Serial to TCP
Caution
- This Router App has been tested on a router with firmware version 6.3.10. After updating the router firmware to a higher version, check whether a newer version of the Router App has also been released and update it accordingly for compatibility.
Description
The Serial to TCP Router App connects a serial line device to one or more TCP servers. Communication works in both directions ā serial to TCP and TCP to serial. It can be used in data collection and measurement applications: sending data from a serial line meter to a server, or sending commands and control data to serial devices remotely over TCP.
Caution
A serial expansion port must be installed in the router for this Router App to function. After uploading the Router App, you can configure the serial line parameters and up to 5 TCP servers. The router acts as a TCP client and handles communication between the TCP servers and the serial line. This router app is designed specifically for RS-232 serial communication.
The router firmware provides similar functionality but supports only a single TCP server connection. The Serial to TCP Router App supports connections to up to five TCP servers simultaneously.
Both the firmware and this Router App transfer raw data between the router's serial port and a PC. For more complex serial port mirroring (virtual serial port), see the Serial over LAN Router App.
Configuration
The Router App configuration is accessible via the Customization section in the router's web interface ā click Router Apps, then Serial to TCP.
The menu contains a Status section (with System Log), a Configuration section (with the Global configuration page), and an Administration section (with Return to go back to the router's configuration).
Clicking Global opens the Router App configuration.
The upper part ā Expansion Ports Overview ā shows installed expansion ports. A warning appears if an expansion port is already in use by another function (e.g., TCP/UDP access enabled in Expansion Port 1/2 in the router configuration).
Enable the Enable Serial2TCP checkbox to activate the Router App (change takes effect after clicking Apply). The serial line connection parameters are configured in the fields below:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Use Exp. Port | Selects which expansion port is used for the serial connection. |
| Baudrate | Applied communication speed. |
| Data Bits | Number of data bits. |
| Parity | Control parity bit: ā¢ none ā No parity. ā¢ even ā Even parity. ā¢ odd ā Odd parity. |
| Stop Bits | Number of stop bits. |
| Split Timeout | Time for delimiting messages. If the gap between two received characters exceeds this value (in milliseconds), all received data is assembled into a message and sent. |
Serial port configuration items
The last part ā TCP Clients Setup ā configures up to 5 TCP clients for connecting to up to 5 TCP servers:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Status | Enable or disable this TCP client. |
| Server Address | IP address of the TCP server. |
| TCP Port | Port of the TCP server. |
TCP client configuration items
When configured, serial line data is sent by all active TCP clients to their respective TCP servers ā all configured and listening servers receive the same serial data. Data sent from any configured TCP server is also forwarded to the serial line.
System Log
In case of connection problems, the system log can be viewed by clicking System Log in the menu. It displays detailed reports from all applications running on the router. Activity of the Serial to TCP Router App appears in rows starting with serial2tcp. The log also shows information about successful or failed connection attempts. Click Save to save the system log to your computer.
