7–2
MULTINET4 MULTI-PORT SERIAL SERVER & MANAGED SWITCH – INSTRUCTION MANUAL
TERMINAL SERVER APPLICATION NOTES
CHAPTER 7: TERMINAL SERVER APPLICATION NOTES
signaling over twisted pair, it can run over long distances, up to a kilometer. Maximum
theoretical data transmission speeds are also higher than RS-232, up to 30Mbps over short
distances.
7.1.2
Networking Standards
Serial data transfer standards like RS-232 and RS-485 are generally insufficient for
implementing modern digital communication networks. In the past, these networks have
been constructed using a number of available technologies but industrial applications are
increasingly shifting toward running the Internet Protocol (IP) over Ethernet-based
technologies. This enables the deployment of highly interoperable, reliable, and secure
high-speed networks at extremely low cost. The IEEE is responsible for publishing
standards related to Ethernet. A large body of such standards exists as IEEE 802.
x
. Data
transfer rates range from 10Mbps to 1000Mbps depending on the physical layer
technology employed. Distances can run up to 100 meters on twisted pair cables and for
tens of kilometers using fiber optic transceivers.