)
If the entries are blank, then any user on the LAN can configure
the EtherPath.
Entries in the table cannot be edited, but commands are provided to
insert (SET) and delete (CLEAR) entries.

22
 Operation
Main Menu Option 3.
Set Serial Port Data
Selecting (3) from the Main Menu will result in the following
screen.
PORT CONFIGURATION:
Flow Control: NONE
Baud Rate: 9600
Data: 8 Bits Parity: NONE Stop: 1 Bit
Pin 6 Control: FORCED ON
Client Dial Mode: HARDWARE (Pin 6)

SET PORT CONFIGURATION:

1 Flow Control [0=None, 1=XON/XOFF, 2=RTS/CTS]
2 Baud Rate [0=230400, 1=115200, 2=57600, 3=38400,
4=19200,
5=9600, 6=4800, 7=2400, 8=1200, 9=600,
10=300]
3 Parity bit [0=None, 1=Odd, 2=Even]
4 Data bits [0=7bits, 1=8bits]
5 Stop bits [0=1bit, 1=2bits]
6 Pin 6 Control [0=From Interface, 1=Forced ON]
7 Dial Mode [0=ATD, 1=Hardware (Pin 6)]
0 -- Return to previous menu.

EXAMPLE: To set the baud rate to 19200

=> 2 4

Enter Command =>

This screen allows you to change the settings for the RS232 link.
The settings used should match the device connected to the serial
port of the EtherPath.
Note that the EtherPath's serial settings must match the device that
is plugged into THAT EtherPath. The device at the other end of the
Ethernet link may be set differently.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Flow Control
The choices are “None”, “XON/XOFF”, and “RTS/CTS”. It is
common to use NONE for installation troubleshooting, then set it
correctly to match the connected device. If RTS/CTS is used, the
cables must have handshake lines wired correctly.
Baud Rate
Speeds between 300 bps and 230.4Kbps are supported.
Parity
The choices are “None”, “Odd”, or “Even”.
Data Bits
The choices are 7 or 8. This does NOT include the parity bit. The
two most common settings are 7 bit PLUS appropriate parity or 8
bit with NO parity. Default is 8 bits.
Stop Bits
The choices are 1 or 2. Commonly use 1.
Pin 6 Control
If Forced On, the EtherPath responds as if interface pin 6 is always
high. If From Interface, its condition is a read from the RS-232
cabling must be correct for proper operation.
Dial Mode
The choices are “ATD” or “Hardware”. This configures the
EtherPath, when in client mode, to connect to a remote device when
it receives an asserted hardware (pin 6) signal or when it receives
an “ATD” command. For a full-time Nailed-up connection, use
Hardware. See Chapter 5, Point-to-Multiple-Point-Mode for use of
the "AT" setting.

24
 Operation
Main Menu Option 4.
Advanced Configuration Screen
Selecting (4) from the Main Menu will display the following:

ADVANCED CONFIGURATION:
Transmit Timer: 10 ms (Mode: IDLE TIMEOUT)
Block Size: 512 Bytes
Flow OFF Buffer Level: 80% Flow ON Buffer
Level: 20%
Line Terminator Character: 13 (Dec) Transmit on LT
Char: OFF
Server End-of-Line Filter: ON
Client Local Character Echo: OFF

SET ADVANCED CONFIGURATION:

1 Transmit Timer [min=1ms, max=10000ms]
M Timer Mode [0=transmit timer, 1=idle timeout]
2 Block Size [min=1byte, max=4096bytes]
3 Flow Control OFF Buffer Level [min=1%, max=99%]
4 Flow Control ON Buffer Level [min=1%, max=99%]
5 Line Terminator Character [min=0, max=255]
6 Transmit on LT Character [0=OFF, 1=ON]
7 Server End-of-Line Filter [0=OFF, 1=ON]
8 Client Local Character Echo [0=OFF, 1=ON]
0 -- Return to previous menu

EXAMPLE: To set the Flow OFF level to 75%

=> 3 75

Enter Command =>

The EtherPath has a built-in buffer to store data. Most of these
settings affect the operation of the buffer and how data is buffered
and transmitted over the Ethernet. The default values should
normally be satisfactory, but they may be "tuned" for optimum
operation.
Note: Options 5, 6, 7, and 8 apply to Client Mode only, and have no
effect in Server Mode.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
1. Transmit Timer
When in Timer Mode: The time period for which data will be
stored in the buffer before being sent. Allowable values range from
1ms to 10,000ms (10 seconds). A commonly used value is 20 msec.
When in Idle Timeout Mode: The time period this unit's port must
be idle (after receiving a character) before sending a block of data
via the Ethenet. This is used to keep incoming blocks of data intact.
It is useful for some protocols such as Modbus RTU. Its setting
depends upon the port speed, and should be several character times..
Allowable values range from 1ms to 10,000msec (10 seconds). A
typical value for a 9.6 Kbps port is about 3 msec.
M. Timer Mode
When set to 0, the timer is a free-running clock and if there is data
in the buffer, an IP packet is transmitted every TIMER msec.
When set to 1, the timer is a serial port idle time value. If there is
data in the buffer and the serial port has been idle for TIMER msec,
then an IP packet is transmitted.
2. Block Size
The maximum ethernet packet buffer size. The minimum value is 1
byte, the maximum 4096 bytes (4 K). Typical values are either in a
low range of 10-20 characters for polling applications or very large
in the range of 500 to 1500 for file transfer applications.
Normally, the timer triggers a packet transmission before the block
fills. If the buffer contains BLOCKSIZE characters, an IP packet is
transmitted.
3. Flow Control OFF Buffer Level
If the amount of data stored in the buffer reaches this point, and the
EtherPath is unable to transmit the data, then no further input will be
accepted.

26
 Operation
Under normal operation, this will not happen. This is normally left
at the default value.
4. Flow Control ON Buffer Level
Once the High_Water mark has been reached, the “no-input
accepted” mode will continue until the EtherPath has transmitted
enough data to reduce the buffer contents to this point. This is
normally left at the default value.
5. Line_Terminator_Character
This setting is used to change the Line Terminator Character. The
Line Terminator Character causes any data in the buffer to be
transmitted immediately the character is received, provided: This is
the binary value of the trigger charaacter.
• The EtherPath is being used in “Client” mode.
• The following setting (Transmit_on_LT_Char) is ON.
6. Transmit_on_LT_Char
When this setting is ON, any data in the buffer will be sent
immediately upon receipt of a Line_Terminator_Character (see
previous setting). When the setting is OFF, the
Line_Terminator_Character has no effect.
In “Server” mode, this setting has no effect.
7. Server End-of-Line Filter
This setting can turn the filter function ON or OFF.
If ON, then when a CR/LF (Carriage Return, Line Feed) character
pair is received, it is converted to a CR only before it is sent to the
serial port output. CR/LF pairs are normally used in the MS-DOS
environment to mark the end of a line, but may cause problems in
other environments.
CR/NULL character pairs are also converted to a CR only.

27
EtherPath User’s Guide
• If this setting is OFF, then no conversion is done.
• In "Client Mode", this setting has no effect.
8. Client Local Character Echo
If ECHO is ON, the client EtherPath will locally echo all incoming
characters in client mode.
If ECHO is OFF, the client EtherPath will not echo characters or
transmit any status messages to the serial port. This mode should be
used if any messages from the EtherPath would create interference.
OFF is the most commonly used value.

28
 Operation
Main Menu Option 5.
Display Settings
Selecting (5) from the Main Menu displays a screen like the
following example.
Local Address: 205.166.54.213 Serial NO:
00:09:AA:00:4A:9E
Remote Address: 205.166.54.220
Gateway Address: (NOT SET) Subnet Mask:
255.255.255.0
Name of Contact Person: Supervisor
Device Name: GW004A9E
Physical Location: Head Office
Client Mode - Remote Port: 3000
IP Fragmentation: ALLOWED

MANAGER CONFIGURATION:
Entry Manager_IP_Addr
***** ***************
1. 0.0.0.0
2. 0.0.0.0
3. 0.0.0.0
4. 0.0.0.0

PORT CONFIGURATION:
Flow Control: NONE
Baud Rate: 38400
Data: 8 Bits Parity: NONE Stop: 1 Bit
Pin 6 Control: FORCED ON
Client Dial Mode: HARDWARE (Pin 6)

[Press any key to continue]

ADVANCED CONFIGURATION:
Transmit Timer: 20 ms (Mode: TRANSMIT TIMER)
Block Size: 512 Bytes
Flow OFF Buffer Level: 80% Flow ON Buffer
Level: 20%
Line Terminator Character: 13 (Dec) Transmit on LT
Char: OFF
Server End-of-Line Filter: OFF
Client Local Character Echo: OFF

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EtherPath User’s Guide

CURRENT ETHERPATH STATISITCS:

Network packets received: 294619
Network packets transmitted: 291346
Network packet errors: 0
Port bytes received: 4
Port bytes transmitted: 56264576

CURRENT ETHERPATH CONFIGURATION:

CLIENT Mode-IP Dial
Connected to IP Address: 205.166.54.220

[Press any key to continue]

Note that no data can be changed. Pressing any key from the above
screen will return you to the Main Screen.
All data items except the following have been explained on the
preceding pages.

Current Statistics

Network Packets Received

Number of packets received by the EtherPath through the LAN
connection.
Network Packets Transmitted
Number of packets transmitted by the EtherPath through the
LAN connection.
Network Packet Errors
Number of packets received through the LAN connection which
contained errors.
Port Bytes Received
Number of Characters received through the serial (RS232)
connection.

30
 Operation
Port Bytes Transmitted
Number of Characters transmitted through the serial (RS232)
connection.

Current Configuration

Switches Status
Current setting of the DIP Switches.
Current Connection IP Address
The device (PC, terminal, or remote EtherPath) to which the
EtherPath is currently connected through the LAN link. If it is
not connected, this field will display “No active connection”.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
Main Menu Option 6.
Reset Configuration to Default
Selecting (6) from the Main Menu will restore all values to their
defaults.
If using Telnet, the connection will be lost when the EtherPath
reboots. To reconnect, you must connect to the default IP Address
of 192.168.1.1 or change the EtherPath IP address to one that is
appropriate for your network before rebooting with main menu
option 7.

Main Menu Option 7.

Save and Exit
Selecting (7) from the Main Menu will store the configuration
details in the EtherPath, and exit the configuration program.
If using Telnet, the connection will be lost when the EtherPath
reboots. If you have changed the IP Address, you must use the new
IP Address when you reconnect.
Using option 7 when there were no changes made is one way to
effect a cold reboot on a remote EtherPath.

Main Menu Option 0.

Exit without Saving
Selecting (0) from the Main Menu will exit the configuration
program without saving any data you have entered.

32
 Operation

Chapter 4
Browser Configuration
This Chapter describes how to configure the
EtherPath using a Web Browser. The EtherPath
must have an IP address appropriate to your
network before using this method.

Overview
This configuration method uses your Web Browser to configure the
EtherPath. This provides the most user-friendly interface than the
Telnet/Terminal method.
• The EtherPath must be installed in your LAN before this
configuration method can be used.
• Most Browsers will work. The only requirement is that they
support HTML tables and forms.

Connection Procedure
To establish a connection to the EtherPath, follow this procedure:

1. Install the EtherPath in your LAN as described in Chapter 2.

Ensure that the EtherPath is powered on.
2. Start your Web browser.
3. In the Address box, enter the following:
http://IP_Address

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EtherPath User’s Guide
(IP_Address is the IP address of the EtherPath)
For example, http://192.168.1.1
If you can't connect
If the EtherPath does not respond, check the following:
• The EtherPath is properly installed, LAN connections
are OK, and it is powered ON.
• Check that your PC is using a compatible IP Address
and Network Mask.
In Windows9x variations, the IP Address and Network
Mask can be checked by using Control Panel-Network
to examine the Properties for the TCP/IP protocol.
• If your PC is NOT using an IP Address within the range
192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254, with a Network Mask of
255.255.255.0, then you must either change the
EtherPath's IP address using a directly connected
terminal or change your PC to an address in the above
range and reboot. Once the PC will communicate with
the EtherPath, the EtherPath address may be changed,
and the PC reconfigured to its proper address.
• Insure that your browser isn't using a proxy server. If it
is, configure the browser to not use the proxy for the
EtherPath's IP address. (This may not work in Internet
Explorer and you might have to temporarily disable
using the proxy server)

4. Once connected, you will see the first screen. Refer to the
following section for details on using the Web-based interface.

34
 Operation

Web-based Interface
The first screen is similar to Figure 2.

Figure 2: Sign on Screen

• Use the menu bar on the left to navigate to the desired screen.
• On-line help is available on each screen.
• Each screen is explained in the following sections.

35
EtherPath User’s Guide

Port Configuration Screen

Figure 3: Port Configuration Screen

This screen allows you to change the settings for the RS232 link.
The settings used should match the device connected to the serial
port of the EtherPath.
Note that the EtherPath's serial settings must match the device that
is plugged into THAT EtherPath. The device at the other end of the
Ethernet link may be set differently.

Flow Control
The choices are “None”, “XON/XOFF”, and “RTS/CTS”. It is
common to use NONE for installation troubleshooting, then set it
correctly to match the connected device. If RTS/CTS is used, the
cables must have handshake lines wired correctly.

36
 Operation
Baud Rate
Speeds between 300 bps and 230.4Kbps are supported.
Parity
The choices are “None”, “Odd”, or “Even”.
Data Bits
The choices are 7 or 8. This does NOT include the parity bit. The
two most common settings are 7 bit PLUS appropriate parity or 8
bit with NO parity.
Stop Bits
The choices are 1 or 2. Commonly use 1.
Dial Mode
The choices are “ATD” or “Hardware”. This configures the
EtherPath, when in client mode, to connect to a remote device when
it receives an asserted hardware (pin 6) signal or when it receives
an “ATD” command. For a full-time Nailed-up connection, use
Hardware. See Chapter 5, Point-to-Multiple-Point-Mode for use of
the "AT" setting.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Port Activity Screen

Figure 4:Port Activity Screen

This screen displays details about the data currently being

transmitted or received, either through the LAN or Serial port. The
display is updated every 10 seconds.
Data - Network
Current
The IP Address of the remote to device to which
Connection
this EtherPath is currently connected
IP Address:
Packets Number of packets received by the EtherPath
received: through the LAN connection.
Packets Number of packets transmitted by the EtherPath

38
 Operation
Transmitted through the LAN connection.
Packet Errors Number of packets containing errors transmitted
or received by the EtherPath through the LAN
connection.
Under normal conditions, this should be 0.

Data - Serial Port

Bytes Number of Bytes received, through the serial
Received (RS232) connection, from the Serial port device
Bytes Number of Bytes transmitted through the serial
(RS232) connection to the Serial port device (or
Transmitted
PC, if in Client mode).

39
EtherPath User’s Guide
Advanced Configuration Screen

Figure 5: Advanced Configuration Screen

The EtherPath has a built-in buffer to store data. Most of these
settings affect the operation of the buffer and how data is buffered
and transmitted over the Ethernet. The default values should
normally be satisfactory, but they may be "tuned" for optimum
operation.
Note: Options 5, 6, 7, and 8 apply to Client Mode only, and have no
effect in Server Mode.
Transmit Timer
When in Timer Mode: The time period for which data will be
stored in the buffer before being sent. Allowable values range from
1ms to 10,000ms (10 seconds). A commonly used value is 20 msec.

40
 Operation
When in Idle Timeout Mode: The time period this unit's port must
be idle (after receiving a character) before sending a block of data
via the Ethenet. This is used to keep incoming blocks of data intact.
It is useful for some protocols such as Modbus RTU. Its setting
depends upon the port speed, and should be several character times..
Allowable values range from 1ms to 10,000msec (10 seconds). A
typical value for a 9.6 Kbps port is about 3 msec.
Timer Mode
When set to 0, the timer is a free-running clock and if there is data
in the buffer, an IP packet is transmitted every TIMER msec.
When set to 1, the timer is a serial port idle time value. If there is
data in the buffer and the serial port has been idle for TIMER msec,
then an IP packet is transmitted.
Block Size
The maximum Ethernet packet buffer size. The minimum value is 1
byte, the maximum 4096 bytes (4 K). Typical values are either in a
low range of 10-20 characters for polling applications or very large
in the range of 500 to 1500 for file transfer applications.
Normally, the timer triggers a packet transmission before the block
fills. If the buffer contains BLOCKSIZE characters, an IP packet is
transmitted.
Flow Control OFF Buffer Level
If the amount of data stored in the buffer reaches this point, and the
EtherPath is unable to transmit the data, then no further input will be
accepted.
Under normal operation, this will not happen. This is normally left
at the default value.

41
EtherPath User’s Guide
Flow Control ON Buffer Level
Once the High_Water mark has been reached, the “no-input
accepted” mode will continue until the EtherPath has transmitted
enough data to reduce the buffer contents to this point. This is
normally left at the default value.
Line_Terminator_Character
This setting is used to change the Line Terminator Character. The
Line Terminator Character causes any data in the buffer to be
transmitted immediately the character is received, provided: This is
the binary value of the trigger character.
• The EtherPath is being used in “Client” mode.
• The following setting (Transmit_on_LT_Char) is ON.
Transmit_on_LT_Char
When this setting is ON, any data in the buffer will be sent
immediately upon receipt of a Line_Terminator_Character (see
previous setting). When the setting is OFF, the
Line_Terminator_Character has no effect.
In “Server” mode, this setting has no effect.
Server End-of-Line Filter
This setting can turn the filter function ON or OFF.
If ON, then when a CR/LF (Carriage Return, Line Feed) character
pair is received, it is converted to a CR only before it is sent to the
serial port output. CR/LF pairs are normally used in the MS-DOS
environment to mark the end of a line, but may cause problems in
other environments.
CR/NULL character pairs are also converted to a CR only.
• If this setting is OFF, then no conversion is done.
• In "Client Mode", this setting has no effect.

42
 Operation
Client Local Character Echo
If ECHO is ON, the client EtherPath will locally echo all incoming
characters in client mode.
If ECHO is OFF, the client EtherPath will not echo characters or
transmit any status messages to the serial port. This mode should be
used if any messages from the EtherPath would create interference.
OFF is the most commonly used value.

LAN Configuration Screen

Figure 6: LAN Configuration Screen

This screen allows you to set all data relating to your LAN.

43
EtherPath User’s Guide
Local IP Address
The IP address of this EtherPath device on your LAN. The default
IP Address is 192.168.1.1
Remote IP Address
In “Client” mode, this is the IP address of the remote “Server”
device which this client will automatically connect to when powered
up (if RS-232 PIN 6 is high or forced) and configured for hardware
dialing. This is also the default server that will be used for AT
dialing when in PMP mode.
In “Server” mode, this value is not required, and will be ignored.
Gateway IP Address
If the remote EtherPath (in “Client/Server” mode) is not on the same
LAN, then the gateway to the other LAN must be entered here.
Subnet Mask
The network mask indicates what class of TCP/IP network you
have. The default value is for a class “C” network, with up to 255
users. This value should work in small networks. If in doubt, consult
your network administrator.
Name of Contact Person: Supervisor
This is a text field. It can be used to store the name of the person
responsible for the Serial Port Device.
Device Name
This is a text field. It can be used to store a descriptive name for the
device.
Physical Location
This is a text field. It can be used to store a the location of the
device.

44
 Operation
Port Number
This is the TCP/IP port number the EtherPath listens on when in
server mode. The default is port 3000. When in client mode, this is
the port on the remote server that a connection is attempt with. This
value may be overridden when in Ethermodem mode by including a
port number in the ATD command.
IP Fragmentation
If set to ZERO, IP blocks sent from this EtherPath may be
fragmented in transit, and blocks may be fragmented by the
EtherPath. If set to ONE, the 'DONTFRAG' bit is set in IP packets,
and all blocks are transmitted intact. This is normally set to 0 , but
is set to 1 for some SCADA applications. The default is 0.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

SNMP Configuration Screen

Figure 7: SNMP Configuration Screen

Overview
This screen may be ignored if SNMP is not used.
These are text fields, commonly used in SNMP (Simple Network
Management Protocol) Programs to identify this device when
browsing the network.
These values have no effect on the operation of the EtherPath. Other
standard MIB values are returned to the SNMP manager along with
this information.

46
 Operation
Contact Person
This text field can be used to store the name of the person
responsible for the Serial Port Device.
Device Name
This can be used to store a descriptive name for the device.
Physical Location
This can be used to store he location of the device.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Configuration Summary Screen

Figure 8:Configuration Summary Screen

Operation
• This screen displays all current settings for this EtherPath
• Clicking the "Set to Defaults" button will restore ALL
values to their factory default values.
When this is done, the EtherPath will reboot, and the
existing connection will be lost. You must reconnect using
the default IP Address of 192.168.1.1.

48
Chapter 5
Operation
This Chapter explains how to use the EtherPath,
once it is installed and configured. Although it
may be used with automated equipment such as
RTUs, POS, or other computer-based devices; the
example configurations shown in this chapter use
terminals or terminal emulation on a PC for
illustrations. It is often useful to set up the
EtherPath using this method before connecting
other equipment.

Client/Server Point-to-Point (Nailed-Up)

Mode
• Both EtherPaths must be correctly installed and configured as
described in Chapters 3 or 4. One serial port device is
connected to the “Server” EtherPath, and another serial device
is connected to the “Client” EtherPath. One EtherPath has the
operational mode set as a "Server", the other has the
operational mode set as a "Client".
• The communication settings for the serial devices must be the
same as the values entered into the EtherPath device they each
attach to.
• Power up the "server" EtherPath.
• Power up the "client" EtherPath. It will automatically connect
to the remote EtherPath whose IP address was stored during

49
EtherPath User’s Guide
configuration if hardware dialing is enabled and pin 6 is
asserted.
• You may now proceed as if the remote serial port device was
directly connected to the serial port of your local serial device.
• If Pin 6 control is set to From Interface, then the serial device
must provide a high level signal on pin 6 before the EtherPath
will accept or place an Ethernet connection.

50
 Operation

Server Mode
• Install and connect the EtherPath and Serial Port Device as
described in Chapters 3 and 4.
• Any PC or workstation on the LAN/WAN should now be able
to use Telnet to connect to the Serial Port Device with the
command:
telnet IP_Address Port_number
Where IP_Address is the IP address of the EtherPath, and
Port_number is the configured value (default value is 3000).
For example, if the default IP address and port number have not
been changed (and they are appropriate for your network), then
you would enter the command:
telnet 192.168.1.1 3000
• You should see a “Connected” message from the telnet client
when the connection is established. Some telnet clients don’t
display this message.
• You may now proceed as if the remote serial port device was
connected to the serial port of your PC or workstation.
• If there is a firewall in the link between the EtherPath and your
workstation, you may need to configure it to pass packets using
the port number configured into the EtherPath.

Client/Server Point-to-Multiple-Point
(EtherModem) Mode
• EtherModem mode requires multiple EtherPaths configured in
“Server” mode and a single EtherPath configured in “Client”

51
EtherPath User’s Guide
mode. Under user control with "AT" commands, the “Client”
connects to multiple “Servers”, one at a time similar to the way
a dial-up modem would. "Server" and "Client" refer to the
operational mode settings of the EtherPath.
• All EtherPaths must be connected as described in Chapters 3
and 4. One serial port device is connected to each “Server”
EtherPath, and additional serial devices (usually a workstation)
are connected to the “Client” EtherPaths.
• The “Client” EtherPath must be configured for “ATD” dialing.
This is the unit that will place the calls to the other EtherPaths.
• At the “Client” end, start the Terminal emulation program (or
use a real terminal). The communication settings for this device
must be the same as the values entered into the “Client”
EtherPath device earlier.
• Power up the local EtherPath. It will be in command mode,
awaiting a connection command. Type the command “AT
<enter>” to test the RS-232 connection. It should answer with
an “OK” message. If not, check the serial port rate and wiring
connections. “Dial” a remote EtherPath by using an “ATD”
dial command.. “ATD1.2.3.4:5555” , where 1.2.3.4 is the IP
address of the remote EtherPath and 5555 is the optional
connection port number configured in the remote EtherPath.
The EtherPath will automatically connect to the remote
EtherPath. If an address isn’t given, the IP address stored
during configuration is used. If a port isn’t given, the port
number stored during configuration is used.
• Upon establishing a connection, a “Connect” message is
displayed. If unable to establish a connection a “Busy”
message is displayed.
• You may now proceed as if the remote serial port device was
connected to the serial port of your workstation.

52
 Operation
• Disconnect from that remote EtherPath with either the “+++”
command followed by “ATH” or by lowering the hardware lead
on pin six.
• See the Appendix for a complete list of AT commands and
responses.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Client (Reverse Telnet) Mode

Method 1 (ATD dial mode)
• The EtherPath must be configured for “ATD” dialing and set
for "client".
• Start the Terminal emulation program (or use a real terminal).
The communication settings for this device must be the same as
the values entered into the “Client” EtherPath device earlier.
• Power up the local EtherPath. It will be in command mode,
awaiting a connection command. Type the command “AT
<enter>” to test the RS-232 connection. It should answer with
an “OK” message. If not, correct the RS-232 cable miswiring
or terminal program problem. “Dial” a remote telnet server by
using an “ATD” dial command.. “ATD1.2.3.4:5555” , where
1.2.3.4 is the IP address of the remote telnet server and 5555 is
the optional connection port number configured in the remote
telnet server. The EtherPath will automatically connect to the
remote telnet server. If an address or port number isn’t given,
the values stored during configuration are used. See the
Appendix for a complete list of "AT" commands and
responses.
• If the EtherPath is in “Client - Echo” mode, you should see the
message “Connect OK !” from the client mode EtherPath when
the connection is established
• You may now proceed as if the remote telnet server was
connected to the serial port of your workstation.
• Disconnect from that remote telnet server with either the “+++”
command or by lowering the hardware lead on pin six.

54
 Operation

Method 2 (Hardware Dial mode)

• This mode operates with the “Hardware dial (Pin 6 ) setting. In
this mode, the EtherPath connects to the configured IP address
as soon as RS-232 pin 6 is asserted.
• The EtherPath must be configured for “Hardware(Pin 6)”
dialing and dip switches set for "client".
• Start the Terminal emulation program (or use a real terminal).
The communication settings for this device must be the same as
the values entered into the “Client” EtherPath device earlier.
• Power up the local EtherPath. The EtherPath will automatically
connect to the remote telnet server using the values stored
during configuration.
• If the EtherPath is in “Client - Echo” mode, you should see the
message “Connect OK !” from the client mode EtherPath when
the connection is established
• You may now proceed as if the remote telnet server was
connected to the serial port of your workstation.
• Disconnect from that remote telnet server by lowering the
hardware lead on pin six.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
This page intentionally blank.

56
Chapter 6
Troubleshooting
This chapter outlines some problems that may
occur during installation or operation and some
possible solutions to them.

If you follow the suggested troubleshooting steps and the EtherPath

still does not function properly, please contact your dealer for
further advice.

Hardware Problems
Before anything else, check that all cables used are wired
correctly and properly connected.

If connecting to a 9 pin PC port, a crossover (null

modem) cable is required.

P1: All the EtherPath’s LEDs are off.

S1: Check the power supply or power connection.

P2: When using 10Base-T cabling, the EtherPath unit does not
work.
S2: Check the Hub’s link LED for the port to which theEtherPath is
connected. If it is off, make sure the network cable between the
EtherPath and hub is in good condition. You may only use one
of the LAN connections at a time. Make sure the Hub supports

57
EtherPath User’s Guide
10BaseT or 100BaseT. Sometimes it helps to move the
network cable to a different hub port or power cycle the hub
(especially when using smart hubs or Ethernet switches).

58
 Troubleshooting

Can't Connect via the LAN

P1: Can't connect to the EtherPath using Telnet or Web Browser.

S1: Check the following:
• Start troubleshooting from a known state. Power the
EtherPath and other equipment OFF and ON to reboot.
• “Ping” the EtherPath to see if it responds. From the
Windows command prompt or “Run” dialog box, use the
command:
ping IP_Address
Where IP_Address is the IP Address of the EtherPath
(e.g. ping 192.168.1.1 ). If it does not respond, then
check all LAN connections. If the workstation can not
ping the EtherPath, nothing else will work… fix this first.
If the LAN connection are OK, the problem is in the LAN
addresses or routing. You should be able to ping both
EtherPaths in a Client/Server pair.
• If using a LAN without routers, you can connect to the
EtherPath ONLY IF your PC and the EtherPath are using
IP Addresses from the same address block. The EtherPaths
default IP Address (192.168.1.1) requires that your PC is
using an address from the address block 192.168.1.2 to
192.168.1.254, and a Network Mask of 255.255.255.0. If a
router is between the devices, a gateway address must be
configured in both devices.

Check your PC's IP Address using Control Panel -

Network - TCP/IP (Adapter) Properties or similar
commands appropriate for your computer. If you are using
a different Address block, use Terminal Mode

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EtherPath User’s Guide
configuration to set a compatible IP Address in the
EtherPath.
• Check that you have used the correct port address. The
default address is “3000” for normal operation and “8000”
for configuration.
• Is there a firewall in the Ethernet path. If so, it must be
configured to pass the ports in use by the EtherPath.
• Are you trying to connect to the EtherPath data port with a
web browser? That only works for configuration.
• Web Browsers often are configured to use a proxy server.
The browser might need to be configured to NOT use the
proxy when connecting to the EtherPath, or the proxy
server may be configured to pass the requests correctly.
• MOST EtherPath connection problems are due to incorrect
RS-232 wiring. The second most common errors are
incorrect IP addressing on either the EtherPath or on the
PC used for testing.

60
 Troubleshooting

Other Problems

P1: Can’t run the configuration program using a serial cable

connection.
S1: Check that:
• You did press the configuration button.
• The communication parameters are set properly.
• Disconnect and reconnect the power supply to the
EtherPath.
• Power is available... a LED is on.
• The most common problems causing this symptom are
incorrect RS-232 wiring or the Windows Hyperterm
program not operating correctly.

P2: The “Client” EtherPath doesn’t automatically connect to the

“Server” EtherPath.
S2: Check that:
• One unit is configured as a client, the other as a server. For
troubleshooting, note that the DTR signal is asserted as
soon as a connection is active.
• The “Client” is configured for automatic connections.
“Hardware (Pin 6) Dial” is the correct setting.
• The “Client” should either be configured for “Pin 6
Control” forced ON or the interface must be wired in such
a way that that pin 6 is asserted.
• The “Server’s” IP address was correctly entered into the
“Client’s” EtherPath in the “Remote IP Address” field.
• The Gateway IP Address is set correctly.
• The Subnet Mask is set correctly.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
• The communication parameters between the PC/terminal
and the local (“Client”) EtherPath match.
• The communication parameters between the serial port
device and the remote (“Server”) EtherPath match.

P5: The EtherPath's IP Address is unknown. Is there any way of

finding it?
S5: Follow this procedure:
• Yes, see the chapter on using Terminal Configuration.
• Press the configuration button and use a terminal
connection to read the existing configuration.

P6: Why does the "Server Mode" EtherPath close the TCP/IP
connnection to the "Client Mode" EtherPath (or other client
program).
S6: The "Server Mode" EtherPath will disconnect the link if it does
not receive any packets from the "Client Mode" EtherPath (or
other client program) within a 3 mintue period or if hardware
pin 6 is lowered. See Appendix B for more details.
P7: The connection works, but is too slow.
S7: If in Transmit timer mode, lower the transmit timer to send
packets more frequently. 20 to 30 msec. is a good range for
many users. If in Idle timeout mode perhaps the serial data rate
may be increased so characters arrive at the EtherPath faster.

62
 Troubleshooting

Checking Device Operation

Once the EtherPath is installed on your Network, you can connect to
it using Telnet, to verify its operation. The procedure is as follows.
1. Leave the EtherPath in its normal operating mode.
2. Use telnet to connect to the EtherPath with the command:
telnet IP_Address 8000
Where IP_Address is the IP Address assigned to the
EtherPath, and 8000 represents the Port number.
• The port number is “8000” for configuration, but “3000” is
the default for normal operation.
• If the “Manager IP Addresses” have been entered in the
EtherPath, then only a PC having one of those addresses
can change the configuration.
3. Choose item 5 (“Display Settings”) from the Main Menu, and
examine the data shown. See Chapter 3 for an explanation of
each of the data items.

63
Appendix A
Specifications

EtherPath Specifications
• Flash Memory: 512 Kbytes
• SRAM: 256 Kbytes
• EEPROM: 512 Bytes
• LAN Buffer: 2 Kbytes
• RS-232 Buffer: 4 Kbytes
• RS-232: one male DE-9 connector
• Network: Ethernet 10Base-T/ 100Base-T
• CPU: 16 Bit
• Power: 9 to 12 VDC (260 ma) or Optional power supplies
• Switch: Configuration
• LED: 3 multi-purpose
• Default IP address: 192.168.1.1
• Default Receive port: 3000

64
 Specifications

RS-232 PIN Assignments

The EtherPath RS-232 port wiring is identical to a standard PC 9
pin DE-9P COM: port. It operates as a DTE device. The chart
below details signal directions and names.

Serial Port Pin Assignments

Pin Signal Name Type
1 Carrier Detect (CD) In
2 Receive (Rx) In
3 Transmit (Tx) Out
4 Data Terminal Ready Out
5 Signal Ground (GND) Power
6 Data Set Ready (DSR) In
(Hardware controlled-
connection input. See Section
5)

7 Request to Send (RTS) Out

8 Clear to Send (CTS) In
9 Ring Indicator (RI) (Not used) In

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Control Signal Operation

DCD
Input, ignored
Receive Data
Input, data into the EtherPath
Transmit Data
Output, Data from the EtherPath. The EtherPath only transmits
when it has characters to send and it is not flowed-off with
XON/XOFF or RTS/CTS flow control.
DTR
Output. Signal is enabled when the EtherPath has a valid LAN
connection to another device. This signal is low when powered on.
It goes high when a valid LAN connection is established, and
returns to low when that connection is disconnected.
Signal Ground
Common ground
DSR
Input. Used for connection control. If the EtherPath is configured
for “Hardware (Pin 6) Dial” and not “Forced ON”, the EtherPath
connects to a remote device via the LAN when the signal is
asserted. If configured for “Forced ON” and “Hardware (Pin 6)
Dial”, the EtherPath connects to the remote device upon power up.
If configured for “AT Dial”, and “From Interface”, the input must
be asserted before the AT Dial command will create a connection.
On units configured as a server, DTR must be high before an
incoming connection will be established.

66
 Specifications
RTS
Output. Input flow control. When the internal buffer reaches the
“Flow Off” buffer level, this signal is lowered. When the buffer
level decreases to the “Flow ON” buffer level, this signal is raised.
CTS
Input. When Flow Control is set for CTS/RTS, lowering this signal
will halt data flow from the EtherPath RS-232 port.
Ring Indicator
Not used

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EtherPath User’s Guide

CABLES
Commonly used cable connections:

To PC 9-pin COM: port

SS-1 PC

1,6 4
2 3
3 2
4 1,6
5 5
7 8
8 7

This is a relatively common null-modem PC crossover

cable

SR Mux Composite or Access Switch Input Port

RJ-45 DE-9S

1 BLU N/C
2 ORG N/C
3 BLK 4,1,6
4 RED 5
5 GRN 2
6 YEL 3
7 BRN 8
8 WHT 7

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 Specifications
SS-1 to Modem

Use any commercially available PC-to-modem cable.

Specialty Cables

For special devices (RTUs, POS terminals, etc. contact technical

support or check the DCB web site technical support section. DCB
will assist in designing special cables at no cost, or provide proven
cable solutions at a reasonable cost.

Ethernet Cross-Over Cable

Used to connect two EtherPath Ethernet connections “back-to-back”

without using an Ethernet hub for test purposes. Also used to
connect a EtherPath directly to a PC’s LAN connection for testing.
RJ-45 RJ-45

1 WHT / ORG 3
2 ORG / WHT 6
3 WHT / GRN 1
4 BLU / WHT N/C
5 WHT / BLU N/C
6 GRN / WHT 2
7 WHT / BRN N/C
8 BRN / WHT N/C

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Appendix B
Programming
This Appendix explains the EtherPath's remote
programming interface. This is not used in most
applications. The information is for those writing
programs to access the EtherPath via the Ethernet.

Introduction
It is rather straightforward to implement a software application to
communicate with serial devices through the EtherPath. Topics
covered in this appendix are:
• EtherPath description and behavior
• Application notes
• Links to sample code
In addition to user-written software applications, there are “port
redirector” software packages that work quite well with the
EtherPath. If you are not a "network programmer", then port
redirector may be the quickest way to get an application on-line.
For UNIX systems (AIX, Linux, SCO5, FreeBSD, OSF), Termnet
works quite well. It is GNU’d freeware available from
http://www.dcbnet.com or http://www.linuxlots.com
For Microsoft Windows systems, Serial/IP is an excellent low-cost
program, also available from http://www.dcbnet.com.

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 Specifications

Description and Behavior

Ports used by the EtherPath

The EtherPath uses 3 ports, as follows:
Port Description
Data Port ‘Server Mode’ EtherPath listens at the port and
offers a raw TCP connection. This port number
is configurable. Default is 3000.
From The ‘Client Mode’ EtherPath uses sending port
Port 5000 to connect to its Remote Host. To prevent
5000 keep-alive packets, do not use port 5000 in user-
written programs.
8000 Provides a telnet configuration service for all
modes. Do not use port 8000 in user-written
programs.

For user-written client application, avoid port numbers 5000 and

8000. The "Server" will respond to any configured port number
other than those.

Server Mode
In Server mode, the EtherPath runs under the TCP/IP network
protocol. It will listen on a configured port number. The server will
wait for connection after initialization.
After a connection is established, the server always keeps checking
for data on both Ethernet and Serial Ports.

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EtherPath User’s Guide
If data from the Ethernet network is received, it will first check for a
special control symbol, filter it if found and then send the rest of the
data to the serial port.
If data from the serial port is received, it will read the data from the
serial buffer, move the data into the network buffer and send it by
Ethernet to the application when the buffer is full or on the next tick
of the transmit timer.
Transmit Conditions
The EtherPath will transmit an Ethernet packet when any of these
conditions are met:
• Transmit Timer is up and running in Transmit Timer Mode
• Idle Timer is up and running in Idle Timeout Mode.
• Transmit Buffer full
• LT Character is encountered and Transmit on Line Terminator
Function is ON ( Client Only )

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 Specifications

Locking Avoidance Mechanism

When two EtherPaths are used to emulate a direct serial connection
over the network as described previously, the ‘Server Mode’
EtherPath could be locked if its connecting ‘Client Mode’ SS dies
abnormally. If this situation happens, no connection to the ‘Server
Mode’ EtherPath is possible, and it should be reset. To solve this
problem, the following system is used.
1. A "Keep-Alive" message is defined as a 21-byte string:
sErIaLsErVeRkEePaLiVe
2. This string “sErIaLsErVeRkEePaLiVe” is sent out by the
‘Client Mode’ EtherPath if the time since the previous
transmission exceeds 60 sec. It tells the ‘Server Mode’
EtherPath that ‘I am still alive and do not close the connection’.
It keeps sending out this string every 60 seconds if there is no
data to send.
3. The ‘Server Mode’ EtherPath will disconnect the link if it does
not receive any package from the ‘Client Mode’ EtherPath
within a 3 minute period.
4. The ‘Server Mode’ EtherPath will then initialize and accept a
new connection. The ‘Client Mode’ EtherPath will attempt to
reconnect as soon as a network path becomes available.
5. User-written programs can avoid this operation by not using the
listen port number 3000 and the transmit port number 5000. If
a user-written program uses these two ports, the program must
handle the keep-alive packet properly.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Application Notes
There are a number of application notes available from the DCB
web site at http://www.dcbnet.com . These cover port redirection,
selecting the proper product (EtherPath vs. EtherPoll), SNMP,
middleware for the EtherPath, a demonstration client-server
software system, and other issues.
A complete copy of the SNMP MIB is available from the same site
along with a free port redirector program (along with source code)
for various UNIX workstations. A trial port redirector program for
Windows is also available. A demonstration program for a
Windows workstation is printed in the next section.
These and more are available in the Education section of that web
site.

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 Specifications

Example Code
In addition to the UNIX port redirector program, a client program
which connects to a EtherPath configured in server mode is
available on the DCB website in source code form. It is written for
Microsoft Windows in Microsoft C. This is located at
http://www.dcbnet.com under the support section.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Appendix C
AT Command
Summary
This Appendix explains the EtherPath's AT
command set operation and responses.

AT Commands
The EtherPath recognizes the following AT commands (when
AT Dialing is enabled):

ATD <IP> connect to <IP_address>

ATDT <IP> connect to <IP_address>
ATH[0/1] on/off hook (ATH<cr> == ATH0)
ATO[0/1] return to data mode from command mode, if
connected
ATE[0/1] echo off/on (ATE<cr> == ATE0)
ATS0=[0/1] switch to Client(0) or Server(1) mode, if not
connected
ATV[0/1] terse/verbose response (ATV<cr> == ATV0)
ATZ reset EtherPath (DOES NOT restore factory
defaults)
AT&W save current settings, including ATE and ATV
AT&Z reset EtherPath (Same as ATZ)
+++ escape to command mode when connected

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 Specifications

AT Command Responses
The serial port responses depend on the ATE setting:

Verbose Terse
OK 0
CONNECT 1
CARRIER 3
ERROR 4
BUSY 7

AT Command Operation
When ATE1 is in effect, there are some addition error
messages such as "Invalid IP address" and "Invalid Entry"

The ATE and ATV settings are saved in non-volatile memory

when the AT&W command is entered, and those settings are
restored when the EtherPath
is reset. The Factory Default setting (main menu, option 6)
for both is ON.

Connections are only allowed when Pin 6 is HIGH or

FORCED HIGH. If not FORCED HIGH, the Pin 6 can be
used to drop a connection. One can also use "+++" then
ATH<cr> to drop a connection.

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EtherPath User’s Guide

Appendix D
RS-422/ RS-485
Interface
This Appendix describes the EtherPath's 4-2843
RS-422/485 interface. This interface option may
be jumper configured in the field or pre-configured
at the factory.

Introduction
The 9-pin serial connector on the EtherPath may be for either RS-
232 or RS-422 (4-wire RS-485 point-to-point) operation using
internal jumpers.

Changing the Setting

Remove the main board from the case by removing two screws from
the rear panel. There is a row of jumpers and three rows of pins
adjacent to the serial connector.

RS-232 Setting
ALL jumpers should be placed in the positions nearest the board
edge.

RS-422/4-Wire RS-485 Setting

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 Specifications
ALL jumpers should placed in the positions furthermost from the
board edge.

RS-422 / 4-Wire RS-485 Interface Pinout

Serial Port Pin Assignments

Pin Signal Name Type
1 No Connection N/A
2 No Connection N/A
3 Transmit Data Return(Tx-) Out
4 Receive Data Return(Rx-) In
5 Signal Ground (GND) N/A
6 No Connection N/A
7 No Connection N/A
8 Transmit Data (Tx+) Out
9 Receive Data Return(Rx+) In

79