Connecting to serial PLC over Ethernet network - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Asgards
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 05:30:11 pm
content: I have an older Mitsubishi PLC with a RS232 serial connector. I want to connect to this PLC over a local Ethernet network. I assume that I can use a serial to Ethernet converter for this, is that correct? If so, do you have any recommendations / experience how to setup such a connection?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2013, 06:25:13 pm
content: Funny, I got one at the local scrapyard recently, Lantronix unit.IMG_1238bySeanB_ZA, on Flickr

author: CalG
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2013, 12:49:58 am
content: Might ask herehttp://www.plctalk.net/qanda/index.php

author: Asgards
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 07, 2013, 06:39:35 am
content: Thanks for the suggestions. To answer my own question, I did find a serial Ethernet converter herehttp://www.usconverters.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=225which I was able to connect to the PLC. The setup is actually pretty easy once I found out how to use the converter.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2013, 07:57:14 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on September 05, 2013, 06:25:13 pm10/10 I've used a whole lot of these! Very reliable, often more so than what they are connected to,

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2013, 01:18:53 pm
content: Want it?

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2013, 03:26:21 pm
content: Hey Peter, you're from Oz. Have you tried those $170 jobs from jaycar? If you have are they any good?

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2013, 07:30:40 am
content: Quote from: AlfBaz on September 07, 2013, 03:26:21 pmI haven't tried that specific unit, no, however, I have tried a few cheap units, which all have long term stability issues, and considering the price, i'd just get a lantronix. We used them attached to between GSM modems and industrial equipment for remote management and monitoring with literally years of up-time and no issues. Here is one that is going pretty cheap if you want to pick one uphttp://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Lantronix-UDS-10-Device-Server-/121171423275?pt=AU_Servers&hash=item1c3661302b&_uhb=1, probably been cable tied to some piece of ancient equipment sitting in a rack for the past 10 years.

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2013, 07:38:09 am
content: I know could/should search but have you had any experience going the other way. More specifically Ethernet -> 485?EDIT: PS thanks for that link, I'll keep an eye on it

author: Tooms
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2013, 07:40:18 am
content: HiI have before connected an home automatic controller there is having an serial port to the network and then having an virtual serial port on the pchttp://www.tooms.dk/articles_tutorials/ihc_serialportserver/default.aspTooms

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2013, 07:48:31 am
content: Quote from: AlfBaz on September 08, 2013, 07:38:09 amI'm unsure what is meant by that? These devices are bi-directional so I'm not sure about "the other way". Also, they work fine for RS-485, though you have to be careful what you use them on, I find devices using RS-485 can be more susceptible to latency issues caused by the conversions and networks latency as opposed to devices using RS-232, which don't really give a shit.

author: bingo600
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2013, 02:42:17 pm
content: Moxa also makes some neat Ether -> Serial units.They have a "DLL" , that makes the Ether -> Serial ports come up as a "Com-Port" on Windows/Bingo

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2013, 03:15:31 pm
content: If you got an old router supported by openwrt you could use ser2net.