Comtrol NS-link User Manual

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User Guide for Microsoft Systems

Windows XP

Windows 2000

Windows NT

Trademark Notices

Comtrol, DeviceMaster, NS-Link, and RocketPort are trademarks of Comtrol Corporation.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

HyperTerminal is a registered trademark of Hilgraeve, Inc.

Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Comtrol Corporation makes no representations or warranties with regard to the contents of this document or to the suitability of the Comtrol product for any particular purpose. Specifications subject to change without notice. Some software or features may not be available at the time of publication. Contact your reseller for current product information.

Document Number: 2000339 Rev. A

Overview................................................................................................................................................ 5

NS-Link Requirements................................................................................................................................. 5

Locating Hardware Installation Documentation .................................................................................. 6

Locating NS-Link Software......................................................................................................................... 6

NS-Link Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 7

Connectivity Requirements...........................................................................................................................................7

IP or MAC Addressing Issues .......................................................................................................................................8

Using the Port Sharing Feature....................................................................................................................................8

Device Preparation for NS-Link ................................................................................................................ 9

DeviceMaster Serial Hub LEDs....................................................................................................................................9

DeviceMaster RTS LEDs.............................................................................................................................................10

DeviceMaster PRO LEDs ............................................................................................................................................11

RocketPort Serial Hub ia LEDs ..................................................................................................................................11

RocketPort Serial Hub Si LEDs..................................................................................................................................11

Initial NS-Link Installation............................................................................................................. 13

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation .......................................................................................................... 13

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation ....................................................................................................... 23

Windows NT: NS-Link Installation.......................................................................................................... 31

Updating, Adding, or Removing NS-Link Devices..................................................................... 37

Updating an Existing Driver .................................................................................................................... 37

Windows NT.................................................................................................................................................................37

Windows XP .................................................................................................................................................................37

Windows 2000 ..............................................................................................................................................................39

Adding Additional Devices........................................................................................................................ 44

Removing an Existing Driver ................................................................................................................... 44

Windows XP and Windows 2000.................................................................................................................................44

Windows NT.................................................................................................................................................................44

Device Configuration........................................................................................................................ 47

Programming the IP Address ................................................................................................................... 47

Disabling DHCP Requests (MAC Mode)..............................................................................................54

Changing Device Properties ..................................................................................................................... 55

Using the Advisor ........................................................................................................................................ 58

Starting the Device Advisor ........................................................................................................................................58

Device Advisor Driver Messages.................................................................................................................................60

COM Port Configuration.................................................................................................................. 63

Configuring Standard COM Port Properties........................................................................................63

Windows XP and Windows 2000.................................................................................................................................63

Windows NT.................................................................................................................................................................64

Configuring Advanced COM Port Properties ....................................................................................... 66

Comtrol Tools .....................................................................................................................................69

Using Test Terminal ................................................................................................................................... 69

Testing a Comtrol Device ............................................................................................................................................70

Testing a Comtrol Device (RS-485).............................................................................................................................71

Test Terminal Modem Control Signals.......................................................................................................................71

Using Port Monitor ..................................................................................................................................... 71

Starting Port Monitor ..................................................................................................................................................72

Changing Screen Appearance .....................................................................................................................................72

Column Setup...............................................................................................................................................................73

Report Configuration ...................................................................................................................................................73

Port Monitor Files........................................................................................................................................................74

Port Monitor Variables ................................................................................................................................................75

Using Peer Tracer ....................................................................................................................................... 77

Starting Peer................................................................................................................................................................77

Log Functions...............................................................................................................................................................77

Using Peer ....................................................................................................................................................................77

Other Peer Commands ................................................................................................................................................77

Using Freeport ............................................................................................................................................. 78

Table of Contents 3

Table of Contents

Troubleshooting and Technical Support .....................................................................................79

Troubleshooting Checklist ....................................................................................................................... 79

General Troubleshooting........................................................................................................................... 81

NS-Link Driver Troubleshooting ............................................................................................................. 82

Technical Support....................................................................................................................................... 83

Appendix A. Windows NT Configuration Overview .................................................................. 85

Configuring Modems .................................................................................................................................. 85

Working with NT RAS.................................................................................................................................................85

Installing Modems .......................................................................................................................................................85

Further Modem Configuration....................................................................................................................................88

Installing and Configuring RAS............................................................................................................... 88

Installing RAS Initially ...............................................................................................................................................88

Adding or Reconfiguring a RAS Device ......................................................................................................................89

Configuring Printers .................................................................................................................................. 93

Adding Serial Printers.................................................................................................................................................93

Changing Printer Port Configuration.........................................................................................................................95

Changing Printer Port Assignment ............................................................................................................................95

Index .....................................................................................................................................................97

Table of Contents 4

Overview

This section defines what hardware and software platforms are supported in this guide. It also provides information about finding:

• Hardware installation documentation, if you have not installed the hardware

• Latest released NS-Link™ drivers

In addition, it provides an overview of NS-Link and it’s requirements.

Install the NS-Link driver if you want to use the DeviceMaster serial ports as native COM ports. DeviceMaster port can also configure the ports as sockets after the NS-Link installation.

If you want to configure the port for socket mode or serial tunneling, you do not need to install NS-Link. See the appropriate DeviceMaster User Guide for socket configuration information that is listed in Locating Hardware Installation

Documentation on Page 6.

NS-Link Requirements

This guide discusses installing and configuring NS-Link drivers for the following hardware platforms:

• DeviceMaster

• DeviceMaster RTS

• DeviceMaster PRO

• RocketPort

• RocketPort Serial Hub ia

The NS-Link drivers for the following operating systems are discussed in this guide:

• Windows

• Windows 2000

• Windows NT

The NS-Link driver requires at least one host system running one of the supported operating systems.

Serial Hub

Serial Hub Si

Overview 5

Locating Hardware Installation Documentation

Use the hardware installation documentation to install the hardware before installing NS-Link. The hardware installation documentation is available on the Comtrol CD that ships with your product or you can download the current version from the ftp site using the following links.

• DeviceMaster Serial Hub User Guide

download.asp?partnumber=2000337

• DeviceMaster RTS User Guide

download.asp?partnumber=2000340

• DeviceMaster

download.asp?partnumber=2000334

• RocketPort Serial Hub ia Hardware Installation

http://support.comtrol.com/download.asp?partnumber=2000169

• RocketPort Serial Hub Si 2-Port Hardware Installation

http://support.comtrol.com/download.asp?partnumber=2000153

PRO User Guide or http://support.comtrol.com/

or http://support.comtrol.com/

Locating NS-Link Software

or http://support.comtrol.com/

document or

You can download the latest NS-Link device driver updates at no charge from the Comtrol web site at: http://support.comtrol.com/download.asp web or ftp sites to make sure that you have the current driver and documentation. The software files that you download from the web site are self-extracting zipped files that you must extract before installing.

The Comtrol CD that ships with your product can streamline the installation of your product. When loaded on a system running a Microsoft operating system, the CD opens a menu system (unless the autorun feature is disabled).

Note: If the autorun feature has been disabled, open the Readme.pdf file at the root

of CD to start the menu system.

. Always check the

6 Overview

NS-Link Overview

The following subsections discuss NS-Link features and topics that you may want to review before installation.

Connectivity Requirements

An Ethernet connection, either to an Ethernet hub or to a network interface card (NIC) in the host system. See the hardware installation documentation (Locating

Hardware Installation Documentation on Page 6) for information regarding hard-

ware installation.

Product Type Connected to

DeviceMaster Serial Hub 8

DeviceMaster Serial Hub 16

DeviceMaster RTS 1

Embedded

DeviceMaster RTS 4/8/16

with external power supply

DeviceMaster RTS 16/32RM

with internal power supply

DeviceMaster PRO 8

DeviceMaster PRO 16

NIC Standard

Ethernet hub Standard

Ethernet hub or NIC

NIC Standard

Ethernet hub Standard

Ethernet hub or NIC

NIC Standard

Ethernet hub Standard

NIC Standard

Ethernet hub Standard

Ethernet

Cable

Connector Name

DOWN

Standard 10/100 NETWORK

Standard 10/100

Standard

RJ45 port (not labeled)

DOWN

ETHERNET

Standard 10/100 NETWORK

DOWN

NIC Crossover

RocketPort Serial Hub ia

RocketPort Serial Hub Si (2-

Port)

Ethernet hub Standard

NIC Crossover

Ethernet hub Standard

Network

10/100BASE-T

Overview 7

IP or MAC Addressing Issues

Using the Port Sharing Feature

This is an overview of IP and MAC addressing issues that may affect how you configure the Comtrol device with a brief discussion of advantages of each method.

The IP addressing scheme has the following advantages:

• Uses an industry standard protocol.

• Allows you to configure systems to use ports on the Comtrol device that are outside of the host system’s Ethernet segment.

Note: This IP address must be a unique reserved IP address, do not use an

address from a dynamic address pool. If necessary, see the system administrator for an IP address.

The MAC addressing method has the following advantages:

• Simplifies implementation and ongoing support by eliminating the address administration issues inherent in network protocols. MAC addresses are predefined by Comtrol and there is no potential for an “address conflict” at setup.

• It is isolated from foreign LAN segments minimizing potential security issues.

The Comtrol device can be shared with multiple systems on a network. To do so, follow the Installing NS-Link discussion for each system that you want to permit access to the serial ports.

You can implement the port sharing feature in several ways. You can share the same port with multiple systems or you can set up multiple systems to share specific ports on the Comtrol device.

Port 1

COM 5 COM 6

Configured for System A Configured for System B

Comtrol Device

Port 2

Port 3 Port 4

COM 5 COM 6

Ethernet Hub

System A

Example:

To configure two ports for System A and two ports for System B, you could configure the drivers like this:

1. When installing NS-Link on System A, select “Not Configured” for the COM port names for Ports 3 and 4.

2. When installing NS-Link on System B, select “Not Configured” for the COM port names for Ports 1 and 2.

COM port names must be unique to each system. Multiple systems can use the same COM port names.

System B

Port System A System B

1 COM5 Not Configured

2 COM6 Not Configured

3 Not Configured COM5

4 Not Configured COM6

Note: Most applications do not release ports, so you may not be able to use port

sharing across multiple systems with the same port. Also, if using port sharing, make sure that two computers do not try to access the same port at the same time. Only one computer can control a given port at a given time.

8 Overview

Device Preparation for NS-Link

Use the appropriate table to verify that your hardware was installed properly and is ready for NS-Link installation. See the hardware installation documentation (Page 6) if you need to install the hardware.

• DeviceMaster Serial Hub LEDs (below)

• DeviceMaster RTS LEDs

• DeviceMaster

• RocketPort Serial Hub

Device Preparation for NS-Link

on Page 10

PRO LEDs on Page 11

ia LEDs on Page 11

Si LEDs on Page 11

DeviceMaster Serial Hub LEDs

Use this table to verify that your DeviceMaster Serial Hub is ready for NS-Link installation.

Model

How to tell if the DeviceMaster Serial Hub is working properly:

•The PWR LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The PWR LED flashes while booting and it takes

DeviceMaster

Serial Hub 8

•The red LNK/ACT LED is lit, which indicates a working

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to complete the cycle.

Ethernet connection.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

•The Status LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The Status LED flashes while booting and it takes

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to

DeviceMaster Serial Hub 16

•The red LNK/ACT LED is lit, which indicates a working

complete the cycle.

Ethernet connection.

•If the red Duplex LED is lit, it indicates full-duplex activity.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

Overview 9

DeviceMaster RTS LEDs

Use this table to verify that your DeviceMaster RTS is ready for NS-Link installation.

Model How to tell if the DeviceMaster RTS is working properly:

•The Status LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

that it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The Status LED flashes while booting and it takes

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to

DeviceMaster

RTS 1-Port

•The red Link Act LED is lit, which indicates a working

complete the cycle.

Ethernet connection.

•If the red Duplex LED is lit, it indicates full-duplex activity.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

The LEDs are located between the RJ45 connector and the power terminal block.

• The amber Status LED (D1) on the adapter is lit, which

indicates that it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The Status LED flashes while booting and it takes

DeviceMaster

RTS 1-Port

Embedded

•The red Link Act LED (D2) is lit, which indicates a working

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to complete the cycle.

Ethernet connection.

•If the red Duplex LED (D3) is lit, it indicates full-duplex

activity.

•If the red 100 LED (D4) is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

•The PWR LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

DeviceMaster

RTS 4/8/16 With External Power Supply

Note: The PWR LED flashes while booting and it takes

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to complete the cycle.

•The red LNK/ACT LED is lit, which indicates a working

Ethernet connection.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

•The Status LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The Status LED flashes while booting and it takes

DeviceMaster

RTS 16/32RM

With Internal

Power Supply

•The red LNK/ACT LED is lit, which indicates a working

Ethernet connection.

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to complete the cycle.

•If the red Duplex LED is lit, it indicates full-duplex activity.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

10 Overview

DeviceMaster PRO LEDs

Use this table to verify that your DeviceMaster PRO is ready for NS-Link installation.

Model How to tell if the DeviceMaster PRO is working properly:

•The PWR LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The PWR LED flashes while booting and it takes

DeviceMaster

PRO 8

•The red LNK/ACT LED is lit, which indicates a working

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to complete the cycle.

Ethernet connection.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

•The Status LED on the front of the unit is lit, which indicates

it has power and has completed the boot cycle.

Note: The Status LED flashes while booting and it takes

approximately 15 seconds for the bootloader to

DeviceMaster

PRO 16

•The red LNK/ACT LED is lit, which indicates a working

complete the cycle.

Ethernet connection.

•If the red Duplex LED is lit, it indicates full-duplex activity.

•If the red 100 LED is lit, it indicates a working 100 MB

Ethernet connection (100 MB network, only).

RocketPort Serial Hub ia LEDs

RocketPort Serial Hub Si LEDs

Use this table to verify that your RocketPort Serial Hub ia is ready for NS-Link installation.

Model

How to tell if the RocketPort Serial Hub ia is working properly:

• The yellow PWR LED is flashing, which means that the

device is waiting for the driver installation.

Note: If the PWR LED is lit steady with only an occasional

RocketPort

Serial Hub ia

• The green LNK LED is lit, which indicates a working

flash, it means that the device driver has loaded.

Ethernet connection.

• The yellow ACT LED flashes, which indicates Ethernet

activity on the network.

Use this table to verify that your RocketPort Serial Hub Si is ready for NS-Link installation.

Model

How to tell if the RocketPort Serial Hub Si is working properly:

•The Power LED in the front of the unit is flashing, which

indicates that the device is waiting for the driver

RocketPort

Serial Hub Si

2-port

installation.

Note: If the Power LED is lit steady with only an occasional

flash, it means that the device driver has loaded.

•Both

10/100BASE-T LEDs are lit, which indicates a working

Ethernet connection.

Overview 11

RocketPort Serial Hub Si LEDs

Page blank to accommodate double-sided printing.

12 Overview

Initial NS-Link Installation

Use the appropriate subsection to initially install NS-Link on your operating system after verifying that your device is functioning properly, see Device

Preparation for NS-Link on Page 9.

• Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

• Windows 2000

• Windows NT

If there is a NS-Link driver already installed on your system, see Updating,

Adding, or Removing NS-Link Devices on Page 37 before install the new driver.

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

Use this procedure to install and configure the NS-Link device driver for your device.

1. If necessary, unzip the self-extracting files from the Comtrol media or ftp/web site. See Locating NS-Link Software driver.

2. From the Start button, select Control Panel, and double-click on the Add Hardware icon.

on Page 13

: NS-Link Installation on Page 23

: NS-Link Installation on Page 31

on Page 6, if you need to locate the device

Initial NS-Link Installation 13

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

3. Select Next.

4. Select Yes, I have already connected the hardware and Next.

5. Highlight Add a new hardware device (at the end of the list) and select Next.

14 Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

6. Select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced) and Next.

7. Highlight Multi-port serial adapters and select Next.

8. Select the Have Disk button.

Initial NS-Link Installation 15

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

9. Use Browse button to locate the installation files or enter the path and select Ok.

For example, if you extracted the driver to the default subdirectory, enter: C:\COMTROL.

10. From the Models list, highlight the device you are installing and Next.

This example installs a DeviceMaster Serial Hub 8-Port.

16 Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

11. Select the Next button to start the driver installation.

12. Select Continue Anyway to proceed.

Note: It may take up to several moments for Windows XP to load the driver.

Found New Hardware messages will display during this time.

13. Select the Finish button to complete the installation process for this port.

A Found New Hardware Comtrol NS-Link Port # message displays briefly as each port installs at the lower right corner of the screen.

Initial NS-Link Installation 17

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

14. Select Install the soft ware automatically (Recommended) and Next.

15. Select Continue Anyway to proceed.

16. Select the Finish button to complete the driver installation process for this port.

Note: You may need to wait a few moments while the operating system creates

a port for the device.

17. Repeat Steps 14

through 16 for each remaining port on the device.

18 Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

18. Close the Control Panel.

19. Right-click My Computer, select Manage, and highlight Device Manager.

20. Expand the Multi-port serial adapters entry, right-click on the device you are installing, and select the Properties menu item.

21. Select the Main Setup tab, highlight the device you want to configure, and select Properties.

Note: If this is the first device you are installing, the Device screen will load

over the Properties screen.

Initial NS-Link Installation 19

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

22. Select MAC and enter

23. Verify the Number of

24. Optionally, rename the NS-Link default name.

25. Optionally, set a different KeepAlive Timeout P eriod

the address on the MAC address label (on the device) or select the MAC address from the drop list.

The MAC address format is:

00 C0 4E xx xx xx.

A space must separate each pair of digits.

If your site has other Comtrol network devices on the network, their MAC addresses will display in the droplist after initial installation.

Ports on the device.

You can set the amount of time in seconds that this device waits until it closes this connection and frees all the ports associated with it.

The KeepAlive feature works in the following ways:

• During normal operation the driver periodically sends a connection check

to the NS-Link device, and the device then returns a response. There are two timers, one in the driver, and one in the device. These timers are reset when a connection check signal is received and goes to the next signal. If a connection is broken, the data is stored in the computer and the device. Depending on the amount of time that has expired since the connection was lost, the following happens:

- When the computer loses its connection to the device but re-establishes it before the timeout period expires, any data transmitted during this period is queued and sent when the connection resumes.

- When the computer loses its connection to the NS-Link device and does not re-establish it before the timeout period expires; the driver then purges any pending I/O data for ports on that connection and returns all pending, and future I/O commands, with the exception of the Close command, to the application with an error indicating the disconnected status. This is similar to the processing which occurs when the computer receives a notification from the device that a port release request, from FreePort, was processed on a port it owns with the exception that a different status is returned. When the connection is re-established, the computer will attempt to re-acquire the ports that were open when the connection was lost. If the attempt is successful, normal operations resume for the port. If any port has been acquired, then the computer will continue to fail all further I/O operations, with the exception of a Close request. When the Close request is received, the port can then be re-opened.

- When the computer loses its connection to the NS-Link device, and the time period expires, the device places the port into a state from which another computer can establish a connection, locking out the original driver when the connection is made. The driver will respond to all I/O commands, with the exception of the Close command, with an error indicating the disconnect status.

If you need the ability to reconnect with a port that another server is currently using, Comtrol includes an utility called FreePort (Page 78) and

20 Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

its source code which makes the API calls that would force a port closure. The included source code for FreePort demonstrates the calls an application would make to perform the same operation.

26. Optionally, set the

TCP Timeout Multiplier value.

Use the TCP Multiplier to modify two timers used in TCP/IP socket communications. The first identifies how long the TCP protocol should wait before timing out an attempt to open a TCP channel. This timer defaults to 500 ms when the TCP/IP address method is used to communicate with a device. If the TCP Multiplier is set to 2, the timer would now be 1000 ms, or 1 sec. If the multiplier is 4, the new timeout period would be 2000 ms, or 2 sec.

The second timer defines how long the driver will wait for a response from the device when a forced release of a port is requested (i.e. as when the Freeport utility is being used). This timer defaults to 8 seconds. If the TCP Multiplier is changed to 2, the timer would now be 16 seconds. If the multiplier is 4, the new timeout period would be 32 seconds.

27. Select the Ok button to close the Device window.

Initial NS-Link Installation 21

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

28. Close the Device Manager.

29. From the Start button, select Turn off Computer, and Restart your system for

30. After rebooting, you can go to the appropriate subsection to complete any

the changes to take affect.

further configuration that is required for your site.

• To configure an IP address in the device, go to Programming the IP Address on Page 47.

• To configure NS-Link in MAC mode to run efficiently, go to Disabling

DHCP Requests (MAC Mode) on Page 54.

• To configure COM port properties, go to COM Port Configuration

on Page

63.

22 Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

Use this procedure to install and configure the NS-Link device driver for your device.

1. If necessary, unzip the self-extracting files from the Comtrol media or ftp/web site. See Locating NS-Link Software driver.

2. From the Start button, select Settings, Control Panel, and double-click on the Add/Remove Hardware icon.

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

on Page 6, if you need to locate the device

3. Select Next.

Initial NS-Link Installation 23

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

4. Select Add/Troubleshoot a device and Next.

5. Highlight Add a new device and select Next.

6. Select No, I want to select the hardware from a list and Next.

24 Initial NS-Link Installation

7. Select Multi-port serial adapters and select Next.

8. Select the Have Disk button.

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

9. Use Browse button to locate the installation files or enter the path and select

Ok.

Initial NS-Link Installation 25

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

10. From the Models list, highlight the device you are installing and Next.

For example, if you extracted the driver to the default subdirectory, enter: C:\COMTROL.

This example installs a DeviceMaster Serial Hub 8-Port.

11. Select the Next button to start the driver installation.

26 Initial NS-Link Installation

12. Select Ye s to continue the installation.

Note: It may take up to

several moments for Windows 2000 to load the driver for each port on the device. A Found New Hardware message will display for each port on the device.

13. Select the Finish button to complete the driver installation process for this port.

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

14. Close the Control Panel.

15. Right-click My Computer, select Manage, and highlight Device Manager.

16. Expand the Multi-port serial adapters entry, right-click on the device you are installing, and select the Properties menu item.

Initial NS-Link Installation 27

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

17. Select the Main Setup tab, highlight the device you want to configure, and

18. Select MAC and enter

select Properties.

Note: If this is the first device you are installing, the Device screen will load

over the Properties screen.

the address on the MAC address label (on the device).

The MAC address format is:

00 C0 4E xx xx xx.

A space must separate each pair of digits.

If your site has other Comtrol network devices on the network, their MAC addresses will display in the droplist after initial installation.

19. Verify the Number of Ports on the device.

20. Optionally, rename the NS-Link default name.

21. Optionally, set a different KeepAlive Timeout P eriod

You can set the amount of time in seconds that this device waits until it closes this connection and frees all the ports associated with it.

28 Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

The KeepAlive feature works in the following ways:

• During normal

operation the driver periodically sends a connection check to the NSLink device, and the device then returns a response. There are two timers, one in the driver, and one in the device. These timers are reset when a connection check signal is received and goes to the next signal. If a connection is broken, the data is stored in the computer and the device. Depending on the amount of time that has expired since the connection was lost, the following happens:

- When the computer loses its connection to the device but re-establishes it before the timeout period expires, any data transmitted during this period is queued and sent when the connection resumes.

If you need the ability to reconnect with a port that another server is currently using, Comtrol includes an utility called FreePort (Page 78) and its source code which makes the API calls that would force a port closure. The included source code for FreePort demonstrates the calls an application would make to perform the same operation.

22. Optionally, set the TCP Timeout Multiplier value.

Initial NS-Link Installation 29

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation

23. Select the Ok button to close the Device window.

24. Close the Device Manager.

25. Select Shutdown from the Start button and Restart your system for the changes

to take affect.

26. After rebooting, you can go to the appropriate subsection to complete any further configuration that is required for your site.

• To configure an IP address in the device, go to Programming the IP Address

on Page 47.

• To configure NS-Link in MAC mode to run efficiently, go to Disabling

DHCP Requests (MAC Mode) on Page 54.

• To configure COM port properties, go to COM Port Configuration

on Page

63.

30 Initial NS-Link Installation

+ 70 hidden pages

Comtrol NS-link User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Overview

NS-Link Requirements

Locating Hardware Installation Documentation

Locating NS-Link Software

NS-Link Overview

Connectivity Requirements

IP or MAC Addressing Issues

Using the Port Sharing Feature

Device Preparation for NS-Link

DeviceMaster Serial Hub LEDs

DeviceMaster RTS LEDs

DeviceMaster PRO LEDs

RocketPort Serial Hub ia LEDs

RocketPort Serial Hub Si LEDs

Initial NS-Link Installation

Windows XP: NS-Link Installation

Windows 2000: NS-Link Installation