Moxa Technologies 5400 User Manual

5400 Series

User’s Manual

Third Edition, May 2004

5400 Series

User’s Manual

The software described in this manual is furnished under a license agreement and may be used only in accordance

with the terms of that agreement.

Copyright Notice

Copyright  2004 Moxa Technologies Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Trademarks

MOXA is a registered trademark of Moxa Technologies Co., Ltd.

All other trademarks or registered marks in this manual belong to their respective manufacturers.

Disclaimer

Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of
Moxa.

Moxa provides this document “as is,” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not
limited to, its particular purpose. Moxa reserves the right to make improvements and/or changes to this manual, or to
the products and/or the programs described in this manual, at any time.

Information provided in this manual is intended to be accurate and reliable. However, Moxa Technologies assumes
no responsibility for its use, or for any infringements on the rights of third parties that may result from its use.

This product might include unintentional technical or typographical errors. Changes are periodically made to the
information herein to correct such errors, and these changes are incorporated into new editions of the publication.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction......................................................................................1-1

Overview ....................................................................................................... 1-2

Package Checklist......................................................................................... 1-2

Product Features........................................................................................... 1-2

Product Specifications................................................................................... 1-3

Chapter 2 Getting Started.................................................................................2-1

Panel Layout ................................................................................................. 2-2

Connecting the Hardware ............................................................................. 2-3

Wiring Requirements..................................................................................... 2-3

Connecting the Power.................................................................................... 2-3

Grounding NPort 5400 .................................................................................. 2-4

Connecting to the Network............................................................................ 2-4

Connecting to a Serial Device ....................................................................... 2-4

LED Indicators............................................................................................... 2-4

Chapter 3 Initial IP Address Configuration .....................................................3-1

Initializing NPort’s IP Address....................................................................... 3-2

Factory Default IP Address ........................................................................... 3-2

LCM Display.................................................................................................. 3-2

NPort Administration Suite ............................................................................ 3-6

ARP ............................................................................................................... 3-6

Telnet Console .............................................................................................. 3-7

Chapter 4 Choosing the Proper Operation Mode ...........................................4-1

Overview ....................................................................................................... 4-2

TCP Server Mode ......................................................................................... 4-2

TCP Client Mode........................................................................................... 4-3

UDP Mode..................................................................................................... 4-3

Real COM Mode ........................................................................................... 4-3

Chapter 5 Web Console Configuration............................................................5-1

Opening Your Browser.................................................................................. 5-2

Basic Settings ............................................................................................... 5-4

Network Settings ........................................................................................... 5-5

Serial Settings ............................................................................................. 5-10

Operating Settings ...................................................................................... 5-12

Real COM Mode.......................................................................................... 5-12

TCP Server Mode ........................................................................................ 5-14

TCP Client Mode......................................................................................... 5-17

UDP Mode................................................................................................... 5-20

Accessible IP Settings................................................................................. 5-22

Auto Warning Settings ................................................................................ 5-23

Event Type................................................................................................... 5-23

Auto warning: E-mail and SNMP Trap ....................................................... 5-25

Change Password....................................................................................... 5-26

Load Factory Default................................................................................... 5-27

Chapter 6 Configuring Windows Administrator .............................................6-1

Overview ....................................................................................................... 6-2

Installing Windows Administrator .................................................................. 6-2

Configuration................................................................................................. 6-4

Broadcast Search ........................................................................................... 6-5

Unlock Password Protection.......................................................................... 6-6

Configuring NPort 5410/5430/5340I............................................................. 6-7

Upgrade Firmware......................................................................................... 6-8

Export/Import ................................................................................................6-9

Monitor ........................................................................................................ 6-10

Port Monitor................................................................................................. 6-13

COM Mapping ............................................................................................. 6-14

On-line COM Mapping................................................................................ 6-14

Off-line COM Mapping............................................................................... 6-17

IP Location .................................................................................................. 6-18

Chapter 7 IP Serial LIB......................................................................................7-1

Overview ....................................................................................................... 7-2

IP Serial LIB Function Groups....................................................................... 7-3

Example Program ......................................................................................... 7-3

Appendix A Pinouts and Cable Wiring ..............................................................A-1

Port Pinout Diagrams ....................................................................................A-2

Ethernet Port Pinouts .................................................................................... A-2

Serial Port Pinouts ........................................................................................ A-2

Cable Wiring Diagrams .................................................................................A-3

Ethernet Cables............................................................................................. A-3

Serial Cables................................................................................................. A-3

Appendix B Well Known Port Numbers............................................................. B-1

Appendix C SNMP Agent with MIB II & RS-232 like group............................... C-1

Appendix D Service Information ........................................................................D-1

MOXA Internet Services................................................................................D-2

Problem Report Form....................................................................................D-3

Product Return Procedure ............................................................................D-4

Revision History ............................................................................................D-5

Appendix E Auto IP Report Protocol ................................................................. E-1

1

1

Chapter 1 Introduction

Welcome to MOXA NPort 5400 Series of advanced serial device servers that make it easy to network
enable your serial devices. NPort 5410 comes with four RS-232 ports, and NPort 5430/5430I provide
four RS-422/485 ports.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:

 Overview

 Package Checklist

 Product Features

 Product Specifications

 Terminology and Acronyms

Overview

NPort 5400 Series serial device servers are designed to make your industrial serial devices Internet
ready instantly. The compact size of NPort 5400 device servers makes them the ideal choice for
connecting your RS-232 (NPort 5410) or RS-422/485 (NPort 5430/5430I) serial devices—such as
PLCs, meters, and sensors—to an IP-based Ethernet LAN, making it possible for your software to
access serial devices anywhere over a local LAN or the Internet.

NPort 5400 serial device servers ensure the compatibility of network software that uses a standard
network API (Winsock or BSD Sockets) by providing TCP Server Mode, TCP Client Mode, and UDP
Mode. And thanks to NPort’s Real COM/TTY drivers, software that works with COM/TTY ports can
be set up to work over a TCP/IP network in no time. This excellent feature preserves your software
investment and lets you enjoy the benefits of networking your serial devices instantly.

NPort 5400 serial device servers support automatic IP configuration protocols (DHCP, BOOTP) and
manual configuration via NPort’s handy web browser console. Both methods ensure quick and
effective installation. And with NPort 5400’s Windows Utility, installation is very straightforward,
since all system parameters can be stored and then copied to other device servers simultaneously.

Package Checklist

MOXA NPort 5400 Series products are shipped with the following items:

Standard Accessories

 1 NPort 5400 4-port serial device server
 NPort Document & Software CD
 NPort 5400 Series Quick Installation Guide
 Product Warranty Booklet

Optional Accessories

 DK-35A DIN-Rail Mounting Kit (35 mm)

NOTE: Notify your sales representative if any of the above items is missing or damaged.

Product Features

NPort 5400 Series products enjoy the following features:

 Make your serial devices Internet ready
 Easy-to-use LCM (Liquid Crystal Module) interface for setting up IP address
 Versatile socket operation modes, including TCP Server, TCP Client, and UDP
 Easy-to-use Windows Utility for mass installation
 Supports 10/100 Mbps Ethernet—auto detectable
 2- or 4-wire RS-485 with patented ADDC™ (Automatic Data Direction Control)

for NPort 5430/5430I

 Built-in 15 KV ESD protection for all serial signals
 Supports SNMP MIB-II for network management
 NPort 5430I has 2 KV isolation protection

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Product Specifications

LAN
Ethernet 10/100 Mbps, RJ45
Protection Built-in 1.5 KV magnetic isolation

NPort 5410 Serial Interface
Interface RS-232
No. of Ports 4
Port Type DB9 Male
Signals TxD, RxD, RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, DCD, GND
Serial Line Protection 15 KV ESD for all signals

NPort 5430 Serial Interface
Interface RS-422/485
No. of Ports 4
Port Type Terminal Block (5 pins per port)
Signals RS-422: Tx+, Tx-, Rx+, Rx-, GND
RS-485 (2-wire): Data+, Data-, GND
RS-485 (4-wire): Tx+, Tx-, Rx+, Rx-, GND
Serial Line Protection 15 KV ESD for all signals
RS-485 Data Direction ADDC™ (Automatic Data Direction Control)

Power Line Protection
4 KV Burst (EFT), EN61000-4-4
2 KV Surge, EN61000-4-5

Advanced Built-in Features
HMI LCM display with four push buttons
Buzzer
Real-Time Clock
Watch Dog Timer

Serial Communication Parameters
Parity None, Even, Odd, Space, Mark
Data Bits 5, 6, 7, 8
Stop Bit 1, 1.5, 2
Flow Control RTS/CTS (only for RS-232 port), XON/XOFF
Transmission Speed 50 bps to 230.4 Kbps

Software Features
Protocols ICMP, IP, TCP, UDP, DHCP, BOOTP, Telnet, DNS,

Utilities NPort Administrator for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Real COM/TTY Drivers Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP COM driver, Linux real

Configuration Web Browser, Telnet Console, or Windows Utility

Introduction

2 KV Isolation for NPort 5430I

SNMP, HTTP, SMTP, SNTP

TTY driver

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

1-3

Power Requirements

Power Input 12 to 48 VDC
Power Consumption NPort 5410: 385 mA (at 12V max.)
NPort 5430: 380 mA (at 12V max.)
NPort 5430I: 600 mA (at 12V max.)

Mechanical

Material SECC sheet metal (0.8 mm)
Dimensions (W × H × D) With mounting kit: 176 × 35.5 × 103 mm

(6.93 × 1.4 × 4.06 inch)

Without mounting kit: 158 × 33 × 103 mm

(6.22 × 1.3 × 4.06 inch)
Gross Weight NPort 5410: 0.5 kg (1.10 lb)
NPort 5430, NPort 5430I: 0.5 kg (1.10 lb)
Installation DIN-Rail, Wall Mounting

Environment

Operating Temperature 0 to 55°C (32 to 131°F), 5 to 95%RH
Storage Temperature -20 to 85°C (-4 to 185°F), 5 to 95%RH

Regulatory Approvals

EMC FCC Class A, CE Class A
Safety UL, CUL, TÜV
WARRANTY 5 years

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Chapter 2 Getting Started

This chapter includes information about installing NPort 5400 Series. The following topics are
covered:

 Panel Layout

 Connecting the Hardware

 Wiring Requirements

 Connecting the Power

2

2

 Grounding NPort 5400

 Connecting to the Network
 Connecting to a Serial Device
 LED Indicators

Panel Layout

NPort 5410

NPort 5430/5430I

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Connecting the Hardware

This section describes how to connect NPort 5400 to serial devices for first time testing purposes. We
cover Wiring Requirements, Connecting the Power, Grounding NPort 5400, Connecting to the
Network, and Connecting to a Serial Device.

Wiring Requirements

Be sure to disconnect the power cord before installing and/or wiring your NPort 5400.

Calculate the maximum possible current in each power wire and common wire. Observe all electrical
codes dictating the maximum current allowable for each wire size.

If the current goes above the maximum ratings, the wiring could overheat, causing serious damage to
your equipment.

Getting Started

Safety First!

Wiring Caution!

Please take care when handling NPort 5400. When plugged in, NPort 5420/5430/5430I’s internal
components generate heat, and consequently the casing may feel hot to the touch.

You should also pay attention to the following points:

 Use separate paths to route wiring for power and devices. If power wiring and device wiring paths

must cross, make sure the wires are perpendicular at the intersection point.

NOTE: Do not run signal or communication wiring and power wiring in the same wire conduit.
To avoid interference, wires with different signal characteristics should be routed separately.

 You can use the type of signal transmitted through a wire to determine which wires should be

kept separate. The rule of thumb is that wiring that shares similar electrical characteristics can be
bundled together.

 Keep input wiring and output wiring separate.

 Where necessary, it is strongly advised that you label wiring to all devices in the system.

Connecting the Power

Temperature Caution!

Connect the 12-48 VDC power line with NPort 5400’s terminal block. If the power is properly
supplied, the “Ready” LED will show a solid red color until the system is ready, at which time the
“Ready” LED will change to a green color.

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2-3

Grounding NPort 5400

Grounding and wire routing helps limit the effects of noise due to electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Run the ground connection from the ground screw to the grounding surface prior to connecting
devices.

This product is intended to be mounted to a well-grounded mounting surface such as a metal panel.

SG: The Shielded Ground (sometimes called Protected Ground)

contact is the left most contact of the 3-pin power terminal block
connector when viewed from the angle shown here. Connect the
SG wire to an appropriate grounded metal surface.

Connecting to the Network

Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to NPort 5400’s 10/100M Ethernet port and the other end of the
cable to the Ethernet network. If the cable is properly connected, NPort 5400 will indicate a valid
connection to the Ethernet in the following ways:

 The Ethernet LED maintains a solid green color when connected to a 100 Mbps Ethernet network.

 The Ethernet LED maintains a solid yellow color when connected to a 10 Mbps Ethernet network.

 The Ethernet LED will flash when Ethernet packets are being transmitted or received.

Connecting to a Serial Device

Connect the serial data cable between NPort 5400 and the serial device.

LED Indicators

The top panels of NPort 5400 have four LED indicators, as described in the following table.

LED Name LED Color LED Function

red

Ready

green

off Power is off, or power error condition exists.

orange 10 Mbps Ethernet connection.

Ethernet

P1, P2,

P3, P4

green 100 Mbps Ethernet connection.

off

orange Serial port is receiving data.

green Serial port is transmitting data.

off No data is being transmitted or received through the serial port.

Steady on: Power is on and NPort is booting up.
Blinking: Indicates an IP conflict, or DHCP or BOOTP server did

not respond properly.
Steady on: Power is on and NPort is functioning normally.
Blinking: The NPort has been located by NPort Administrator’s

Location function

Ethernet cable is disconnected, or has a short.

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

3

3

Chapter 3 Initial IP Address Configuration

When setting up your NPort 5410/5430/5340I for the first time, the first thing you should do is
configuring the IP address. This chapter introduces the method to configure NPort’s IP address. Select
one of the initial IP Address configuration methods to configure NPort’s IP Address. For more
details about network settings, see the Network Settings section from Chapter 5, Web Console
Configuration.

This chapter includes the following sections:

 Initializing NPort’s IP Address

 Factory Default IP Address

 LCM Display  recommended configuration method

 NPort Administration Suite  recommended configuration method

 ARP

 Telnet Console

Initializing NPort’s IP Address

1. Determine whether your NPort needs to use a Static IP or Dynamic IP (either DHCP or BOOTP
application).

2. If NPort is used in a Static IP environment, you can use LCM Display, NPort Administration
Suite, ARP, Web Console, or Telnet Console to configure the new IP address.

3. If NPort is used in a Dynamic IP environment, you can use LCM Display, NPort Administration
suite, Web Console, or Telnet Console to configure NPort to get an IP address dynamically with
DHCP, DHCP/BOOTP, or BOOTP.

Consult your network administrator on how to reserve a fixed IP address (for your NPort) in the
MAC-IP mapping table when using a DHCP Server or BOOTP Server. In most applications, you
should assign a fixed IP address to your NPort.

Factory Default IP Address

NPort products are configured with the following default private IP address:

Default IP address: 192.168.127.254

(IP addresses of the form 192.168.xxx.xxx are referred to as private IP addresses, since it is not
possible to directly access a device configured with a private IP address from a public network. For
example, you would not be able to ping such a device from an outside Internet connection. NPort
applications that require sending data over a public network, such as the Internet, require setting up
the server with a valid public IP address, which can be leased from a local ISP.)

LCM Display

We recommend using LCM display and four push buttons to configure the IP address at the first time
installation.

Basic Operation

If the NPort is working properly, the LCM panel will display a green color. The red Ready LED will
also light up, indicating that the NPort is receiving power. After the red Ready LED turns to green,
you will see a display similar to:

N P 5 4 1 0 _ 6 1 4 0 5
1 9 2 . 1 6 8 . 1 2 7 . 2 5 4

This is where

• NP5410 is the NPort’s name

• 61405 is the NPort’s serial number

• 192.168.127.254 is the NPort’s IP address

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Initial IP Address Configuration

There are four push buttons on NPort’s nameplate. Going from left to right, the buttons are:

Button Name

MENU menu activates the main menu, or returns to a lower level

U

V

SEL

up cursor

down cursor

select

Action

scrolls up through a list of items shown on the LCM panel’s second line
scrolls down through a list of items shown on the LCM panel’s second

line
selects the option listed on the LCM panel’s second line

The buttons are manipulated in a manner similar to the way a modern cellular phone operates. As you
move through the various functions and setting options, note that the top line shows the current menu
or submenu name, and the bottom line shows the submenu name or menu item which is activated by
pressing the sel button.

Detailed Menu Options

The best way to explain all of NPort’s LCM functions is to refer to the tree graph shown in the next
page. There are three main levels—1, 2, and 3—with each level represented by a separate column.

The first thing to remember is that the menu button is used to move back and forth between the LCM
panel’s default screen, and main menu screen:

N P 5 4 1 0 _ 6 1 4 0 5
1 9 2 . 1 6 8 . 1 2 7 . 2 5 4

M a i n M e n U
S e r v e r s e t t i n g ↓

In addition, you only need to remember to:

• Use the sel button to move up one level (i.e., left to right on the tree graph)

• Use the menu button to move down one level (i.e., right to left on the tree graph)

• Use the cursor keys, U and V, to scroll between the various options within a level (i.e., up

and down on the tree graph).

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3-3

As you use the buttons to operate the LCM display, you will notice that with very few
exceptions, moving up one level causes the bottom line of the display to move to the top line
of the display. You will also notice that the bottom three options in level 2, and all of the
options in level 3 have either a C or D attached.
The meaning is as follows:

• C = configurable

I.e., you are allowed to change the setting of this option

• D = display only

I.e., the setting for this option is displayed, but it cannot be changed (this does NOT
necessarily mean that the number doesn’t change; only that you can’t change it)

Main Menu
Server

setting

Network

setting

Serial set Select port

Op Mode set

Console Web console

Ping C
Save/Restart C

Serial number
Server name
Firmware ver
Model name
Ethernet status
MAC address
IP config
IP address
Netmask
Gateway
DNS server 1
DNS server 2

Baud rate
Data bit
Stop bit
Parity
Flow control
Tx/Rx fifo
Interface
Tx/Rx bytes
Line status
Select port
Select mode
[mode]
Real COM

Alive timeout
Max connection
Delimiter 1
Delimiter 2
Force Tx

Telnet console

TCP server

Alive timeout
Inact. time
Max connection
Delimiter 1
Delimiter 2
Force Tx
Local TCP port
Command port

TCP client

Alive timeout
Inact. time
Delimiter 1
Delimiter 2
Force Tx
Dest IP-1
TCP port-1
Dest IP-2
TCP port-2
Dest IP-3
TCP port-3
Dest IP-4
TCP port-4
TCP connect

UDP svr/cli

Delimiter 1
Delimiter 2
Force Tx
Dest IP start-1
Dest IP end-1
Dest port-1
Dest IP start-2
Dest IP end-2
Dest port-2
Dest IP start-3
Dest IP end-3
Dest port-3
Dest IP start-4
Dest IP end-4
Dest port-4
Local port

D
C
D
D
D
D
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
D
D
C
C

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Initial IP Address Configuration

The part of the LCM operation that still requires some explanation is how to edit the
configurable options. In fact, you will only encounter two types of configurable options.

The first type involves entering numbers, such as IP addresses, Netmasks, etc. In this case, you
change the number one digit at a time. The up cursor (U) is used to decrease the highlighted
digit, the down cursor (V) is used to increase the highlighted digit, and the sel button is used
to move to the next digit. When the last digit has been changed, pressing sel simply enters the
number into NPort Server Lite’s memory.

The second type of configurable option is when there are only a small number of options from
which to choose (although only one option will be visible at a time). Consider the PARITY
attribute under PORT SETTING as an example. Follow the tree graph to arrive at the
following PARITY screen. The first option, NONE, is displayed, with a down arrow all the
way to the right. This is an indication that there are other options from which to choose.

P a r i t Y

N O n e

Press the down cursor button once to see Odd as the second option.

P a r i t Y

O d d

Press the down cursor button again to see Even as the third option.

P A R I T Y

E v e n

Press the down cursor button again to see Space as the fourth option.

P A R I T Y

M a r k

Press the down cursor button yet again to see the last option, Space.

P A R I T Y

S p a c e

To choose the desired option, press the select button when the option is showing on the screen.

↓

↑
↓

↑
↓

↑
↓

↑

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

3-5

NPort Administration Suite

NPort Administration Suite consists of some useful utility programs that are used to configure and
manage your NPorts.

See Chapter 5 for details on how to install NPort Administration Suite, and how to use this suite
of useful utilities to set up IP addresses and configure your NPort.

ARP

You can make use of the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) command to set up an IP address for
your NPort. The ARP command tells your computer to associate the NPort’s MAC address with the
intended IP address. You must then use Telnet to access the NPort, at which point the Device Server’s
IP address will be reconfigured.

In order to use this setup method, both your computer and NPort must be connected to the same LAN.
Or, you may use a cross-over Ethernet cable to connect the NPort directly to your computer’s Ethernet

card.
Your NPort must be configured with the factory default IP address—192.168.127.254—before

executing the ARP command, as described below.

Take the following steps to use ARP to configure the IP address:

1. Obtain a valid IP address for your NPort from your network administrator.

2. Obtain the NPort’s MAC address from the label on its bottom panel.

3. Execute the ‘arp -s’ command from your computer’s MS-DOS prompt by typing:
arp –s 192.168.200.100 00-90-E8-xx-xx-xx
This is where 192.168.200.100 is the new IP address and 00-90-E8-xx-xx-xx is the MAC address
for your NPort. You will need to change both numbers, as described above in points 1 and 2.

4. Next, execute a special Telnet command by

typing:
telnet 192.168.200.100 6000

After issuing this command, a Connect failed message will
appear, as shown here. After the NPort reboots, its IP address
should be updated to the new address, and you can reconnect
using either Telnet, Web, or Administrator to check that the
update was successful.

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Telnet Console

Depending on how your computer and network are configured, you may find it convenient to use
network access to set up your NPort’s IP address. This can be done using the Telnet program.

1. From the Windows desktop, click on Start and then select Run.

2. Type telnet 192.168.127.254 (use the correct

IP address if different from the default) in the Open
text input box, and then click OK.

3. When the Telnet window opens, if you are prompted

to input the Console password, input the password
and then press Enter.
Note that this page will only appear if the NPort is
password protected.

Initial IP Address Configuration

4. Type 2 to select Network settings, and then press

Enter.

5. Type 1 to select IP address and then press Enter.

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3-7

6. Use the Backspace key to erase the current IP address,

type in the new IP address, and then press Enter.

7. Press any key to continue…

8. Type m and then press Enter to return to the main

menu.

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NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

Initial IP Address Configuration

9. Type s and then press Enter to Save/Restart the

system.

10. Type y and then press Enter to save the new IP

address and restart NPort.

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual

3-9

4

4

Chapter 4 Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

In this section, we describe the various NPort operation modes. The options include an operation
mode that uses a driver installed on the host computer, and operation modes that rely on TCP/IP
socket programming concepts. After choosing the proper operating mode in this chapter, refer to
Chapter 5 for detailed configuration parameter definitions.

 Overview

 TCP Server Mode

 TCP Client Mode

 UDP Mode

 Real COM Mode

Overview

NPort Device Servers network-enable traditional RS-232/422/485 devices, in which a Device Server
is a tiny computer equipped with a CPU, real-time OS, and TCP/IP protocols that can bi-directionally
translate data between the serial and Ethernet formats. Your computer can access, manage, and
configure remote facilities and equipment over the Internet from anywhere in the world.

Traditional SCADA and data collection systems rely on serial prots (RS-232/422/485) to collect data
from various kinds of instruments. Since NPort Serial Device Servers network-enable instruments
equipped with an RS-232/422/485 communication port, your SCADA and data collection system will
be able to access all instruments connected to a standard TCP/IP network, regardless of whether the
devices are used locally or at a remote site.

NPort is an external IP-based network device that allows you to expand the number of serial ports for
a host computer on demand. As long as your host computer supports the TCP/IP protocol, you won’t
be limited by the host computer’s bus limitation (such as ISA or PCI), or lack of drivers for various
operating systems.

In addition to providing socket access, NPort also comes with a Real COM/TTY driver that transmits
all serial signals intact. This means that your existing COM/TTY-based software can be preserved,
without needing to invest in additional software.

Three different Socket Modes are available: TCP Server, TCP Client, and UDP Server/Client. The
main difference between the TCP and UDP protocols is that TCP guarantees delivery of data by
requiring the recipient to send an acknowledgement to the sender. UDP does not require this type of
verification, making it possible to offer speedier delivery. UDP also allows multicasting of data to
groups of IP addresses.

Pictures in this Chapter will use NPort 5400 series as an example.

TCP Server Mode

In TCP Server mode, NPort provides a unique IP:Port address
on a TCP/IP network. NPort waits passively to be contacted
by the host computer, allowing the host computer to establish
a connection with and get data from the serial device. This
operation mode also supports up to 4 simultaneous
connections, so that multiple hosts can collect data from the
same serial device—at the same time.

As illustrated in the figure, data transmission proceeds as
follows:

1. The host requests a connection from the NPort configured
for TCP Server Mode.

2. Once the connection is established, data can be
transmitted in both directions—from the host to the
NPort, and from the NPort to the host.

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TCP Client Mode

In TCP Client mode, NPort can actively establish a TCP
connection to a pre-defined host computer when serial
data arrives.

After the data has been transferred, NPort can
automatically disconnect from the host computer by
using the TCP alive check time or Inactivity time
settings. Refer to chapter 5 for more details.

As illustrated in the figure, data transmission proceeds as
follows:

1. The NPort configured for TCP Client Mode requests
a connection from the host.

2. Once the connection is established, data can be
transmitted in both directions—from the host to the
NPort, and from the NPort to the host.

UDP Mode

Compared to TCP communication, UDP is faster and
more efficient. In UDP mode, you can multicast data
from the serial device to multiple host computers,
and the serial device can also receive data from
multiple host computers, making this mode ideal for
message display applications.

Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

Real COM Mode

NPort comes equipped with COM drivers that work with
Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP systems, and also TTY
drivers for Linux systems. The driver establishes a
transparent connection between host and serial device by
mapping the IP:Port of the NPort’s serial port to a local
COM/TTY port on the host computer. This operation mode
also supports up to 4 simultaneous connections, so that
multiple hosts can collect data from the same serial device
at the same time.

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The driver used for Real COM Mode comes with the NPort Windows Administrator which will install
automatically on your computer when you install NPort Administration Suite.

The important point is that Real COM Mode allows users to continue using RS-232/422/485 serial
communications software that was written for pure serial communications applications. The driver
intercepts data sent to the host’s COM port, packs it into a TCP/IP packet, and then redirects it
through the host’s Ethernet card. At the other end of the connection, the NPort accepts the Ethernet
frame, unpacks the TCP/IP packet, and then transparently sends it to the appropriate serial device
attached to one of the NPort’s serial ports.

Real COM Mode allows several hosts to have access control of the same NPort. The Moxa driver that
comes with your NPort controls host access to attached serial devices by checking the host’s IP
address.

Modify the Accessible IP Setting table when the legal IP address should be required in your
application.

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5

5

Chapter 5 Web Console Configuration

The Web Console is the most user-friendly way to configure NPort 5410/5430/5340I. This chapter
will introduce the Web Console function groups and function definitions. This chapter uses NPort
5230 as an example. The function and definition is totally the same with NPort 5400 series.

 Opening Your Browser

 Basic Settings

 Network Settings

 Serial Settings

 Operation Mode Settings

 Accessible IP Settings

 Auto Warning Settings

 Change Password

 Load Factory Default

 Save/Restart

Opening Your Browser

1. Open your browser with the cookie function enabled. (To enable your browser for cookies, right

click on your desktop Internet Explorer icon, select Properties, click on the Security tab, and then
select the three Enable options as shown in the figure below.)

2. Type 192.168.127.254 in the Address input

box (use the correct IP address if different from the
default), and then press Enter.

3. Input the password if prompted. The password will

be transmitted with MD5 encryption over the
Ethernet.
Note that you will not be prompted to enter the
password if the NPort is not currently password
protected.

If you use other web browsers, remember to Enable the functions to “allow cookies that are stored on
your computer” or “allow per-session cookies”.

Cookies that used by NPort, is only for the “password” transmission.

Refer to Chapter 3 “Initial IP Address Configuration” for the IP configuration. Examples that used in
this chapter are using Factory Default IP address (192.168.127.254).

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Web Console Configuration

4. The NPort 5410/5430/5340I homepage will open. On this page, you can see a brief description of

the Web Console’s nine function groups.

If you can’t remember the password, the ONLY way to start configuring NPort is to load factory
defaults by using the Reset button located near the NPort’s RJ45 Ethernet port.

Remember to use Windows Administrator to export the configuration file when you have finished the
configuration. After using the Reset button to load factory defaults, your configuration can be easily
reloaded into NPort by using the Windows Administrator Import function. Refer to Chapter 6 for
more details about using the Export and Import functions.

If your NPort application requires using password protection, you must enable the cookie function in
your browser. If the cookie function is disabled, you will not be allowed to enter the Web Console
Screen.

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