XPORT LAN module experiences?

Peter Jakacki

I have been using the Lantronix XPORT modules for a few of my projects and haven't really done much with them till lately. They are quite powerful little things once you get to know how to configure them for the job.

I came across the modem emulation mode today which permits the Propeller to interact with the XPORT and "dial" connections. Plus there is the monitor mode which can be entered from the modem emulation mode and from there it is possible to gain access to some detailed network information. As well I have used the modules in UDP broadcast mode to communicate across the network and either have the XPORT or the Prop handle the selection process. At present I'm running from a MODBUS master through a Prop with an XPORT (my "WIDGET") to a remote site back through another WIDGET and out to a MODBUS slave on RS485. Works very well.

So I'm just wondering if anybody else has had much time to play with these XPORT modules and what tricks (good and bad) you may have found with them.

*Peter*

Peter Jakacki

If you want to connect with a WIDGET hooked up to a MODBUS test device you can use this IP address and port number from your browser:
telnet://59.167.217.89:10001

Your browser should come up with Hyperterminal as a default TELNET application and connect to the remote device. If you type a control Z it will give a dummy test response, that's all. To do a rough test of the MODBUS you can use TERATERM to connect to the device on port 10001 and send the MODBUS.TXT attachement. Put TeraTerm into debug mode by typing SHIFT+ESC, this will make it display the control characters. Use FILE, SEND FILE..., Select MODBUS.TXT, tick BINARY and click OPEN. This is just a MODBUS request packet for device #1 to read 16 of the input registers starting from register 8.

This is a readable representation of what it sends and receives:
SEND: [noparse][[/noparse]01][noparse][[/noparse]04][noparse][[/noparse]00][noparse][[/noparse]07][noparse][[/noparse]00][noparse][[/noparse]10][noparse][[/noparse]40][noparse][[/noparse]07]
RECEIVE: [noparse][[/noparse]01][noparse][[/noparse]04][noparse][[/noparse]20][noparse][[/noparse]0E][noparse][[/noparse]0D][noparse][[/noparse]10][noparse][[/noparse]0F][noparse][[/noparse]12][noparse][[/noparse]11][noparse][[/noparse]14][noparse][[/noparse]13][noparse][[/noparse]16][noparse][[/noparse]15][noparse][[/noparse]18][noparse][[/noparse]17][noparse][[/noparse]1A][noparse][[/noparse]19][noparse][[/noparse]1C][noparse][[/noparse]1B][noparse][[/noparse]1E][noparse][[/noparse]1D][noparse][[/noparse]20][noparse][[/noparse]1F][noparse][[/noparse]22][noparse][[/noparse]21][noparse][[/noparse]24][noparse][[/noparse]23][noparse][[/noparse]26][noparse][[/noparse]25][noparse][[/noparse]28][noparse][[/noparse]27][noparse][[/noparse]2A][noparse][[/noparse]29][noparse][[/noparse]2C][noparse][[/noparse]2B][noparse][[/noparse]58][noparse][[/noparse]08]

And this is what Teraterm should display as the response:
^A^D ^N^M^P^O^R^Q^T^S^V^U^X^W^Z^Y^\^[noparse][[/noparse]^^^] ^_"!$#&%('*),+X^H

Of course if you have MODBUS master software or equivalent that can connect via TCP/IP then you can read and write the registers of the test device.

I have set the unit to timeout after 3 minutes of inactivity.

*Peter*

Post Edited (Peter Jakacki) : 1/22/2009 4:01:29 PM GMT

QuattroRS4

Peter,
I have been using the XPORT XP1001000-03R module for about a year now and am well impressed - the embedded web page to 'COB' is a bit fiddly and of course they are a bit power hungry !. I also use the 'Digi connect me' have you 2/4 MB Flash memory, 8 MB RAM .. Next on the list is the Digi Connect Wi ME
www.digi.com/products/embeddedsolutions/digiconnectwime.jsp

Rgds,
John Twomey

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
'Necessity is the mother of invention'

Those who can, do.Those who can’t, teach.

Post Edited (QuattroRS4) : 1/22/2009 5:08:32 PM GMT