Elatec TCPConv 2 Technical Manual

TCPConv 2

Technical Manual

DocRev11, October 25, 2013

Elatec GmbH

Contents

Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.1. Typical Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.2. Important Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.3. Software Release History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2. Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.1. Connect the network cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.2. Plug in the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.3. Power up the TCPConv 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.4. Network Settings of TCPConv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.4.1. Finding the Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.4.1.1. Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.4.1.2. Start TC2Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.4.2. Configure TCPConv and Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

3. Configuration with Web Frontend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.1. Interface Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.1.1. Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.1.1.1. Hostname Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.1.1.2. DHCP Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3.1.2. USB Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3.1.3. RS232 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3.1.4. Load Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3.2. Change Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3.3. Check Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3.3.1. Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3.3.2. Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3.3.3. USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3.4. Download Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4. Change the Software on TCPConv via USB Stick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

4.1. Prepare the USB Stick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

4.2. Power up TCPConv with USB Stick plugged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

5. Diagnose and repair the TCPConv 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

5.1. Basic Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

5.2. If a TCPConv 2 is no more reachable by TC2Config Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

5.3. If a TCPConv 2 is unable to forward data from reader to TCP/IP connection . . 19

5.4. If a TCPConv works fine, but the printer doesn’t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

5.5. Else ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Page 2 of 23

Contents

A. FCC Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Page 3 of 23

1. Introduction

1. Introduction

This document describes all features and the usage of the hardware TCPConv 2. TCPConv
2 is equipped with two USB- and RS232-interface into your local area network (LAN). The
purpose of this hardware is to convert USB or RS232 to Ethernet, in order to provide RS232
or USB devices an extra Ethernet connection.

1.1. Typical Scenario

A typical application is the extension of a network device (i.e. a network printer), by a local
peripheral device.

Figure 1.1.: Typical Connection with TCPConv 2, reader and printer

1.2. Important Features

The main feature of TCPConv 2 is that it has the same IP as the printer connected, which
saves a lot of IP resources. This makes TCPConv can be easily integrated into existing
network environments, without managing the extra IP addresses.

The behaviour of TCPConv 2 can be configured via web front-end. Depending on the con­figuration, it can be a TCP/IP server or client on ports specified by the user.

Except very few ports necessary to configure the TCPConv 2, it is transparent between
printers and local network. Therefore, it is still convenient to configure the printers, as if
TCPConv 2 were not connected in between.

Page 4 of 23

1. Introduction

1.3. Software Release History

Version Added Features
SB1.00/STD1.00.02 Initial release
STD1.1.0.0 Improved TCP client behavior
STD1.1.0.2 Log of the application can be viewed via web-frontend
STD1.1.0.4 The hostname of a device can be changed via web-frontend

Page 5 of 23

2. Hardware Setup

2. Hardware Setup

2.1. Connect the network cables

There are two Ethernet ports on the TCPConv 2, Host port is used to connect TCPConv 2
to local network and Printer port is used to connect printer to TCPConv 2.

2.2. Plug in the Reader

The user can plug in USB reader directly to the TCPConv 2. Currently HID and CDC devices
are supported.

TCPConv 2 can also provide 750mA current from Pin 9 of its RS232 interface. It is undesired
that the RS232 reader is powered by an extra power supply besides TCPConv 2, because it
may potentially damage the TCPConv 2, as well as the external power supply.

Figure 2.1.: RS232 cable with power supply. Please leave the power supply unconnected!

Page 6 of 23

2. Hardware Setup

2.3. Power up the TCPConv 2

After the TCPConv 2 is powered up, one can see the status of it via the information LEDs.

There are 4 LEDs on device and several states of the device can be detected based on
combination of LED signals.

• Power LED is ON when power supply is connected.

• Busy LED is red means device is initializing.

• Ready LED is green means device is in normal operation.

• Ready LED is green and Error LED is red means something is wrong, for instance
TCPConv cannot get an IP address.

2.4. Network Settings of TCPConv

2.4.1. Finding the Devices

2.4.1.1. Requirements

1. TC2Config software application

2. Microsoft .Net Framework version 3.5 or higher

3. UDP Port 7001 is available

2.4.1.2. Start TC2Config

T2Config is a tool which can find all the TCPConv 2 in the local network. By double clicking
the application one can see the following interface:

Figure 2.2.: Interface of TC2Config

To start the search one can simply push the button:

Page 7 of 23