Planning The Network Connection; Choosing A Communications Application - Intermec Janus 2010 User Manual

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Planning the Network Connection

In most networking and data communications situations, the JANUS reader
uses a communications application, communications protocol, and protocol
handler to communicate with another computer device.
What is a communications application? A communications application is a
software program that lets the reader communicate with another computer
device. Many specialized communications applications are available because
there are many specialized data communications tasks to be performed. For
example, a communications application may establish a connection with
another computer, transfer files, and perform error checking—or it may make
remote directories and files available to the local user.
Communications applications usually require communications protocols and
protocol handlers to handle the actual transmission of data. However, you do
not need a communications protocol or protocol handler if the application will
access the COM port directly.
What is a communications protocol? Communications protocols determine
exactly how data is transmitted between the reader and the connected device.
Each protocol has parameters you can set, such as baud rate and parity. Both
the reader and the connected device must use the same protocol and parameter
settings to communicate properly.
What is a protocol handler? Protocol handlers are programs you run only on
the JANUS reader. The protocol handler transmits and receives data in the
manner specified by the communications protocol. Each protocol handler is
used with a specific communications protocol.
The next sections explain how to choose a communications application,
communications protocol, and protocol handler for each COM port on the
reader.

Choosing a Communications Application

You can use one of the three communications applications provided with your
reader, you can create a JANUS PSK communications application, or you can
purchase a third-party communications application:
IRL Desktop You can use the IRL Desktop to transfer IRL programs and IRL
data files between the reader and a host computer. For help, see Chapter 7,
"Working With IRL."
Interlnk You can use this DOS utility to access the drives on the host computer
as if they are on the reader, and vice versa. For help, see "Running Interlnk to
Transfer Files" later in this chapter.
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Networking the Reader
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