Converting RS-232 to IP and back by Andrbr Subject : Applications from the SOS! dept. Text : I have 4 (four) outstations with traffic dataloggers on them. All have an RS-232 communications port. An ethernet switch will be installed in the same cabinets as each of the dataloggers. In a control center, there is a PC running software for telemetry, that can talk only to the two comms ports on the PC. It is meant to work with modems. There is also an ethernet switch in the control center. If I put an RS-232 to IP converter near each datalogger (any recommendations?), giving an IP address to that equipment, what can I put in the control center? Is there any kind of "IP modem", either by software or hardware? Please help! Reply ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Re: Converting RS-232 to IP and back Mar 1, 2002 4:10 pm, by Benson One solution: Place an Opto 22 SNAP Ethernet I/O system at each datalogger location. (This is comprised of a rack, power supply, a "brain" or processor, and various I/O modules.) Place a serial I/O module on the rack and connect to the datalogger. Connect the "brain" to the Ethernet switch with a Category 5 cable (Ethernet cable). If you d like more information from the datalogger locations (temperature, humidity, door status, dry contacts, etc.) simply place the additional I/O modules necessary on the rack next to the serial module. Next, install Tactical Software s Serial/IP software on the PC ($84). The softare will allow you to map the PC s COM ports to IP addresses. For example, you would map COM1 on the PC to the remote SNAP I/O system s IP address followed by a port number that is associated with location of the serial I/O module on the rack (for example: 168.192.0.1:22250). You now have a "virtual" connection to your dataloggers. This, of course, is assuming you ve established a physical or virtual connection between the Ethernet switches in the control room and the remote sites (over the Internet for example). I am basing that assumption on the fact you haven t asked about that connection. References: http://www.opto22.com/products/snapenet.asp http://www.opto22.com/products/enet_components.asp http://www.opto22.com/products/enet_serial_mods.asp Remember, if you decide to place more I/O modules on the rack to obtain additional information from the remote sites, the SNAP Ethernet I/O system is capable of not only tunneling your serial datalogger information, but simultaneously providing the additional remote site data via many standard formats, including email, SNMP, or XML to a Web server. Think of it as a functional, low cost remote telemetry unit, in addition to a serial to IP converter. Enough sales pitch. Good luck with your project. Benson