Moxa Technologies NPort 5400 User Manual

NPort 5400 Series

User’s Manual

Sixth Edition, March 2007

www.moxa.com/product

Moxa Technologies Co., Ltd.

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Web:

MOXA Technical Support

Worldwide:
The Americas:

www.moxa.com

[e-mail]
[e-mail]

NPort 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 © 2007 Moxa Technologies Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Trademarks

MOXA is a registered trademark of The MOXA Group.

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 the NPort 5400 ..................................................................2-3

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

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

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

Adjustable Pull High/low Resistors for the RS-485 Port .....................2-5

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

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

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

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

NPort Administration Suite ............................................................................3-5

ARP ............................................................................................................... 3-5

Telnet Console .............................................................................................. 3-6

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

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

Real COM Mode............................................................................................ 4-2

TCP Server Mode.......................................................................................... 4-3

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

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

Pair Connection Mode ................................................................................... 4-4

Reverse Telnet Mode .................................................................................... 4-5

Disabled Mode...............................................................................................4-5

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

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

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

Network Settings ........................................................................................... 5-6

Serial Settings ............................................................................................... 5-9

Operating Settings....................................................................................... 5-11

Real COM Mode................................................................................5-11

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

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

UDP Mode .........................................................................................5-21

Pair Connection Mode....................................................................... 5-23

Reverse Telnet Mode ........................................................................5-25

Disabled Mode................................................................................... 5-26

Accessible IP Settings ................................................................................. 5-26

Auto Warning Settings................................................................................. 5-27

Auto warning: E-mail and SNMP trap ...............................................5-27

Event Type ........................................................................................5-28

Monitor......................................................................................................... 5-30

Monitor Line....................................................................................... 5-30

Monitor Async.................................................................................... 5-30

Monitor Async-Settings ..................................................................... 5-30

Change Password .......................................................................................5-31

Load Factory Default ................................................................................... 5-31

Chapter 6 Configuring NPort Administrator................................................... 6-1

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

Installing NPort Administrator........................................................................6-2

Configuration .................................................................................................6-5

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

Specify by IP Address .........................................................................6-6

Password Protection ........................................................................... 6-7

Unlock Password Protection ...............................................................6-7

Configuring the NPort 5400................................................................. 6-8

Web Console.....................................................................................6-11

Upgrading the Firmware.................................................................... 6-11

Export Configuration..........................................................................6-13

Import Configuration..........................................................................6-13

Monitor......................................................................................................... 6-14

Port Monitor ................................................................................................. 6-20

COM Mapping ............................................................................................. 6-21

On-line COM Mapping....................................................................... 6-21

Off-line COM Mapping.......................................................................6-26

IP Address Report .......................................................................................6-28

Automatic Message Log ..............................................................................6-29

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 Agents with MIB II & RS-232 like group .............................C-1

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

Appendix E Service Information .........................................................................E-1

MOXA Internet Services ............................................................................... E-2

Problem Report Form ................................................................................... E-3

Product Return Procedure............................................................................ E-4

1

1

Chapter 1 Introduction

Welcome to the MOXA NPort 5400 Series of advanced serial device servers, which make it easy
to enable network operation of your serial devices. All device servers in the series come with four
serial ports. On the NPort 5410, the serial ports are RS-232 ports; on the NPort 5430/5430I, the
serial ports are RS-422/485 ports; on the NPort 5450/5450I, the serial ports are RS-232/422/485
ports.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:

 Overview
 Package Checklist
 Product Features
 Product Specifications

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Introduction

Overview

NPort 5400 Series 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 RS-232/422/485 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 the 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 the NPort’s handy web browser console. Both methods ensure quick
and effective installation. And with the 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

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

Optional Accessories

y 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:

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

for NPort 5430, 5430I, 5450, and 5450I

y Built-in 15 KV ESD protection for all serial signals
y Supports SNMP MIB-II for network management
y NPort 5430I/5450I has 2 KV isolation protection
y Adjustable RS-485 termination resistor

1-2

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Introduction

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 5430/5430I Serial Interface
Interface RS-422/485
No. of Ports 4
Port Type Terminal Block
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)

NPort 5450/5450I Serial Interface
Interface RS-232/422/485
No. of Ports 4
Port Type DB9 Male
Signals RS-232: TxD, RxD, RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, DCD, GND
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

1-3

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Introduction

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, XON/XOFF, DSR/DTR (NPort 5410, 5450, and 5450I

only)

Transmission Speed 50 bps to 921.6 Kbps

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

Utilities NPort Administrator for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003
OS Driver Support Windows Real COM driver, Linux real TTY driver, SCO Unix, SCO

Configuration Web Browser, Telnet Console, or Windows Utility

Power Requirements

Power Input 12 to 48 VDC
Power Consumption NPort 5410: 350 mA (at 12V max.)
NPort 5430: 360 mA (at 12V max.)
NPort 5430I: 585 mA (at 12V max.)
NPort 5450: 350 mA (at 12V max.)
NPort 5450I: 554 mA (at 12V max.)

Mechanical

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

Without mounting kit: 158 × 33 × 103 mm

Gross Weight NPort 5410: 0.5 kg
NPort 5430, NPort 5430I: 0.5 kg
NPort 5450, NPort 5450I: 1.5 kg
Installation DIN-Rail, Wall Mounting

Environment

Operating Temperature 0 to 55°C (32 to 131°F), 5 to 95%RH
Storage Temperature -20 to 70°C (-4 to 158°F), 5 to 95%RH

Regulatory Approvals

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

SMTP, SNTP, Rtelnet, ARP

OpenServer 5, UnixWare7, UnixWare 2.1, SVR4.2, QNX

(6.93 × 1.4 × 4.06 inch)

(6.22 × 1.3 × 4.06 inch)

1-4

Chapter 2 Getting Started

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

 Panel Layout
 Connecting the Hardware

¾ Wiring Requirements
¾ Connecting the Power
¾ Grounding the NPort 5400
¾ Connecting to the Network
¾ Connecting to a Serial Device
¾ LED Indicators

2

2

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Getting Started

Panel Layout

NPort 5410/5450/5450I

Power input

RESET

RJ45 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port

Terminal Block power input

5410

NP5410_61405

192.168.127.254

Port 1

RS-232

Port 2

RS-232

Male DB9 serial port

NPort 5430/5430I

Power input

LAN

Serial Device Server

Port 3

RS-232

V+ V-

Port 4

RS-232

LCM display panelIndicator LEDs Input buttons

RESET

RJ45 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port

Terminal Block power input

5430

N P 5430_61405

192.168.127.254

Port 1

RS-422/785

Port 2

RS-422/785

RS-422/785

RS-422/485 Terminal Block

T+ T- R+D+R-D-GND T+ T- R+D+R-D-GND T+ T- R+D+R-D-GND T+ T- R+D+R-D-GND

LAN

Serial Device Server

Port 3

V+ V-

Port 4

RS-422/785

LCM display panelIndicator LEDs Input buttons

2-2

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Getting Started

Connecting the Hardware

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

Wiring Requirements

ATTENTION

Safety First!

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

Wiring Caution!

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.

Temperature Caution!

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

You should also heed the following:

y 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.

y 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.

y Keep input wiring and output wiring separate.
y Where necessary, it is strongly advised that you label wiring to all devices in the system.

Connecting the Power

Connect the 12-48 VDC power line with the 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.

Grounding the NPort 5400

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

2-3

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Getting Started

ATTENTION

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

y The Ethernet LED maintains a solid green color when connected to a 100 Mbps Ethernet

network.

y The Ethernet LED maintains a solid yellow color when connected to a 10 Mbps Ethernet

network.

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

Connecting to a Serial Device

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

LED Indicators

The top panels of the 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.

2-4

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Getting Started

Adjustable Pull High/low Resistors for the RS-485 Port

In some critical environments, you may need to add termination resistors to prevent the reflection of
serial signals. When using termination resistors, it is important to set the pull high/low resistors
correctly so that the electrical signal is not corrupted. Since there is no resistor value that works for
every environment, DIP switches are used to set the pull high/low resistor values for each RS-485
port.

To set the pull high/low resistors to 150 KΩ, make sure both of the assigned DIP switches are in
the OFF position. This is the default setting.

To set the pull high/low resistors to 1 KΩ, make sure both of the assigned DIP switches are in the
ON position.

Pull high/low resistors for the RS-485 Port

1 2 3

SW

ON 1KΩ 1KΩ 1KΩ

Default OFF 150KΩ 150KΩ ---

Pull High Pull Low Terminator

ATTENTION

Do not set the resistors to 1 KΩ when using RS-232. Doing so will degrade the RS-232 signals
and reduce the effective communication distance.

2-5

3

3

Chapter 3 Initial IP Address Configuration

When setting up your NPort 5410/5430/5430I/5450/5450I for the first time, the first thing you
should do is configuring the IP address. This chapter introduces the method to configure the
NPort’s IP address. Select one of the initial IP Address configuration methods to configure the
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 the NPort’s IP Address
 Factory Default IP Address
 LCM Display Å recommended configuration method
 NPort Administration Suite Å recommended configuration method
 ARP
 Telnet Console

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Initial IP Address Configuration

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

ATTENTION

Consult your network administrator on how to reserve a fixed IP address for your NPort 5400 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:

(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

Default IP address: 192.168.127.254

3-2

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Initial IP Address Configuration

There are four push buttons on the 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 scrolls down through a list of items shown on the LCM panel’s second line
select

Action

scrolls up 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 the 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).

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)

3-3

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Initial IP Address Configuration

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

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 the NPort Server Lite’s memory.

3-4

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Initial IP Address Configuration

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 SEL button when the option is showing on the screen.

↓

↑
↓

↑
↓

↑
↓

↑

NPort Administration Suite

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

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.

ATTENTION

In order to use this setup method, both your computer and the 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.

3-5

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Initial IP Address Configuration

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.

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.

3-6

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual 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.

6. Use the Backspace key to erase the current IP address, type in the new IP address, and then
press Enter.

3-7

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Initial IP Address Configuration

7. Press any key to continue…

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

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 the NPort.

3-8

4

4

Chapter 4 Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

In this chapter, we describe the various NPort 5400 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 operation mode in this chapter,
refer to Chapter 5 for detailed configuration parameter definitions.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:

 Overview
 Real COM Mode
 TCP Server Mode
 TCP Client Mode
 UDP Mode
 Pair Connection Mode
 Reverse Telnet Mode
 Disabled Mode

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

Overview

NPort device servers enable network operation of 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 ports (RS-232/422/485) to collect
data from various kinds of instruments. Since NPort serial device servers enable network operation
of 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.

The 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, the 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.

ATTENTION

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

Real COM Mode

The 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.

4-2

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

ATTENTION

The driver used for Real COM Mode comes with the NPort Windows Administrator. The driver
is installed 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.

ATTENTION

Real COM Mode allows several hosts to have access control over the same NPort. The 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

TCP Server Mode

In TCP Server mode, the NPort provides a unique IP:Port
address on a TCP/IP network. The 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.

4-3

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

TCP Client Mode

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

After the data has been transferred, the 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.

Pair Connection Mode

Pair Connection Mode employs two NPort 5400 units in tandem, and can be used to remove the
15-meter distance limitation imposed by the RS-232 interface. One NPort 5400 is connected from
its RS-232 port to the COM port of a PC or other type of computer, such as a hand-held PDA, and
the serial device is connected to the RS-232 port of the other NPort 5400. The two NPort 5400
units are then connected to each other with a cross-over Ethernet cable, both are connected to the
same LAN, or in a more advanced setup, they communicate with each other over a WAN (i.e.,
through one or more routers). Pair Connection Mode transparently transfers both data and modem
control signals (although it cannot transmit the DCD signal) between the two NPort device servers.

4-4

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Choosing the Proper Operation Mode

Reverse Telnet Mode

Console management is commonly used by connecting to Console/AUX or COM ports of routers,
switches, and UPS units. Rtelnet works the same as RAW mode in that only one TCP port is
listened to after booting up. The system then waits for a host on the network to initiate a
connection. The difference is that the RAW mode does not provide the conversion function
provided by Telnet. If the connected devices need to use the CR/LF conversion function when
controlling, then users must choose Rtelnet mode.

Disabled Mode

When the Operation Mode for a particular port is set to Disabled, that port will be disabled.

4-5

Chapter 5 Web Console Configuration

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

 Opening Your Browser
 Basic Settings
 Network Settings
 Serial Settings
 Operation Settings

¾ Real COM Mode
¾ TCP Server Mode
¾ TCP Client Mode
¾ UDP Mode
¾ Pair Connection Mode
¾ Reverse Telnet Mode
¾ Disabled Mode

 Accessible IP Settings
 Auto Warning Settings

¾ Auto warning: E-mail and SNMP trap
¾ Event Type

 Monitor

¾ Monitor Line
¾ Monitor Async
¾ Monitor Async-Settings

 Change Password
 Load Factory Default

5

5

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Web Console Configuration

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.

ATTENTION

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.”

NPort 5400 device servers use cookies only for “password” transmission.

5-2

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Web Console Configuration

ATTENTION

Refer to Chapter 3, “Initial IP Address Configuration,” to see how to configure the IP address.
Examples shown in this chapter use the Factory Default IP address (192.168.127.254).

The NPort 5410/5430/5430I/5450/5450I homepage will open. On this page, you can see a brief
description of the Web Console’s nine function groups.

ATTENTION

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

Remember to use NPort 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 the NPort by using the NPort Administrator Import function. Refer to
Chapter 6 for more details about using the Export and Import functions.

ATTENTION

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.

5-3

NPort 5400 Series User’s Manual Web Console Configuration

Basic Settings

Server name

Setting Factory Default Necessity

1 to 39 characters NP[model name]_[Serial No.] Optional

This option is useful for specifying the location or application of different NPort device servers.

Time

The NPort 5410/5430/5430I/5450/5450I has a built-in Real-Time Clock for time calibration
functions. Functions such as Auto warning “Email” or “SNMP Trap” can add real-time
information to the message.

Before making any adjustments to the time, first select the correct time zone and submit the
change. The console will display the real time according to the time zone. To modify the real time
clock, click on Modify next to the Local time field. Once you submit the new time, the NPort
5400’s firmware will modify the GMT time according to your time zone and local time settings.

ATTENT I O N

There is a risk of explosion if the real-time clock battery is replaced with the wrong type!

The NPort 5400’s real time clock is powered by a lithium battery. We strongly recommend that
you do not attempt replacement of the lithium battery without help from a qualified MOXA
support engineer. If you need to change the battery, please contact the MOXA RMA service team.

Time zone

Setting Factory Default Necessity

User selectable time zone GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Required

Local time

Setting Factory Default Necessity

User adjustable time
(1900/1/1-2037/12/31)

GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Required

5-4