
Installation 2
2 - 4
The serial communications link between a Host computer and a network of I/O
PLEXERs can use various combinations of 3 wire shielded RS-232, dual twisted
pair (plus recommended ground shield) RS-422, or single twisted pair (plus
recommended ground shield) RS-485.
The Host to first I/O PLEXER can be any of the three, but because most Hosts
are equipped with an RS-232 port. This is used most often providing the distance
is less than 50 feet. For greater distances, up to 5000 feet, a choice must be made
to either equip the Host with an RS-422 or RS-485 card, or use an external RS-
232 range extender such as the duTec BaudMaster.
If the Host to first unit link is RS-232, the balance of a network, if any,
can
be a
mixture of RS-422 and/or RS-485.
If the Host to first link is either RS-422 or RS-485. The balance of the network, if
any,
can
be a mixture of RS-422 and/or RS-485.
For total wire runs less than 5000 feet, both RS-422 and RS-485 networks can
operate in multidrop mode. In this configuration every unit attached to the Host
computer is passively connected to the network. The benefit to this is that the
loss of power to any unit on the network does not affect the ability of other units
to respond to the Host computer. A drawback to this approach is that the total
length of a multidrop segment can only be 5000 feet.
For ranges greater than 5000 feet, some or all of the I/O PLEXERs can operate in
the repeat mode. In this mode, the unit plays an active roll in broadcasting the
communications signals. The length of each network segment connected to a unit
in the repeat mode can be up to 5000 feet. The limitation of the repeat mode is
that a power failure of any single unit disables communications for all units
further “downstream” from the Host.
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