White Paper Networking with EclerNet Manager

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1 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 1 of Network Basics for EclerNet Manager EclerNet Manager (ENM) is the software application used for the configuration and control of the Ecler networkable devices family (MIMO88, NZA series, NPA series, etc.). This application uses an Ethernet LAN network as the physical infrastructure to establish the communication link with the devices under its management. An Ethernet network is any collection of independent computers and/or electronic devices that communicate with one to another over a shared transmission medium (network switches, cables...). In the case of the Ecler networkable devices, the protocol used is TCP/IP with a required speed of 100Mb/s and CAT5 or higher wiring. Each hardware device is uniquely identified with an IP address, a 32 bits number (IPV4). This IP address must be entered manually, once, during the configuration process of the hardware device and by means of the EclerNet Manager Software application, along with the correct mask and the gateway (if needed). The correct network configuration of the hardware devices is essential to allow control and monitoring within the EclerNet network. This can be usually depicted as (point to point connection, no network hardware in between): CAT5 straight or Xover When more than two devices are used, we will need (at least) a network switch:

2 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 2 of Basic Network Configuration As said before, each device has a personal and unique IP. For readability purposes, humans typically work with IP addresses in a notation called dotted decimal. This notation places periods between each of the four numbers (octets) that comprise an IP address. For example, an IP address that those computers see as: is written in dotted decimal as: IP= Despite we have the possibility to assign any IP (theoretically from to ), to avoid network conflicts and collisions we must keep it confined within the called private ranges : IP address private range Max. number of addresses ,777, ,048, ,536 By default all Ecler networked devices come out from factory with the following network configuration: IP: Mask: Gateway: UDP Port: 2210 In this document we will use indistinctly any IP private range for the examples. The devices network configuration must be manually entered with nor DHCP server (automatic) at this time, neither APIPA DHCP failover ( X.X range). The role of the network mask is to restrict the range of IPs, thus allowing what we call subnetting. Two or more devices can only communicate to each other if they are in the same IP range, or under the same mask (subnet):

3 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 3 of 12 Prefix size Network mask Available subnets / / / / / / / / Usable hosts per subnet Latest bits from net mask must follow the above convention; thus a mask of is not legal, whereas is Ok. For instance, a good configuration between a PC and a device is: PC DEVICE IP address Mask The IP address & Mask combination above allows for the connection of up to 254 devices on the same subnet. Example of a wrong configuration: PC DEVICE IP address Mask And a correct one, instead: PC DEVICE IP address Mask Two more wrong configuration examples: PC DEVICE IP address Mask

4 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 4 of 12 PC DEVICE IP address Mask Across internet, there are a lot of net calculators to bring the correct configuration in an easy way. As a good starting point, it would be strongly advisable to check the controller device IP (computer) and the controlled device IP (Ecler networkable device). A simple way to do so in Windows is using ipconfig command. Open a CMD window and write ipconfig /all (without quotes); you will a screen showing the PC network configuration, similar to this one: This configuration must be compatible (IP range, mask) with the controlled device. In this example, assuming we have an IP: and mask: , the manually entered network configuration for the controlled device (in this case a MIMO88) could be this one: Note that the IP Gateway is not configured and left by default, since we don t need to reach control from locations outside our local network.

5 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 5 of 12 Care must be taken to enter the IP address without leading zeros, since: Is definitely not the same as: A UDP port is used by EclerNet Manager software and its compatible hardware to send control and data messages between devices. So, an extra care must be applied to ensure that all the network devices between the controller (PC) and the controlled (MIMO88) devices allow UDP packets to flow freely; this can affect to switches, hubs, routers etc. The UDP port value can be changed to any suitable and unused value, but must be done at both sides simultaneously. A basic and useful tool is the ping command. Always check the correct configuration pinging from the PC to the device IP address (again, from a CMD window): More advanced tools to help in troubleshooting are the port scanners and the traffic network analyzer such Nmap, Wireshark 3. Advanced Network Configuration EclerNet Manager uses multicast packets to discover the unused compatible devices (those ones still not included in a project), even if they are not in the same IP range. These devices may appear inside the Online and Unused Devices List window in EclerNet Manager:

6 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 6 of 12 Then, we must be sure as well that the entire path among devices in the network allows for Unicast/Multicast transfer. In some switches it may be also necessary to disable some settings related to the number of multicast packets allowed to get through. The labelling used for these settings is varied among brands, but they are often referred as broadcast storm, IGMP, 802.1p or similar terms. Some examples over 3Com switches: Perhaps the settings to be tweaked are referred as IGMP...:

7 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 7 of 12 In the case of running through a VPN (Virtual Private Network), all the multicast features must be enabled (in the example a SonicWall device):

8 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 8 of 12 A similar case happens when we want to control the device from a location outside the local area network: for instance, from a country to another by means of a DSL line and a couple of routers: CAT5 DSL DSL CAT5 ROUTER ROUTER In this case, multicast packets can t travel across the Internet, so no devices will appear inside the Online and Unused Devices List window. Fortunately, once we know the devices local IP address, we can enter it manually in our remote EclerNet Manager application, following this generic procedure (example for a remote MIMO88):

9 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 9 of 12 Select Add device : Select the device type existing in the installation (in this case a MIMO88): Network configuration is initially blank:

10 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 10 of 12 Put the proper device s network configuration (IP address and mask of the remote MIMO88): Note: In this scenario, the entered Gateway IP must be the same as the one assigned to the remote DSL router at the other side of the connection, the router the MIMO88 is connected to. Remember once again that the router must allow for UDP transit using the selected port (2210). See on the appendix a small list of ports and protocols. Do a connect :

11 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 11 of 12 You will then get into control mode (green connection icons): In all the situations where a router or a firewall is involved, be sure that the initiating UDP port (2210 by default) is opened. Be especially careful if you use a software firewall. The best way to deal with this, if you can afford, is to disable the software firewall and rely on a specialized hardware firewall (Juniper, Cisco ). Finally, take into consideration that TP NET (Ecler s third party remote control protocol) uses also UDP, in this case at port If you make use of this protocol, ensure the same care is taken with port 5800 as described above for port Obviously, none of the above is to be applied if you control the device via RS 232.

12 Document: AS Version: 1.0 Date: Page 12 of 12 Appendix: Summary of protocols, ports and default values: IP PORTS Protocol Comments ENM (Ecler Net TCP/UDP User selectable Manager) Multicast , 2212 IGMP Auto device discovery TP NET Same as ENM 5800 UDP User selectable UCP (User Same as PC host 80, 5088 TCP Web server Control Panels) Mail Service in ENM Same as PC host 25, 465, 587 SMTP (SSL) User selectable Bibliography: formats/html_single/multicast HOWTO.html sics.htm f26a.pdf Fitxer informàtic: Ecler Net Manager.docx