Warnings and Cautions: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Secure Racking If Secure Racked units are installed in a closed or multi-unit rack assembly, they may require further evaluation by Certification Agencies. The following items must be considered. The ambient within the rack may be greater than room ambient. Installation should be such that the amount of air flow required for safe operation is not compromised.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide No Serviceable Parts Inside; Authorized Service Personnel Only Do not attempt to repair or service this device yourself. Internal components must be serviced by authorized personnel only. • Shock Hazard - Do Not Enter...
Easy Set-Up and Operation Configuration of the APS-8M and APS-16M is simple. A menu system is used to select communications parameters, and enable or disable options. The APS-8M and APS-16M can easily adapt to the requirements of almost any data communications application.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Modem Communication The APS-8M and APS-16M can both be controlled by a local PC that communicates with the unit via cable, or controlled remotely via external modem. Hyperterminal (or another communications program) is used to send commands to connect ports or display status.
RDY: Flashes when unit is ready to receive commands. DCD: (APS-16M Only) Lights when Data Carrier Detect signal is present. ACTIVITY LEDs: Light when corresponding port is receiving data. Note that the APS-8M includes eight Activity LEDs and the APS-16M includes sixteen Activity LEDs. Notes:...
RS232 PORTS: For connection to RS232 console ports on user devices. The APS-8M includes seven RS232 Ports, and the APS-16M includes sixteen RS232 Ports. For more information, please refer to Section 4.3 (connection instructions), Appendix A (interface description), and...
APS-8/16M back panel. It is recommended to use a direct, dedicated POTS line for connection to the Modem Port. Note that the APS-8M sees the Modem Port as Port 8, and the APS-16M sees the Modem Port as Port 17.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 3.3. Communicating with the APS-8/16M The APS-8/16M command mode allows you to check unit status, change configuration parameters and connect and disconnect ports (including the Modem Port.) Access Command Mode: Via Local PC: Start your communications program and then press [Enter].
| (undefined) | Internal_Modem Enter /H for command menu. APS> Figure 3.1: The Port Status Screen (Model APS-8M Shown) Creating Connections Between Ports: The APS-8/16M can perform two different types of port connections; Resident Connections and Third Party Connections. Resident Connection: Your resident port (e.g. Port 1) issues a /C command to connect to a second port.
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APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Exit Command Mode: At the "APS>" command prompt, type /X and press [Enter]. The APS-8/16M will exit command mode. This completes the Quick Start Guide for the APS-8/16M. Prior to placing the unit into operation, please proceed to Sections 4 and 5 for complete installation and configuration procedures.
4. Hardware Installation 4.1. Connecting Power to the APS Unit The APS-8/16M is available in both AC and DC powered versions. When connecting power, proceed as follows: • Before attempting to install this unit, please review the warnings and cautions listed at the front of the user's guide. •...
4.3. Connecting Devices to the APS Serial Ports The serial RS232 Ports are standard DB9 connectors, configured as DTE Ports, and are similar to a standard serial port on a PC. The APS-8M includes seven serial RS232 ports, and the APS-16M includes sixteen serial RS232 ports. For a detailed description of the RS232 Port interface, please refer to Appendix A.
5. Configuration 5.1. Access to the APS-8/16M Command Mode When the APS-8/16M command mode is active, commands can be invoked to select parameters, and connect or disconnect ports. • Command mode cannot be accessed from a Buffer Mode Port, Passive Mode Port, or any port that is currently connected to another APS-8/16M port.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 5.2. System SetUp Ports Ports 1 and 2 are designated as System SetUp Ports, and will therefore, always permit password protected access to Supervisor Mode. In order to ensure that access to command functions is always available, Ports 1 and 2 cannot be configured as Buffer Mode or Passive Mode Ports (Buffer...
• If you do not define at least one password that permits access to Supervisor Mode, then Supervisor Level commands will be available to all ports, and port access and configuration functions will not be password protected. • If you wish to restrict users from changing APS-8/16M configuration parameters or connecting to restricted ports, you must define at least one password that permits access to Supervisor Mode as described in Section 5.4.1.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide SYSTEM PARAMETERS: 1. Site-ID: 2. Password on Dial Back: 3. Dial Back Attempts: 4. Dial Back Delay: 5. Edit Password Directory Enter: #<CR> to change, <ESC> exit ... Figure 5.1: The System Parameters Menu (/F) To define System Parameters, you must first access command mode, and then...
EDIT PASSWORD DIRECTORY: 1. Add Name/Password 2. Edit/Delete from List 3. Edit/Delete from Search 4. Delete Entire Directory Enter: #<CR> to select, <ESC> for previous menu ... Figure 5.2: The Edit Password Directory Menu 5.4.1. The Password Directory APS-8/16M passwords are defined using the "Edit Password Directory" menu, which is accessed via the System Parameters menu (/F).
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 5.4.1.3. Deleting the Entire Password Directory The Edit Password Directory menu (Figure 5.2) also allows you to delete the entire password directory, rather than accessing each individual password and deleting them one at a time. To delete the Password Directory and clear all passwords, activate the "Edit Password Directory"...
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Edit Password Directory: From the System Parameters Menu, type 5 and press [Enter] to display the Edit Password Directory Menu. At this point, you may either define new passwords that use the Dial Back Function, or alter existing passwords to include the Dial Back Function. The following parameters should be defined in the Add Name/Password Menu or Edit/Delete Password/Name Menu: •...
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 5.5. Port Configuration 5.5.1. Configuration Conventions When responding to prompts, invoking commands, and selecting items from port configuration menus, note the following: • To select an item from a Port Configuration menu, key in the number for the item and press [Enter].
Modem Mode port and invoking the /C command (see Section 8.1.1). The Passive Mode is not available to Ports 1 and 2, or the Internal Modem Port (The Internal Modem Port is Port 8 on the APS-8M, and Port 17 on the APS-16M.) •...
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The Port Configuration menu offers the following options: Port Name: (Up to 16 characters) Assigns a name to the port. • (APS-8M Defaults: Ports 1 through 7 = undefined; Port 8 = "Internal_Modem"). • (APS-16M Defaults: Ports 1 through 16 = undefined;...
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Supervisor Mode: Permits or denies access to Supervisor Mode at this port. When enabled (Permit), and a password that permits Supervisor Mode is entered, the port will allow access to Supervisor Mode commands. When disabled (Deny), the port will not enter Supervisor Mode, even when a password that normally permits access to Supervisor Mode is entered.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 10. Timeout Disconnect: Enables and selects the Timeout Period for this port. If enabled, and the port does not receive or transmit data for the specified Timeout Period, the port will disconnect. In Any-to-Any Mode, Passive Mode, or Buffer Mode, the default setting for this item is "OFF".
5.5.4. The Invalid Access Lockout Feature When properly configured and enabled, the Invalid Access Lockout feature will watch all login attempts made at a given port. If the port exceeds the selected number of invalid attempts, then that port will be automatically disabled for a user-defined length of time.
To select common parameters for all APS-8/16M RS-232 ports, proceed as follows: Access command mode. If the password prompt is displayed, key in a password that permits Supervisor Mode. At the command prompt, type /CP and press [Enter], the menu shown in Figure 5.7 will be displayed.
When the APS> command prompt appears, type /C 8 and press [Enter] to connect to the Internal Modem Port (Port 8 on the APS-8M, or Port 17 on the APS-16M). When the connection is established, the APS-8/16M will respond with a connect message that lists the port number or name and currently selected disconnect command.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 6.2. Common AT Commands This section lists some of the most commonly used AT commands for the APS-8/16M’s internal modem. For a complete listing of all available AT Commands and S-Registers, please refer to the "MT5634 Modem AT Command Set"...
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Command Function/Options &Dn Data Terminal Ready (DTR) Control. &D0 &D1 &D2 &D3 Set Modem Command Mode Echo. &Wn Store Current Modem Configuration. &W0 Stores current modem settings in non-volatile memory &W1 Clears user default settings from non-volatile memory +++AT In-band Escape Sequence. Puts the modem in command mode (and optionally issues a command) while remaining online.
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APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Command Function/Options Information Request &En XON/XOFF Pacing Control. &E12 Disables XON/XOFF pacing. &E13 Enables XON/XOFF pacing. Display default speed and controller firmware version. Calculate and display ROM checksum (e.g., 12AB.) Check ROM and verify the checksum, displaying OK or ERROR Display default speed and controller firmware version.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide As shown in Figure 7.1, The Port Status Screen lists the following: • Name: The user-defined name for each port. • Command Access: Indicates if the corresponding port has been disabled by the Invalid Access Lockout feature. If this column reads "Locked", then the defined number of invalid access attempts for this port has been...
| Internal_Modem Enter /H for command menu. APS> Figure 7.2: The Port Diagnostics Screen (Model APS-8M; Defaults Shown) As shown in Figure 7.2, the Port Diagnostics Screen lists the following: • Port: The Port Number. • Name: The user-defined name for each port.
Name Password ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- admin (defined) drafting (defined) engineering (defined) finance (defined) (defined) manufacturing (defined) marketing (defined) sales (defined) service (defined) test (defined) Reached End of Directory. APS> Figure 7.4: The Password Directory Screen (Sample Values Shown) As shown in Figure 7.4, the Password Directory Screen lists the following: •...
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APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide...
8. Operation 8.1. Any-to-Any Mode Any-to-Any Mode Ports can be connected to other Any-to-Any, Passive, Buffer, or Modem Mode Ports by accessing command mode and issuing the /C Command. All ports can be configured for the Any-to-Any Mode. 8.1.1. Port Connection and Disconnection The APS-8/16M provides communication between devices without the requirement that both devices use the same communication parameters.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide To connect ports, proceed as follows: Access command mode as described in Section 5.1. If the Password Prompt is displayed, enter a password that permits Supervisor Mode. Invoke the /C command to connect the desired ports.
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To disconnect ports, proceed as follows: Resident Disconnect: Disconnects your resident port from another port. For example, if you are communicating via Port 3, and Port 3 is connected to Port 4, a Resident Disconnect would be used to disassociate the two ports.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide No Activity Timeout: Providing the Timeout Disconnect feature is enabled at either connected port, a No Activity Timeout can disconnect Resident Ports, or Third Party Ports. RS232 Ports: To configure the Timeout Disconnect Feature for the RS232 Ports, invoke the /P command to display the Port Configuration Menu for the desired port as described in...
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Your port will be connected to the first available port in the group. If all ports are presently connected, the APS-8/16M will respond with a "BUSY" message. It is only necessary to enter enough letters of the port name to differentiate Hunt Group ports from other ports.
Passive Mode is not available to Ports 1 and 2 (SetUp Ports). • The Internal Modem Port cannot be configured as a Passive Mode Port. On the APS-8M, Port 8 is the Internal Modem Port, and on the APS-16M, Port 17 is the Internal Modem Port. 8.3. Buffer Mode Ports configured as Buffer Mode ports will collect data from the connected...
8.3.1. Reading Data from Buffer Mode Ports To retrieve data from Buffer Mode Ports, you must first determine which port buffers contain data. To check port buffers for stored data, access command mode and type /S [Enter] to display the Port Status Screen. To retrieve data from buffer memory, go to a free Any-to-Any or Modem Mode Port, access command mode (Supervisor Mode), and issue the /C command using the following format:...
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 8.3.2. Port Buffers The Status Screen lists the amount of Buffer Memory currently used by each port. The APS-8/16M uses buffer memory in two different ways, depending on the user-selected port mode.
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• When a Modem Mode Port exits command mode, or the DCD line is lost while command mode is active, the APS-8/16M will pulse the DTR line to the modem. The unit will then send the user-defined modem command strings to make certain the modem is properly disconnected and reinitialized.
Saved parameters can also be uploaded to other identical APS-8/16M units. This allows rapid set-up when several units will be configured with the same parameters, providing that units are the same model (APS-8M or APS-16M) and are using the same APS-8/16M firmware version.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 9.2. Restoring Saved Parameters This section describes the procedure for using your communications program to send stored parameters to the APS-8/16M. Start your communications program and access the APS-8/16M command mode; if the password prompt is displayed, enter a password that permits access to Supervisor Mode.
10. Upgrading APS-8/16M Firmware When new, improved versions of the APS-8/16M operating firmware become available, the /UF (Upgrade Firmware) function can be used to update the APS-8/16M unit to the new firmware version. Updates can be uploaded to the unit via SetUp Ports one and two, or via the Internal Modem Port. To install a firmware update, proceed as follows: Note: All other ports will be disabled during the firmware upgrade procedure.
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APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Use your communication program’s (e.g. HyperTerminal’s) upload function to transfer the upgrade firmware to the unit. Select ASCII file format, and then specify the filename and directory location where the firmware upgrade file resides.
11. Command Reference Guide 11.1. Command Conventions The commands described in this section conform to the following conventions: • Slash Character: Most APS-8/16M commands begin with the Slash Character (/). • Apply Command to All Ports: When the asterisk character is entered as the argument of the /D command (Disconnect Port), or the /E command (Erase Buffer) the command will be applied to all ports.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 11.2. Command Response When commands are sent to the APS-8/16M, the unit can respond with either verbose (English Text) or terse messages (numeric / abbreviated). In the default state, all ports will send verbose command responses.
11.3. Command Summary Function Enter Command Mode Exit Command Mode Help Menu Display Site ID Display Port Status Display Port Diagnostics Display Port Parameters (Who) Display Password Directory Set System Parameters Set RS232 Port Parameters Copy RS232 Port Parameters Connect Resident Disconnect...
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide 11.4. Command Set This section provides more detailed information on all APS-8/16M commands, sorted alphabetically by name. [Enter] Enter Command Mode In order to set parameters or connect ports, you must first access command mode as described in Section 5.1.
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Connect Establishes a bidirectional connection between two ports. For more information and command line examples, please refer to Section 8.1. There are two types of port connections: • Resident Connect: If the /C command specifies one port name or number, your resident port will be connected to the specified port. •...
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APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Third Party Disconnect Invoke the /D command at your resident port to disconnect two other ports. The /D command cannot be used to disconnect your resident port. To disconnect your resident port, issue the Resident Disconnect Sequence or wait for the Timeout Period to elapse (if enabled).
Set System Parameters Displays a menu which is used to define the Site ID message and other global parameters. Also allows access to the "Add Password" function. For more information, please refer to Section 5.4. Availability: Supervisor Mode Only Format: /F [Enter] Response: Displays System Parameters Menu Help Displays a Help Screen, which lists all APS-8/16M commands along with a...
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Set RS232 Port Parameters Displays a menu which allows the user to select options and parameters for the selected port. Section 5.5.3 describes the procedure for defining port parameters. Availability: Supervisor Mode Only Format: /P [x] [Enter] Where x is the number or name of the port to be configured.
Save Parameters Sends configuration parameters to an ASCII text file as described in Section 9. Availability: Supervisor Mode Only Format: /U [Enter] Response: The APS-8/16M will send a series of command lines. Upgrade Firmware When new versions of the APS-8/16M operating firmware become available, this command is used to update the existing firmware as described in Section 10.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Display Port Parameters (Who) Displays detailed configuration information for an individual port. Ports with User Level command capability cannot display parameters for other ports. If you have logged into command mode using a port and password that permit Supervisor Mode, the /W command can display information for any APS-8/16M port.
A. RS232 Port Interface Figure A.1: RS232 Port Hardware DCD and DTR hardware lines function as follows: When connected: If either port is set for Modem Mode, the DTR output at either port reflects the DCD input at the other end. If neither port is set for Modem Mode, DTR output is held high (active).
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide B. Specifications RS232 Port Interface: • APS-8M & APS-8M-DC: Seven (7) RS232 serial inputs use DB9 connectors configured as DTE ports. • APS-16M & APS-16M-DC: Sixteen (16) RS232 serial inputs use DB9 connectors configured as DTE ports.
Appendices C. Customer Service Customer Service hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, PST, Monday through Friday. When calling, please be prepared to give the name and make of the unit, its serial number and a description of its symptoms. If the unit should need to be returned for factory repair it must be accompanied by a Return Authorization number from Customer Service.
APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide D. Trademark and Copyright Information WTI and Western Telematic are trademarks of Western Telematic Inc.. All other product names mentioned in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
E. Regulatory Statements FCC Part 15 Regulation This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
If trouble is experienced with this equipment, for repair or warranty information, please contact Western Telematic, Inc. at 1-800-854-7226. If the equipment is causing harm to the telephone network, the telephone company may request that you disconnect the equipment until the problem is resolved.
Index Accept Break Activity LEDs AC Powered Units Adding Passwords Add Name/Password Dial Back Number Name Password Port Access Supervisor Mode Any-to-Any Mode AT Commands Baud Rate Bits Breaks Buffer Mode Port Buffers Reading Data CLEAR Button Command Echo Command Mode Access Local Modem Command Reference Guide...
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APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide Name No Activity Timeout One Character Disconnect ON Indicator Operation Parameters Saving and Restoring Parity Passive Mode Passwords Adding Editing and Deleting Password Directory Add Name/Password Delete Entire Directory Deleting Entire Edit/Delete from List...
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Terminal Block Terse Response Third Party Connections Third Party Disconnect Three Character Disconnect Timeout Timeout Disconnect Unlocking Ports Unlock Ports Upgrade Firmware Upgrading Firmware User Name Verbose Response Warnings and Cautions Who Command 5-16, 11-2 8-3, 11-6 5-15, 8-3 5-16 5-17 11-9 11-9...
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