Moxa Technologies DE-308 - Manual (Page 9)

NPort Server Pro User’s Manual 1-1
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1.
Overview
Welcome to Moxa NPort Server Pro, an Industrial Serial Device Server that greatly enhances the
ability of a Windows NT/95/98 host to control multiple serial port devices over a TCP/IP based
Ethernet network.
This chapter is an overview of NPort Server Pro and includes the following:
q Features
q Package Checklist
q Front Panel View
q Rear Panel View
NPort Server Pro provides a data communication solution for connecting Windows NT/95/98 hosts
to multiple asynchronous RS-232 serial ports through a TCP/IP network. Each model has 8 (DE-308)
or 16 (DE-303) asynchronous RS-232 serial port connections, and one 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
connection, allowing any device that supports primarily the asynchronous communications protocol
to attach to a network. NPort Server Pro works like an add-on multi-port serial board to the NT/95/98
server, but with one major advantage—the TCP/IP network. Since the Windows NT/95/98 host
communicates with the COM ports on Nport Server Pro over a TCP/IP network, you are able to
control asynchronous serial devices from virtually anywhere in the world.
Although it connects through the virtual link of the Ethernet, the ports on NPort Server Pro are
recognized as real COM ports by the Windows NT/95/98 operating system. NPort Server Pro
provides the basic transmit/receive data functions, as well as RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, and DCD
control signals. Moreover, the NPort Server Pro driver is fully compatible with the Windows
NT/95/98 standard COM driver.
NPort Server Pro can be used with your existing applications that support serial communication. It
also comes with a utility program providing a simple step-by-step installation procedure, and a
maintenance wizard that gives you easy access to your asynchronous devices.