ATEN Tech Note

Table of Contents

1. A. What is Real COM mode?
2. B. How to configure Real COM mode?
3. C. How to test Real COM mode?
4. D. Appendix
5. ATEN Secure Device Server Pin Assignment

A. What is Real COM mode?

Real COM mode is recommended when your host PC uses legacy COM-based software and needs to connect with multiple RS-232/422/485 serial devices. This mode treats all the serial ports of a Secure Device Server as if they were directly connected to the PC and allows data to be transmitted securely over a network.

A diagram illustrates the Real COM mode setup: An Application Server with Virtual COM driver for data analysis and monitoring (e.g. SCADA) is connected via a Network to an ATEN SN3402P Secure Device Server. The SN3402P is connected via RS-232/422/485 to a Power Meter, Temperature and Humidity Sensor.

B. How to configure Real COM mode?

The following procedure uses SN3002P as an example:

1. Using a null modem cable, connect the SN's serial port 1 to a serial device (e.g. PC's COM port, sensor, etc.).
2. Using an Ethernet cable, connect the SN's LAN port to your local network.
3. On a host PC, use IP Installer utility (can be downloaded from SN's product page) to discover the IP address of the SN3002P. The utility shows a list of devices, including 'SN300X' with MAC Address '00-10-74-24-04-21' and IP Address '10.3.66.129'.
4. Using a web browser, enter the SN3002P's IP address (10.3.66.129), and log in.
5. Under Serial Ports, click the EDIT button of Port 1.
6. Under PROPERTIES, configure the necessary serial communication settings (e.g. baud rate, parity, etc.) to match with the connected serial device. The configuration includes Port number '1', Port name 'Port 1', Baud rate '9600', Parity 'None', Data bits '8 bits', Stop bits '1 bit', and Flow control 'None'.
7. Under OPERATING MODE, select Real COM from the drop-down list. Optionally enable the Secure transfer option if you want the data to be encrypted and transmitted securely over a network. The available modes are Real COM, Console Management, TCP Server, TCP Client, UDP, and Serial Tunnel Server/Client.
8. On the host PC, install ATEN Virtual COM port driver for Windows or Real TTY / Fixed TTY driver for Linux / Unix (can be downloaded from SN's product page).
9. Run ATEN Virtual COM port driver for Windows and click Enum Targets to automatically discover SN3002P within the same network segment.
10. If SN3002P cannot be discovered, you can add it manually by entering its IP address, selecting SN3002 from the Type drop-down list, and then clicking Add Target.
11. Once added, double-click the SN3002 entry to display its serial ports. The display shows 'PORT1' as 'Real COM Port' and 'PORT2' as 'Console'.
12. Click PORT1 to map it with a certain virtual COM port (e.g COM1) of the host PC. Once successfully mapped, you will see COM1 in the list of mapped COM ports. A dialog box confirms the mapping of 'Remote Target's Ports to Local PC COM'.

C. How to test Real COM mode?

Using PC1 as your host PC, with ATEN Virtual COM driver installed, and PC2's COM port as a serial device, presume the settings of SN3002P and the driver have been properly configured, as mentioned in the previous section.

A diagram shows PC1 (Host) connected via Network and RS-232 to an ATEN SN3002P (Real COM mode), which is then connected to PC2 (Serial COM).

1. On PC1 and PC2, use Putty, a third-party utility, to configure their serial communication settings. For PuTTY Configuration on PC1, specify the destination to connect to: Serial line 'COM1' and Speed '9600'. The connection type is 'Serial'.
2. Using the Putty on PC2 (serial device), you can enter any text to test if it can be received by PC1 (host). The example shows '123test from PC2' being sent from PC2 and received on PC1.

D. Appendix

ATEN Secure Device Server Pin Assignment