The Virtual COM mode requires the installation of a virtual COM port device driver. In this mode, the ESDS-101 must be set to either TCP/server or UDP/server in the menu with a designated communication port number. The virtual COM driver is a TCP or UDP client. Once the connection is made, the LAN is transparent to the serial device. Applications work just as if the serial device is connected a host’s physical COM port. The virtual COM port converts the application’s data into IP packet destined for the ESDS-101, which in turn converts the IP packet back to serial data.

Paired Mode

Paired mode is also called serial tunneling. When this type of configuration is selected, no additional software is needed to install in a host PC. In fact a PC is not required to make the connection. Any two dumb serial devices that can communicate with each other through a serial link will be able to communicate using two ESDS-101s and the LAN. Two ESDS-101s are configured with one setup as a TCP or UDP client and the other to TCP/UDP server. When setting up the Server, the Remote IP address section must contain the address of the Client. This will allow the Client’s IP address to pass the IP address-filtering feature of the Server. Conversely, the Remote IP address of the Client must contain the Server’s IP address.

Heart Beat

The ESDS-101 provides a convenient way to establish reliable communications between two devices. Communication port 5300 is reserved for the Heartbeat Protocol. If a loss connection occurs the Heart Beat feature will try to reconnect the TCP data connection every 5 seconds until communications is established again.

Loop Back

ESDS-101/ESDS-102 will work at Loop back Mode, all data is sent back immediately. This feature makes the connection testing easy.