ESP Serial Hubs available in 8 and 16 port models allow you to place serial COM/TTY ports at the point of need, anywhere on a local or remote LAN segment. The ESP Serial Hubs communicate with an Equinox SuperSerial driver located on a Windows, Linux, AIX or SCO system. With the ESP, existing server-based applications have direct access to network-enabled serial devices, as if they were directly attached to the server. Custom applications are not required. The ESP Serial Hubs and the LAN are “transparent.”

With ESP Serial Hubs the use of excessive cabling is also eliminated. Networks benefit from cost-effective structured cabling providing cleaner installations. Serial ports and new devices can be connected in minutes “on the fly” and do not require opening your server or interrupting operations. Simply attach the ESP to twisted-pair Ethernet and load the device driver on the server. The ESP Installation Wizard locates and configures the newly attached ESP, giving you full control of COM/TTY port assignments. Ports on the ESP can be assigned to different hosts. Each ESP has an internal universal power supply eliminating the need for bulky external “power bricks”.

Serial Hubs are designed for versatile support of applications in industrial automation, process control, manufacturing and across a broad range of commercial operations including retail POS, hospitality, back office, medical, security systems and more.

Benefits & Features

• Serial signaling support for RS-232
• Full modem control signals on all ports (TXD, RXD, CTS, RTS, DSR, DCD, DTR)
• Multi-host attachment allows for high availability solutions
• One click ‘Replace’ option enables the addition of a new unit to the network without
  reconfiguring installation parameters
• No more wiring nightmares; structured network cabling provides clean, cost-effective solutions
• Connect additional serial ports and new devices in minutes “on the fly”- no need to open your server or interrupt operations
• With peripheral sharing, serial ports are freed from the confines of your server
• Serial hubs place no additional demands on servers for interrupts, power or memory
• ESP Serial Hubs support 10/100 Ethernet with auto-sensing
• ESP-8 MI serial signaling support for RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485
• ESP-8 MI signaling is soft selectable for flexibility

Product Details

Performance: The SuperSerial intelligence in the ESP units provides the same high performance data throughput that users enjoy with direct, bus-attached Equinox SuperSerial units.

Easy Set-Up and Installation: First, you don’t have to open or even interrupt the server to add or swap out ESP units. Simply attach the ESP to twisted-pair Ethernet and load the device driver on the NT server. The ESP Installation Wizard locates and configures the newly attached ESP, giving you full control of COM port assignments. Ports on the ESP can be assigned to different hosts. IP addresses can be assigned using the Equinox installation program or by using the BOOTP protocol. Each ESP has an internal universal power supply eliminating the need for bulky external “bricks”. A Wall Mount Kit is supplied with each ESP, and an optional Rack Mount Shelf is also available.

Reliability: Surge protection is on every pin of every port. ESP configuration data is stored in Flash Memory for instant recovery from “brownouts” or power outages. Each unit uses Equinox-exclusive SuperSerial ASICs, proven the world over as the most reliable serial I/O technology in the industry. ESPs have a five-year warranty.

Diagnostics and Management: Ethernet Serial Providers are fully supported with the unique EquiView Plus software from Equinox. Fully SNMP capable, you can use EquiView Plus to monitor and diagnose problems with any port on the network. Trouble-shoot any port in any location, either directly from the server or from home or on the road via your laptop computer. Off-line diagnostics include internal and external loop-back tests.

Technical Specifications