COMETH

NOTE : COMETH has reached the end of its life cycle (to know more about its different deadlines click here).
The recommended replacement product is : COMETH-FIELD-RD. Your sales representative is at your disposal for any questions.

 

COMETH range products give access to any serial equipment from Windows, Unix & Linux computers connected to your Ethernet TCP/IP network, making it possible to communicate between two distant serial equipments through the network or even build an Ethernet / MODBUS gateway.

 

These products feature a very high integration and a very small form factor.

The support of the Telnet (RFC 2217) extension associated to a COM ports re-director enables distant serial equipments connected to the COMETH to be directly used by Windows & Linux existing applications using standard COM ports.

 

COMETH combines the flexibility and the power of the TCP/IP protocol as well as the universality of the Ethernet networks.

 

Technical characteristics

	Serial port	Single asynchronous serial port, up to 230.4 Kbps 7 or 8 bits per character, 1 or 2 stop bits, even, odd, mark, space or no parity Hardware hand-shake (RTS/CTS) and/or software hand-shake (XON/XOFF)
	RS signals available	RS232 : TxD, RxD (3 Tx signals, 5 Rx signals), RTS, DTR, CTS, DCD, DSR, RI (The pin can be used as remote power supply pin)
	Connectors	Female SUB D9 (crossed DTE)
	Protection	15KV ESD protection with HF signal filtering, CE conformity, RS/Ethernet 1500 Veff isolation
	Ethernet Network	10 Base T Ethernet, 10/100 compatible (RJ 45), the COMETH Ethernet interfaces are compatible with any 10/100 Base TX equipment (network card or HUB) featuring self-commutation, the serial data transfer between the COMETH and the hub is carried out at 10 Mb/s while the data transfer between the hub and the rest of the network is carried out at 100 Mb/s
	Modes	Support for TCP Client/Server, DHCP Client, TELNET RFC2217 extension, Telnet Server, COM port re-director (VIP), multipoint or point to point virtual link over UDP modes and MODBUS/TCP Client/Server, MODBUS/RTU & MODBUS/ASCII protocols
	Administration	From the serial port or through Ethernet (Telnet), firmware download for easy upgrade
	Operating systems	Any compatible TCP/IP system
	Signaling	1 diag. LED, 1 LAN LED & 1 RS232 LED
	Power supply	Jack external (+4,5VDC to +5,5VDC) or remote power supply (SUB D connector, pin 9)
	Environment	Operating temperature: 0°C to +70°C
	Dimensions and weight	COMETH: L80 x l23 x h24 mm, 35 g COMETH-LITE: L65 x l20 x h2 mm, 5 g

Remote COM port mode

Works with Windows 9x/me/NT/2K/XP, Linux and requires a COM port redirector driver software on the PC (VIP).

 

This mode is supported by the COMETH when running the “ServerCom” firmware and when configured in the TELNET RFC 2217 mode (TELNET RFC 2217 is a standard).

 

This mode makes it possible to run any Windows COM applications without any adaptation (Hyperterminal for example), basically designed for a local COM port, the Windows communication API is fully supported. COM port configuration is carried out by the application itself and not necessarily by the administration module.

 

Other redirector softwares relying on the RFC 2217 standard exist for other operating systems.

 

TCP socket server mode

This mode works with any operating system supporting TCP/IP.
It is supported by the COMETH when running the “ServerCom” firmware and when configured in the RAW mode.

 

The COMETH is able to answer to TCP connection request on a configurable TCP port (it is thus a server).

 

The application which uses the COMETH relies on the SOCKET API and not on the COM API.
COM port configuration (speed, characters, flow control) is programmed in the COMETH using the administration module.

 

TCP socket client mode

This mode works with any operating system supporting TCP/IP.
It is supported by the COMETH when running the “TCP Client” firmware.

 

The COMETH is able to answer a TCP connection request on a TCP port to a server, the IP address of the server is programmed using the administration module.
Connection origin can be established from COMETH power ON of from the rising edge of the DSR signal.

 

The application which uses the COMETH relies on the SOCKET API and not on the COM API.
COM port configuration (speed, characters, flow control) is programmed in the COMETH using the administration module.

 

TELNET mode

This mode works with any operating system supporting TCP/IP and which has a TELNET client software, two cases:

 

• Configured TCP port TCP of the socket TCP Server mode

This mode is supported by the COMETH when running the “ServerCom” firmware and when configured in the TELNET mode.
It doesn’t require any application development on the PC, TELNET is the network application !

 

• TCP port #23

This mode is supported by all the COMETH’s firmwares.
When the COMETH receives a port 23 connection request, it switches to the administration mode and can thus be configured (speed, mode …).

 

UDP socket mode

This mode works with any operating system supporting TCP/IP.

 

There’s no concept of connection/deconnection and thus no server / client concept in the UDP mode as in TCP. UDP is a transport Protocollike TCP but it works faster and is less advanced.

 

This mode is supported by the COMETH when running the “TUNNEL” firmware and when configured in RAW mode.

 

The software which uses the COMETH relies on the Socket API and not on the COM API.
COM port configuration (speed, characters, flow control) is programmed in the COMETH using the administration module.

 

This mode enables to carry out a point-to-point connection between 2 serial ports while relying on IP but without transport of serial control signals.
Two COMETH can be installed on each side but any other equipment supporting UDP can also be connected.

 

TUNNEL UDP & point-to-point mode

This mode is supported by the COMETH when running the “TUNNEL” firmware and when configured in the TUNNELAPP mode.

 

The software which uses the COMETH relies on the Socket API and not on the COM API.
COM port configuration (speed, characters, flow control) is programmed in the COMETH using the administration module.

 

This mode enables to carry out a point-to-point connection between 2 serial ports while relying on IP but with the transport of serial control signals.
Only two COMETH can be installed on each side because TUNNELAPP is not a standard Protocol.

 

MODBUS/TCP data gateway mode

This mode is supported by the COMETH when running the “MODBUS/TCP” firmware.

 

In conformity with the MODBUS/TCP Client / Server specifications, this mode makes it possible to connect any serial MODBUS equipments (MODBUS/ASCII & MODBUS/RTU) to the Ethernet TCP/IP network.

 

In this mode, the COMETH settles like a bridge between the Ethernet network and the serial MODBUS equipments which dramatically simplifies the extension from traditional MODBUS installation to a MODBUS/TCP based installation on the Ethernet network.
The COMETH device can work as a slave or master device on both sides (Ethernet or Serial).

 

This mode also makes it possible to connect between them and in a transparent way several traditional serial MODBUS equipments through the Ethernet network.

 

COMETH with MODBUS/TCP allows moreover integration within the same network of serial MODBUS/ASCII & MODBUS/RTU based equipments and MODBUS/TCP equipments.

 

Some illustrations

NOTE : COMETH has reached the end of its life cycle (to know more about its different deadlines click here).
The recommended replacement product is : COMETH-FIELD-RD. Your sales representative is at your disposal for any questions.

 

 

References to order

COMETH

RS232 to Ethernet TCP/IP single port server, with COM ports re-director & MODBUS/TCP, shipped with the AC adapter