Wireless RS232

[SaltNutz]

I'm getting tired of my old laptop freezing up in the garage behind my aquarium. I have decided the best solution is to either go wireless RS232 to my desktop up stairs in my office or convert the RS232 of my ACII to Ethernet.

Two questions:

Option one (Wireless RS232): What is the cheapest way to do this? Anyone have any experience?

Option Two (Ethernet): I don't think Aquanotes will work on Ethernet, will it? Perhaps there's a way to "map" the serial connection of the computer to the Ethernet port?

TIA

 

[gotfrogs]

take a look at this thread

 

[kattner]

There are a number of "gizmos" out there that convert a serial interface to ethernet. Some go further and convert directly from serial to wireless ethernet. These are usually called wireless serial to ethernet bridges. In either case, these devices will require you to load some software on your computer to redirect the data coming in over the ethernet interface to some legacy software that has a COM port interface. One company that makes these devices is dpac. See www.dpactech.com. There are others just google them. I have used an evaluation version of the dpac device since it is very slick and converts directly from serial to wireless ethernet. I had some problems with the "redirector" software though. It would drop the connection and I could never get it to work consistently. There is freeware "redirector" software available, but I never got around to trying it all out to see if different redirector software would work better.

Once, Neptune came out with the ACIII Pro with the ethernet interface, I switched to that. I have the ACIII set up next to my reef tank and I am using a Dlink ethernet to wireless bridge which makes my AC III available wirelessly over my home network. It works flawlessly and has never dropped a connection.

 

[kattner]

And I forgot to add that with the ACIII ethernet setup you do not need the redirector software. This is because Aquanotes has been upgraded to work with the ethernet interface on the ACIII. You just tell Aquanotes the IP address for your ACIII and it logs into it wirelessly over your home lan.

 

[gotfrogs]

sounds like a nice setup!

 

[kattner]

Yes, but as you probably know its always a work in progress and battle against murphy's law!

 

[SaltNutz]

I just can't force myself to fork out another $800 bucks for the ACIII. It's nice but...

So I ordered two of the Socket devices which came to a total of $250.00. We'll see how it works.

Now the smart money would have sold his old ACII and taken that money and invested it into a new ACIII. Probably close to the same price as the additional Socket devices. Hey but what fun would that be?

 

[gotfrogs]

You could save ~$100 and only order one of the Socket adapters and then use a USB/bluetooth adapter on the PC.

 

[SaltNutz]

Got the two Socket adapters in today. Looks like I'll be sending them back. The range is very bad. When I had them about four feet apart in my office they didn't work well but indicated they were connected. Put one down stairs (about 20ft) in the garage and now no connection at all.

Back to the drawing board...

 

[gotfrogs]

this one has a 200m range

 

[tonga_man]

I use a serial to ethernet adaptor from IndustialEthernet, and plug that into a 80211.b bridge from Dlink. It was easy and painless to hook it up to my existing wireless network - including great range. I went with the cheaper 80211.b bridge because of the low data flow from the AQCII.

http://industrialethernet.com/net232-dte.html

http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=21

 

[SaltNutz]

tonga_man, that looks promising. How did you get Aquanotes to communicate over Ethernet?

 

[tonga_man]

The rs232 to ethernet adaptor has software that is included with the adaptor that creates a virtual com port server. The data is sent over the wireless ethernet and then redirected to the virtual com port. Aquanotes doesn't know that it is communicating over a wireless network because it is transparent to the software. As far as Aquanotes knows, it's a local com port on the pc.

 

[gotfrogs]

tonga_man, Thanks for posting. That looks like a great inexpensive piece of hardware!! I might just have to order one!!

 

[SaltNutz]

The rs232 to ethernet adaptor has software that is included with the adaptor that creates a virtual com port server. The data is sent over the wireless ethernet and then redirected to the virtual com port. Aquanotes doesn't know that it is communicating over a wireless network because it is transparent to the software. As far as Aquanotes knows, it's a local com port on the pc.

Nice solution! Thanks for the input. I think the Bluetooth devices are going back.

 

[kattner]

I also use the dlink wireless bridge and it works great. I had to upgrade the firmware but after that it has had no problems. Does the virtual comm software work well? A version I had with the dpac device didn't work very well.

 

[tonga_man]

Does the virtual comm software work well? A version I had with the dpac device didn't work very well.

I haven't had any problems with the com port software on my server (W2K). I believe it's called XPort, but I can't be sure. I'll check it when I get home today and report back.

 

[tonga_man]

OK

The software I am using is called "Lantronix Redirector for Win32 v2.2/2" I did have to do some advance configurations to make it work reliably. I had to set the reconnects to automatic and also "no net close" so it wouldn't stop the service when it didn't see the AQII. Other than that it has worked flawlesly...

 

[SaltNutz]

Thanks for the post Tonga_man! I'm going your route and returning the Socket devices. They do not have any range to speak of.

 

[builderguy]

Awesome solution tonga_man. I think that's the direction I'll take as well