Western Telematic Switch APS 16M User Manual

WTI Part No. 13511

Rev. B

APS-8M / APS-16M

Asynchronous Port Switches

with Internal Modem

Firmware Version 4.x

Models Covered:

APS-8M

APS-8M-DC

APS-16M

APS-16M-DC

User’s Guide

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.

1. 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. The maximum temperature for the

equipment in this environment is 45°C. Consideration should be given to

the maximum rated ambient.

2. Installation should be such that a hazardous stability condition is not

achieved due to uneven loading.

Input Supply

1. Check nameplate ratings to assure there is no overloading of supply

circuits that could have an effect on overcurrent protection and supply

wiring.

2. When installing 48 VDC rated equipment, it must be installed only per

the following conditions:

A. Connect the equipment to a 48 VDC supply source that is electrically

isolated from the alternating current source. The 48 VDC source is

to be connected to a 48 VDC SELV source.

B. Input wiring to terminal block must be routed and secured in such

a manner that it is protected from damage and stress. Do not route

wiring past sharp edges or moving parts.

C. A readily accessible disconnect device, with a 3 mm minimum

contact gap, shall be incorporated in the ﬁxed wiring.

Grounding

Reliable earthing of this equipment must be maintained. Particular attention

should be given to supply connections when connecting to power strips, rather

than direct connections to the branch circuit.

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

Disconnect Power

If any of the following events are noted, immediately disconnect the unit from

the outlet and contact qualiﬁed service personnel:

1. If the power cord becomes frayed or damaged.

2. If liquid has been spilled into the device or if the device has been exposed

to rain or water.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

2. Unit Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

2.1. Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

2.2. Back Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

3. Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

3.1. Hardware Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

3.2. Connect your Equipment to the Serial Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

3.3. Communicating with the APS-8/16M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

4. Hardware Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

4.1. Connecting Power to the APS Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

4.1.1. AC Powered Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

4.1.2. DC Powered Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

4.2. Connect a Telco Line to the Modem Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

4.3. Connecting Devices to the APS Serial Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

5. Conﬁguration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

5.1. Access to the APS-8/16M Command Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

5.2. System SetUp Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

5.3. Password Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

5.4. The System Parameters Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

5.4.1. The Password Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

5.4.2. The Dial Back Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

5.5. Port Conﬁguration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

5.5.1. Conﬁguration Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

5.5.2. Port Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11

5.5.3. RS232 Port Conﬁguration Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12

5.5.4. The Invalid Access Lockout Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17

5.6. Copying Parameters to All Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18

5.7. Save User Selected Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19

6. The Internal Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

6.1. Communicating with the Internal Modem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

6.2. Common AT Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

7. The Status Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

7.1. The Port Status Screen (/S) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

7.2. The Port Diagnostics Screen (/SD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

7.3. The Port Parameters Screens (/W) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

7.4. The Password Directory Screen (/V) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

8. Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

8.1. Any-to-Any Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

8.1.1. Port Connection and Disconnection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

8.1.2. Deﬁning Hunt Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4

8.2. Passive Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

8.3. Buffer Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

8.3.1. Reading Data from Buffer Mode Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7

8.3.2. Port Buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8

8.4. Modem Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8

iii

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

9. Saving and Restoring Conﬁguration Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

9.1. Sending Parameters to a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

9.2. Restoring Saved Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2

10. Upgrading APS-8/16M Firmware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

11. Command Reference Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-1

11.1. Command Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

11.2. Command Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2

11.3. Command Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3

11.4. Command Set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4

Appendices

A. RS232 Port Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apx-1

B. Speciﬁcations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apx-2

C. Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apx-3

D. Trademark and Copyright Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apx-4

E. Regulatory Statements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apx-5

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Index-1

List of Figures

2.1.. . Instrument Front Panel (Model APS-8M). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

2.2.. . Instrument Front Panel (Model APS-16M). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

2.3.. . Instrument Back Panel (Model APS-8M). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

2.4.. . Instrument Back Panel (Model APS-16M). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

3.1.. . The Port Status Screen (Model APS-8M Shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

4.1.. . Terminal Block Assembly (DC Units Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

5.1.. . The System Parameters Menu (/F) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4

5.2.. . The Edit Password Directory Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

5.3.. . The Add Name/Password Menu (Defaults Shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

5.4.. . The Edit/Delete Name/Password Menu (Sample Values Shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

5.5.. . Port Conﬁguration Menu (Port 1 Shown). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12

5.6.. . Port Parameters Menu; Modem Mode (Port 3 Shown). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14

5.7.. . The Copy Port Parameters Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18

7.1.. . The Port Status Screen (Model APS-8M Shown). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

7.2.. . The Port Diagnostics Screen (Model APS-8M; Defaults Shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3

7.3.. . The Port Parameters Screen (Port 1 Shown). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

7.4.. . The Password Directory Screen (Sample Values Shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5

A.1. . RS232 Port Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apx-1

1. Introduction

WTI’s APS-8M and APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches allow reliable,

high-speed connections between PCs, modems, and other devices using

dissimilar baud rates, parity, and ﬂow control. The APS-8M and APS-16M

support communication at speeds up to 115.2 Kbps, and feature full RTS/CTS

hardware handshaking and a 33.6K V.34 internal modem. Lightening-swift

data throughput and full ﬂow control make the APS-8M and APS-16M the

perfect data switches for today’s high speed communications applications.

Versatile Connectivity

Up to ﬁfteen different devices can be connected to the APS-16M without the

need to select a common baud rate or parity; up to seven different devices

can be connected to the APS-8M. Each port can be individually conﬁgured

for speciﬁc baud rates, parity, handshaking, and various other parameters and

options.

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.

Password Protected Connection and Command Access

The APS-8M and APS-16M provide two levels of user security; the Supervisor

level and the Non-Supervisor level. The Supervisor level, which is intended

for use by system managers and other administrators, provides complete

access to all port connection / disconnection functions, operating features and

conﬁguration menus, and also allows access to any port on the switch. The

Non-Supervisor level is ideal for collocation applications, since users are only

permitted to view status and connect to the ports allowed by their password.

Internal Modem

The APS-8M and APS-16M feature 33.6K v.34 Internal modems; allowing

easy, convenient out-of-band access to conﬁguration and control functions.

Non-Volatile Memory

If power to the unit is lost or interrupted, the units' non-volatile memory will

retain user-deﬁned parameters and port connections.

1-1

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.

Configuration Backup

Once you have conﬁgured the APS-8M or APS-16M to ﬁt your application,

parameters and options can be saved to an ASCII text ﬁle on your PC. This

allows you to quickly restore user-selected parameters if the unit conﬁguration

is accidentally altered or deleted. Saved parameters can also be uploaded to

other APS-8M or APS-16M units. This allows rapid set-up when several units

will be conﬁgured with identical or similar parameters.

APS-8M and APS-16M Units

This User's Guide discusses both the APS-8M and APS-16M. Throughout

this User's Guide, both units are referred to as "APS-8/16M." The APS-8M

includes seven RS232 ports and an internal modem, and the APS-16M includes

sixteen RS232 ports and an internal modem. All other features function

identically.

Typographic Conventions

Throughout this manual, typefaces and characters have been used to denote the

following:

^(e.g. ^X)

Indicates a control character. For example, the text

"^X" (Control X) indicates the [Ctrl] key and the

[X] key must be pressed simultaneously.

COURIER FONT Indicates characters typed on the keyboard.

For example, /Eor /P 02.

[Bold Font]

Text set in bold face and enclosed in square brackets,

indicates a speciﬁc key. For example, [Enter] or [Esc].

< >

Indicates required keyboard entries.

For Example: /P <n>.

[ ]

Indicates optional keyboard entries.

For Example: /W [n].

1-2

2. Unit Description

2.1. Front Panel

Figure 2.1: Instrument Front Panel (Model APS-8M)

Figure 2.2: Instrument Front Panel (Model APS-16M)



CLEAR: Restarts the APS-8/16M operating program without changing

user-selected parameter settings or breaking port connections.





ON: Lights when AC Power is applied.

SET: Used to Initialize the APS-8/16M to factory defaults. To initialize,

press and hold both the SET and CLEAR buttons, release only the

CLEAR button, and then release the SET button.

Notes:

• During initialization, all port LEDs will ﬂash ON for approximately

one half second.

• During initialization, all command-selected parameters will be

cleared, and the APS will revert to default parameters.





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.

2-1

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

2.2. Back Panel

Figure 2.3: Instrument Back Panel (Model APS-8M)

Figure 2.4: Instrument Back Panel (Model APS-16M)



Power Cable Receptacle: AC powered units only. DC units include a

terminal block assembly as described in Section 4.1.2.





Power Switch

Modem Port (Line Port): For connection to your phone line. For

information regarding modem conﬁguration, please refer to Section 6.



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

Section 5.2 (Setup Ports).

2-2

3. Getting Started

This Quick Start Guide describes a simpliﬁed installation procedure for the

APS-8M and APS-16M hardware, which will allow you to communicate with

the unit in order to demonstrate basic features and check for proper operation.

Note that this Quick Start Guide does not provide a detailed description of

unit conﬁguration, or discuss advanced operating features in detail. In order

to take full advantage of the complete range of features provided by this unit,

it is strongly recommended that you review the Installation and Conﬁguration

sections of this User's Guide after completing this Quick Start procedure.

3.1. Hardware Installation

3.1.1.

Apply Power to the APS-8/16M

Refer to the power rating nameplate on the APS-8/16M back panel, and then

connect the unit to an appropriate power source. Set the Master Power Switch

on the APS-8/16M back panel to the ON position.

3.1.2.

Connect your Telco Line to the APS-8/16M

Connect your phone line to the Line Port (Modem Port), located on the

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.

3.1.3.

Connect a PC to the APS-8/16M

Use a standard null modem cable (provided with the unit) to connect your PC

COM port to the Port 1 connector on the APS-8/16M back panel.

3.2. Connect your Equipment to the Serial Ports

Use an appropriate DB9 cable to connect the RS232 Serial Port on your

equipment to the desired Serial Port on the APS-8/16M

• PCs and other DTE Devices: Use a standard null modem cable.

• External Modems and other DCE devices: Use a standard serial

modem cable.

3-1

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.)

1. Access Command Mode:

a) Via Local PC: Start your communications program and then

press [Enter]. The "APS>" command prompt should appear.

c) Via Modem: Use your communications program to dial the number

for the phone line which is connected to the internal modem. A

Password Prompt will be displayed. If you have not previously

deﬁned the Supervisor Password, just press [Enter], without typing a

password. The "APS>" command prompt should be displayed.

Notes:

• If a password that permits access to Supervisor Mode has been

previously deﬁned, a prompt will be displayed. Key in a Supervisor

Level password, and press [Enter]. If a Supervisor Level password

has not yet been deﬁned, the prompt will not be displayed.

• When the APS-8/16M is shipped from the factory, communications

parameters are set as follows: 9600 bps, RTS/CTS Handshaking,

8 Data Bits, One Stop Bit, No Parity. Although these parameters

can be easily redeﬁned, for this Quick Start procedure, it is

recommended to conﬁgure your communications program to accept

the default parameters.

2. Review the Help Menu: At the "APS>" Command Prompt, type /Hand

press [Enter] to display the Help Menu, which provides a basic listing of

all APS-8/16M commands.

3. Port Status Screen: Type /Sand press [Enter] to display the Port Status

Screen (Figure 3.1), which summarizes conditions at all APS-8/16M

ports.

3-2

Getting Started

PORT STATUS: APS-M, Version 3.0, Site ID: (undeﬁned)

PORT |

NAME

| CMD ACCESS | STATUS | MODE | BUFFER COUNT

-----+------------------+------------+--------+--------+--------------

01 | (undeﬁned)

02 | (undeﬁned)

03 | (undeﬁned)

04 | (undeﬁned)

05 | (undeﬁned)

06 | (undeﬁned)

07 | (undeﬁned)

08 | Internal_Modem

| Unlocked | Free | Any

| Unlocked | Free | Modem |

Enter /H for command menu.

APS>

Figure 3.1: The Port Status Screen (Model APS-8M Shown)

4. Creating Connections Between Ports: The APS-8/16M can perform

two different types of port connections; Resident Connections and Third

Party Connections.

a) Resident Connection: Your resident port (e.g. Port 1) issues a /C

command to connect to a second port.

i. To connect Port 1 to Port 2, type /C 2 [Enter]. While Port 1

is connected, the APS-8/16M will not recognize commands

issued at Port 1. However, the unit will recognize a Resident

Disconnect Sequence issued at Port 1 or Port 2.

ii. Issue the Resident Disconnect Sequence (Logoff Sequence);

type ^X(press [Ctrl] and [X] at the same time).

b) Third Party Connection: Your resident port (e.g. Port 1) issues a

/C command to create a connection between two other ports.

i. To connect Port 2 to Port 3, type /C 2 3 [Enter].

ii. While Ports 2 and 3 are connected, Port 1 will still recognize

APS commands. Type /S [Enter] to display the Port Status

Screen. The "STATUS" column should now list Ports 2 and 3

as connected, and Port 1 as "Free".

iii. Issue a Third Party Disconnect command to disconnect Ports 2

and 3; type /D 2 [Enter]. The unit will display the "Are you

Sure (y/n)?" prompt. Type yand press [Enter] to disconnect.

iv. Type /S [Enter] to display the Port Status Screen. The

"STATUS" column should now list Ports 2 and 3 as "Free".

3-3

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

5. Exit Command Mode: At the "APS>" command prompt, type /Xand

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.

3-4

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:

CAUTION:

• Before attempting to install this unit, please review the warnings

and cautions listed at the front of the user's guide.

• This device should only be operated with the type of power

source indicated on the instrument nameplate. If you are not

sure of the type of power service available, please contact your

local power company.

4.1.1.

AC Powered Units

Plug the power cable (supplied with the unit) into the receptacle on the back

panel, and then connect the power cable to an appropriate, grounded outlet.

The APS features a self adjusting power supply that automatically adapts to

power supplies between 100 and 240 VAC. Press the Power Switch ON. The

ON LED should light and the RDY LED should begin to ﬂash.

4.1.2.

DC Powered Units

The DC terminal block features two bus inputs as shown in Figure 4.1. This

allows the user to connect only one DC power source, or connect two DC

power sources where the second source serves as a backup. When connecting

the APS-8/16M to your DC power source, ﬁrst remove the protective cover

from the terminal block, attach the wires from the -48V DC power source to

the screw terminals, connect your ground line to the labeled ground screw, and

then replace the protective cover.

Figure 4.1: Terminal Block Assembly (DC Units Only)

4-1

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

4.2. Connect a Telco Line to the Modem Port

Use a standard RJ-11 cable to connect your Telco outlet to the Modem (Line)

Port, located on the APS-8/16M back panel. Note that the APS-8M sees

the internal modem as Port 8, and the APS-16M sees the internal modem as

Port 17.

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.

1. Access the APS-8/16M command mode.

2. Determine which RS232 port will be used for connection to the new

device (e.g. Port 3).

3. Use an appropriate DB9 cable to connect the RS232 serial port on the

device to the selected DB9 port on the APS-8/16M.

a) External Modems and other DCE Devices: Use a standard serial

modem cable.

b) PCs and other DTE Devices: Use a standard null modem cable.

5. Select communication parameters for the port as described in Section 5.

4-2

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.

Note:

• 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.

• Conﬁguration commands are not available at any port where the

Supervisor Mode has been disabled.

• Supervisor Mode commands can only be invoked by users who have

logged in using a password that permits access to Supervisor Mode.

1. Start your communications program (e.g. HyperTerminal, TeraTerm, etc.).

Make certain that the communications program is set to match the default

APS-8/16M parameters: 9600 bps, 8-Data Bits, 1-Stop Bit, No Parity,

RTS/CTS (hardware) handshaking.

2. Access command mode.

a) Local Access: To access command mode from a local PC that is

connected to the APS-8/16M via cable, press [Enter].

i. There must be no other characters preceding [Enter]. If you

have already hit other keys, press [Enter] twice.

ii. If a password that permits Supervisor Mode has been previously

deﬁned, the password prompt will be displayed. Key in a

password that permits Supervisor Mode and press [Enter].

b) Modem Access: To access the command mode via modem, proceed

as follows:

i. Dial the number for the APS-8/16M’s internal modem, or (if

present) an external modem connected to one of the

APS-8/16M’s RS232 ports.

ii. If a password that permits Supervisor Mode has been previously

deﬁned, the password prompt will be displayed. Key in a

password that permits Supervisor Mode and press [Enter].

5-1

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

Mode Ports and Passive Mode Ports are not able to access command mode.) In

addition, Ports 1 and 2 always permit password protected access to Supervisor

Mode; the Supervisor Mode cannot be disabled at either of these two ports.

5.3. Password Functions

The APS-8/16M’s password directory allows you to deﬁne up to 32 different

passwords. These passwords are not only used to protect access to the

APS-8/16M unit, but are also used to determine the type of commands that

each user will be allowed to invoke, and the ports that each user will be

allowed to connect. This is accomplished by either granting or denying each

password’s access to Supervisor Mode and specifying permitted ports via the

Password Directory.

Passwords that have been granted access to Supervisor Mode are allowed to

change conﬁguration parameters and may connect to any APS-8/16M port. On

the other hand, passwords which are denied access to Supervisor Mode are

not allowed to change conﬁguration parameters, and are restricted to the ports

speciﬁcally allowed by that password. Therefore, the password entered during

commands, and also determines which ports you will be allowed to connect

to. Note that the password directory feature is described in greater detail in

Section 5.4.1.

Note that once you have deﬁned at least one password that permits access to

Supervisor Mode, the APS-8/16M will display a password prompt whenever

you attempt to access command mode. If a valid password, which allows

access to Supervisor Mode is entered, the APS-8/16M will then start up

in Supervisor Mode. Supervisor Level commands are summarized in

Section 11.3 of this User’s Guide.

5-2

Conﬁguration

Notes:

• 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.

• If the unit is reset to default parameters, all passwords will be

erased, and Supervisor Level commands will be available at all

ports, without password protection.

Normally, passwords that permit access to Supervisor Mode can be entered at

any port in order to gain access to Supervisor command functions. Note that

if you wish to completely deny a port’s access to Supervisor Mode (even with

a Supervisor Password), the Port Parameters menus (/P) can be used to disable

the Supervisor Mode at any RS232 Port except for ports 1 and 2 (the System

SetUp Ports.) The Supervisor Mode cannot be disabled at System SetUp

Ports 1 and 2.

5.4. The System Parameters Menu

Before conﬁguring individual ports, the System Parameters should be deﬁned.

The System Parameters Menu (/F) allows you to set the Site ID Message,

enable/disable the Password on Dial Back Function, set the number of Dial

Back Attempts, set the Dial Back Delay Value, and access the menus which are

used to deﬁne passwords and access rights. All parameters that are deﬁned via

the System Parameters Menu are global, and will be applied to all

APS-8/16M ports.

Notes:

• The Site ID message cannot include double quotes.

• Both the Site ID and Password Directory will be cleared if the

APS-8/16M is initialized to default settings.

• The System Parameters Menu is only available in Supervisor Mode.

5-3

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

SYSTEM PARAMETERS:

1. Site-ID:

(undeﬁned)

2. Password on Dial Back:

3. Dial Back Attempts:

4. Dial Back Delay:

5. Edit Password Directory

Off

30 Secs

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

type /F [Enter] to display the System Parameters Menu (Figure 5.1.) The

System Parameters Menu allows you to deﬁne the following:

1. Site ID: Type 1and press [Enter], a prompt will appear. Key in the

desired text and press [Enter]. The Site ID will be listed on the status and

diagnostic screens. (Up to 32 chars.; Default = undeﬁned.)

2. Password on Dial Back: Enables/Disables the "Password on Dial Back"

feature as described in Section 5.4.2. (Default = Off.)

3. Dial Back Attempts: Sets the number of times that the APS-8/16M

will attempt to call the dial back number when the Dial Back feature is

properly conﬁgured and enabled. For more information on the Dial Back

feature, please refer to Section 5.4.2. (Default = 3.)

4. Dial Back Delay: Sets the amount of time that will elapse between Dial

Back Attempts. For more information on the Dial Back Feature, please

refer to Section 5.4.2. (Default = 30 Seconds.)

5. Edit Password Directory: Provides access to a series of menus that are

used to create, edit, and delete APS-8/16M passwords as described in

Section 5.4.1.

5-4

Conﬁguration

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). In addition

to assigning command level privileges to each password, the Edit Password

Directory function also allows you to determine which ports each password

will be allowed to access, and includes prompts that are used to conﬁgure

several Dial Back parameters. The Password Directory allows for the

deﬁnition of up to 32 separate passwords.

Note:

• The Edit Password Directory menu is only available to users who

have logged into command mode using a password that permits

access to Supervisor Mode.

• The /V command can also be issued to view the Password Directory.

To activate the Edit Password Directory menu, you must ﬁrst access the

command mode, and then type /Fand press [Enter] to display the System

Parameters Menu. At the System Parameters Menu, type 5and press [Enter]

to display the Edit Password Directory menu (Figure 5.2.) The Edit Password

Directory Menu offers the following options:

1. Add Name/Password: Creates new passwords and assigns Supervisor

Mode access and port access rights as described in Section 5.4.1.1.

2. Edit/Delete from List: Edits/Deletes passwords. The desired password

is selected by scrolling through a list of all passwords as described in

Section 5.4.1.2.

3. Edit/Delete from Search: Edits/Deletes passwords. The desired

password is selected using a search function as described in

Section 5.4.1.2.

4. Delete Entire Directory: Clears the password directory, and deletes all

existing passwords as described in Section 5.4.1.3.

5-5

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

ADD NAME/PASSWORD:

1. Name:

2. Password:

3. Dial Back #:

(undeﬁned)

4. Dial Back Mode: Off

5. Supervisor Mode: Off

6. Port Access:

7. Save Entry

None

Enter: #<CR> to select,

<ESC> for previous menu ...

Figure 5.3: The Add Name/Password Menu (Defaults Shown)

5.4.1.1. Adding Passwords

The "Add Name/Password" menu is used to create new user accounts

and add passwords to the password directory. To access the Add Name/

Passwords menu, activate the Edit Password Directory Menu as described in

Section 5.4.2, then type 1and press [Enter]. The Add Name/Password menu

will be displayed as shown in Figure 5.3. The Add Name/Password Menu

allows you to assign the following parameters:

1. Name: Assigns a username to the password. Note that usernames are not

required when logging into command mode, and are used for descriptive

purposes only.

2. Password: After keying in the password, the unit will prompt you to

verify the password by re-keying it.

3. Dial Back #: Deﬁnes the number that the APS-8/16M will dial when the

Dial Back feature is enabled and the unit is contacted via modem. For

more information on the Dial Back Mode, please refer to Section 5.4.2.

4. Dial Back Mode: Enables/Disables the Dial Back Mode for this

password. For more information on the Dial Back Mode, please refer to

Section 5.4.2.

5. Supervisor Mode: Enables/Disables Supervisor Mode for this password.

When Supervisor Mode is enabled, the password will provide access

to all conﬁguration menus, and allow connections to all ports. When

Supervisor Mode is disabled, the password will not permit access to

conﬁguration menus, and will only allow access to ports speciﬁcally

permitted by the password deﬁnition.

Note: In order to access Supervisor Mode from any given port,

the port at which the password is issued must also permit Supervisor

Commands.

5-6

Conﬁguration

EDIT/DELETE NAME/PASSWORD:

1. Name:

test

2. Password:

3. Dial Back #:

(deﬁned)

5556789

4. Dial Back Mode: On

5. Supervisor Mode: On

6. Port Access:

7. Save Entry

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

8. Delete Entry

Type: “<”<Enter> previous entry, “>”<Enter> next entry,

<number><Enter> to selection,

<ESC> to abort ...

Figure 5.4: The Edit/Delete Name/Password Menu (Sample Values Shown)

6. Port Access: The ports that this password will be allowed to create

connections with. Note that several passwords can provide access to

the same port. To select ports, type 6, press [Enter] and follow the

instructions in the resulting submenu.

7. Save Entry: Note that if you exit from the menu without ﬁrst saving, the

password will not be saved.

5.4.1.2. Editing and Deleting Passwords:

The Edit Password Directory Menu (Figure 5.2) provides two different

methods for selecting the password you wish to edit or delete; passwords

can either be selected by scrolling through the password list, or by using a

search routine. To edit or delete existing passwords, access the Edit Password

Directory menu and proceed as follows:

1. Select the account that you wish to edit or delete:

a) From List: To ﬁnd the desired password from a list of all

passwords, type 2, press [Enter], then follow the instructions in the

resulting submenu.

b) From Search: To search for a speciﬁc password, type 3, press

[Enter], then follow the instructions in the resulting submenu.

2. Edit Password: After ﬁnding the desired password, the "Edit/Delete

Name/Password" Menu (Figure 5.4) will be displayed. Items 1 through 6

are used to select and change parameters, and function identically to the

corresponding items in the Add Name/Password menu. Item 7 is used to

save the edited password and parameters. Note that if you exit from the

menu without ﬁrst saving, newly selected parameters will be discarded.

3. Delete Password: After ﬁnding the desired password, the "Edit/Delete

Name/Password" Menu will be displayed. To delete the password, type 8

and press [Enter].

5-7

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" Menu as describe in

Section 5.4.1, type 4and press [Enter]. The unit will then display a "Sure?"

prompt and wait for conﬁrmation before proceeding.

Notes:

• Deleted passwords cannot be recovered.

• If the Password Directory is deleted, the password prompt will no

longer be displayed, and users will be able to access Supervisor

Mode without a password. In order to restrict access to Supervisor

commands, you must deﬁne at least one password that permits

access to Supervisor Mode.

5.4.2.

The Dial Back Function

The Dial Back Function provides an additional layer of security when callers

attempt to access command mode via modem. When this function is properly

conﬁgured, callers will not be granted immediate access to command mode

upon entering a valid password; instead, the unit will disconnect, and dial a

user-deﬁned number before allowing access via that number. If desired, users

may also be required to re-enter the password after the APS-8/16M dials back.

Note that a separate Dial Back Number can be deﬁned for each password, and

the feature may also be independently enabled for each password. To enable

this function, proceed as follows:

1. Access command mode using a port and password that permit Supervisor

Mode. At the command prompt, type /Fand press [Enter] to display the

System Parameters menu.

2. System Parameters Menu: Note that dial back parameters selected

via this menu are global, and will apply to all passwords. Deﬁne the

following parameters:

• Item 2, Password on Dial Back: (Optional) Determines whether or

not the Dial Back Mode will require the answering party to re-enter

their password after a Dial Back is performed.

• Item 3, Dial Back Attempts: The number of times the APS-8/16M

will attempt to call the dial back number.

• Item 4, Dial Back Delay: The amount of time the APS-8/16M will

wait between Dial Back attempts.

5-8

Conﬁguration

3. Edit Password Directory: From the System Parameters Menu, type

5and 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:

• Item 3, Dial Back #: The number that will be called when a Dial Back

is performed. This is the number for the password owner’s modem.

• Item 4, Dial Back Mode: Enables/Disables the Dial Back function for

this password. When enabled, this password will require a dial back to

be performed whenever this password user attempts to access the unit

via modem.

Note: In order for new parameters to be applied, you must save each

password before leaving the menu.

Dial Back Example:

Assume that the unit is conﬁgured as follows:

System Parameters Menu:

• Item 2, Password on Dial Back: On

• Item 3, Dial Back Attempts: 3

• Item 4, Dial Back Delay: 30 Seconds

Add Name/Password Menu:

• Item 1, Name: Test

• Item 2, Password: test

• Item 3, Dial Back #: 5551234

• Item 4, Dial Back Mode: On

Given this conﬁguration, the unit would behave as follows :

1. Password "test" Entered at Modem Port: Unit conﬁrms that password

is valid, then disconnects.

2. Dial Back: Unit dials "555-1234" (the Dial Back Number for "test") and

waits for the user’s remote modem to answer.

3. Password on Dialback: When the modem at the Dial Back Number

answers, the APS-8/16M will prompt the user to enter the password

before allowing access to command mode.

4. Dial Back Attempts and Delays: If the modem does not answer, the unit

will then attempt to redial the number three times (Dial Back Attempts),

and will pause for approximately 30 seconds (Dial Back Delay) between

each redial.

5-9

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].

• To clear an item in a Port Conﬁguration menu, enter the number for the

desired item and press [Enter]. When the prompt appears, press [Space]

and then press [Enter].

• When deﬁning the Port Name, do not use the forward slash character (/),

double quotes ("), the asterisk character (*), or blank spaces.

• Port Names cannot begin with a number.

• Refer to the instructions in each screen for additional functions available

under that screen.

• To exit a menu or prompt without changing its current value, press [Esc].

• Passwords are case sensitive. When deﬁning passwords, note the exact

text, including the case of each character.

• If you are conﬁguring the APS-8/16M unit via modem, communication

parameters will not be changed until after you exit from command mode

and disconnect from the APS-8/16M unit.

5-10

Conﬁguration

5.5.2.

Port Modes

The APS-8/16M offers four different port operation modes; Any-to-Any Mode,

Passive Mode, Buffer Mode, and Modem Mode. The Port Modes function as

follows:

• Any-to-Any Mode: Allows communication between connected ports.

Any-to-Any Mode Ports can be connected to other Any-to-Any, Passive,

Buffer, or Modem Mode Ports by accessing command mode and invoking

the /C command (see Section 8.1.1). The Any-to-Any Mode is available

to all APS-8/16M ports, except the Internal Modem Port (The Internal

Modem Port is Port 8 on the APS-8M, and Port 17 on the APS-16M.)

• Passive Mode: Allows communication between connected ports, but

does not allow access to command mode. Passive Mode Ports can be

connected by accessing command mode from a free Any-to-Any or

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.)

• Buffer Mode: Allows collection and storage of data received from

connected devices. Collected data can be retrieved by accessing

command mode from a free Any-to-Any or Modem Mode Port, and

issuing the Connect Command (/C.) Note that the Buffer Mode also

allows pass-through communication with the connected device. The

Buffer 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.)

• Modem Mode: A Modem Mode port can perform all functions normally

available in Any-to-Any Mode, but the Modem Mode also allows

deﬁnition of a Hang-Up String, Reset String, and Initialization String.

Any APS-8/16M RS232 port can be conﬁgured for Modem Mode, and the

Internal Modem port is always conﬁgured for Modem Mode.

For more information on Port Modes, please refer to Section 8.

5-11

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

PORT PARAMETERS #01:

1. Port Name:

(undeﬁned)

2. Baud Rate:

9600

3. Bits/Parity:

8-None

4. Stop Bits:

5. Handshake Mode:

6. Port Mode:

RTS/CTS

Any-to-Any

64. DTR Output:

Pulse

7. Supervisor Mode:

8. Logoff Character:

9. Sequence Disconnect:

10. Timeout Disconnect:

11. Response Type:

12. Command Echo:

13. Accept Break:

Permit

One Character Only

Off

Verbose

Yes

14. Invalid Access Lockout: Off

Enter: “<” previous port,

“>” next port,

<ESC> exit ...

Figure 5.5: Port Conﬁguration Menu (Port 1 Shown)

5.5.3.

RS232 Port Configuration Menus

The Port Conﬁguration Menus are used to select options for each of the

APS-8/16M’s RS232 ports. Parameters selected via these menus will stay in

effect until the unit is initialized or the /P command is used to reconﬁgure the

port. After initialization, parameters will revert to the defaults speciﬁed by the

SetUp Switches.

To select port parameters, proceed as follows:

1. Access command mode. If the password prompt is displayed, key in a

password that permits Supervisor Mode.

2. Type /P, followed by the number of the port to be conﬁgured, and press

[Enter]. For example, to conﬁgure Port 1, type /P 1 [Enter]. The Port

Conﬁguration menu will appear as shown in Figure 5.5.

a) If the /P Command is entered without the port number

(e.g. /P [Enter]), the conﬁguration menu for your resident port

will be displayed.

b) The /P command is only available to passwords that permit access to

Supervisor Mode.

5-12

Conﬁguration

The Port Conﬁguration menu offers the following options:

1. 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;

Port 17 = "Internal_Modem").

2. Baud Rate: Selects the baud rate for the port. Can be set to any standard

rate from 300 bps to 115.2K bps. (Default = 9600 bps)

3. Bits/Parity: (Default = 8-None).

4. Stop Bits: (Default = 1).

5. Handshake Mode: Selects the handshake format for this port; XON/

XOFF, RTS/CTS (hardware), Both, or None. (Default = RTS/CTS).

6. Port Mode: Deﬁnes the operation mode for this port. (Default: Ports 1

through 7 = Any-to-Any Mode; Port 8 = Modem Mode).

Notes:

• Ports 1 and 2 cannot be conﬁgured as Passive Mode or Buffer Mode

ports.

• The Internal Modem Port is always conﬁgured for Modem Mode,

and cannot be set to Any-to-Any, Buffer, or Passive Mode.

When Any-to-Any, Passive, or Buffer Mode is selected, the unit will

display the DTR Output prompt (item 64) as shown in Figure 5.5. The

DTR Output prompt is not displayed when Modem Mode is selected.

64. DTR Output: Determines how DTR will react when this port

disconnects. DTR can be held low, held high, or pulsed for 0.5

seconds and then held high. In the default state, DTR will pulse

for 0.5 seconds and then remain high. For more information on

hardware lines, please refer to Appendix A. (Default = Pulse).

5-13

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

PORT PARAMETERS #03:

1. Port Name:

(undeﬁned)

2. Baud Rate:

9600

3. Bits/Parity:

8-None

4. Stop Bits:

5. Handshake Mode:

6. Port Mode:

RTS/CTS

Modem

61. Reset String:

62. Init String:

63. Hang-Up String:

7. Supervisor Mode:

8. Logoff Character:

9. Sequence Disconnect:

10. Timeout Disconnect:

11. Response Type:

12. Command Echo:

13. Accept Break:

ATZ

AT&C1&D2S0=1

(undeﬁned)

Permit

One Character Only

15 Min

Verbose

Yes

14. Invalid Access Lockout: Off

Enter: “<” previous port,

“>” next port,

<ESC> exit ...

Figure 5.6: Port Parameters Menu; Modem Mode (Port 3 Shown)

When the Port Mode is set to Modem Mode, the menu will include

additional prompts (see Figure 5.6), which are used to deﬁne the

following:

61. Reset String: If necessary, this prompt can re-deﬁne the modem

reset string, which is sent prior to the Initialization string. (Up to 48

Chars., Default = ATZ).

62. Initialization String: Deﬁnes a command string that can be sent to

initialize a modem to settings required by your application. (Up to

48 Characters, Defaults: Port 1 through 7 = AT&C1$D2S0=1;

Port 8 =ATM0&C1$D2S0=1).

63. Hang-Up String: Although the APS-8/16M will pulse the DTR line

to hang-up an attached modem, the Hang-Up string is often useful

for controlling modems that do not use the DTR line. (Up to 48

Characters, Default = undeﬁned).

Notes:

• When communicating with the APS-8/16M via modem,

communication parameters will not be changed until you exit from

command mode and discontinue the modem connection to the unit.

• For a list of basic AT commands for the Internal Modem, please

refer to Section 6. For a complete listing of all available AT

commands and S-Registers, please refer to the "MT5634 Modem AT

Command Set" document in our User’s Guide Archive at the WTI

web site: http://www.wti.com/guides/guidarch.htm.

5-14

Conﬁguration

7. 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. (Default = Permit).

Note: The Supervisor Mode cannot be disabled at Ports 1 or 2.

8. Logoff Character: Deﬁnes the Logoff Character for this port. The

Logoff Character determines the command(s) or character(s) that must

be issued at this port in order to disconnect from a second port (Resident

Disconnect). (Default = ^X([Ctrl] plus [X])).

Note: When redeﬁning the Logoff Character, make certain to select a

character that does not normally occur in your data.

9. Sequence Disconnect: Enables/Disables and conﬁgures the Resident

Disconnect command. This prompt offers the option to either disable the

Sequence Disconnect, or select a one character format or a three character

format. (Default = One Character). Note the following:

• When a Resident Connection is initiated, the APS-8/16M will send a

message which lists the connected ports, and displays the one character

or three character command that will be required in order to disconnect.

• The One Character Disconnect sequence is intended for situations

where the destination port will not receive the disconnect command.

When the Three Character format is selected, the disconnect sequence

will pass through to the destination port prior to breaking the

connection.

• When the One Character format is selected, resident connections are

terminated by entering the selected Logoff Character only. There is no

need to press [Enter] before and after the Logoff Character when the

One Character format is selected.

• When the Three Character format is selected, the Resident Disconnect

Sequence will use the format "[Enter]LLL[Enter]", where Lis the

selected Logoff Character.

5-15

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".

When the port is set for Modem Mode, the default setting for this item is

15 minutes.

Notes:

• The Timeout Disconnect is also applied to non-connected ports that

are left in command mode. If no additional data activity is detected,

an unconnected port will exit from command mode when the

Timeout Disconnect value expires.

• When connected ports time out and are disconnected, both ports will

also exit from command mode.

11. Response Type: Selects the type of messages that this port will send in

response to commands. The user can select Verbose (English Text), Terse

(Numeric / Abbreviation), or Quiet Mode (No Response).

(Default = Verbose).

12. Command Echo: Enables or Disables the command echo for this port.

(Default = On).

13. Accept Break: Determines whether the port will accept breaks received

from the attached device, and pass them along to a connected port. When

enabled, breaks received at this port will be passed to any port that this

port is connected to, and sent along to the device connected to the other

port. When disabled, breaks will be refused at this port, and hence, not

sent to the other port. (Default = Yes)

14. Invalid Access Lockout: Enables/Disables the Invalid Access Lockout

feature as described in Section 5.5.4. Brieﬂy, the Invalid Access Lockout

feature can be used to automatically disable a port when a user-deﬁned

number of invalid access attempts are detected. (Default = Off.)

5-16

Conﬁguration

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.

Note that when an Invalid Access Lockout occurs, you can either wait for the

Lockout Duration period to elapse, or issue the /UL command to instantly

unlock all ports.

Note: The Invalid Access Lockout feature can be individually

enabled/disabled at each port.

The Invalid Access Lockout Feature is conﬁgured and enabled using the

Port Parameters Menu for the desired port. When "Invalid Access Lockout"

is selected, the APS-8/16M will display a submenu which allows you to

conﬁgure the following parameters:

1. Lockout Access: Enables/Disables Invalid Access Lockout at this port.

2. Lockout Attempts: The number of invalid access attempts required to

trigger the Invalid Access Lockout feature.

3. Lockout Duration: The length of time that ports will remained locked

when an Invalid Access Lockout occurs. Note that if the duration is set to

"0", the port will remained locked until the /UL command is issued.

5-17

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

COPY PORT PARAMETERS:

1. Port Name:

2. Baud Rate:

3. Bits/Parity:

4. Stop Bits:

5. Handshake Mode:

6. Port Mode:

64. DTR Output:

7. Supervisor Mode:

8. Logoff Character:

9. Sequence Disconnect:

10. Timeout Disconnect:

11. Response Type:

12. Command Echo:

13. Accept Break:

14. Invalid Access Lockout:

(Note: ports 1 & 2 will NOT have restricted values changed.)

Enter: parameter # <CR> to deﬁne parameter value to copy to all ports,

-<CR> to remove all values set,

X<CR> to exit WITHOUT copy,

<ESC> to copy to ports and exit ...

Figure 5.7: The Copy Port Parameters Menu

5.6. Copying Parameters to All Ports

The /CP command (Copy Port Parameters) provides a convenient means for

selecting similar parameters for all APS-8/16M RS232 ports.

When the /CP command is invoked, the unit will display a menu which allows

you to select port communication parameters, then copy them to all

APS-8/16M RS232 ports. The Copy Port Parameters menu can be used to set

all parameters for all RS-232 Ports, or deﬁne only a select group of parameters

and then copy them to all ports.

Notes:

• The /CP command is only available in Supervisor Mode.

• The /CP command cannot be used to set Ports 1 and 2 to Passive

Mode or Buffer Mode (Port Mode, Item 6.)

• The /CP command cannot be used to disable the Supervisor Mode at

Ports 1 and 2 (Supervisor Mode, Item 7.)

• The /CP command cannot be used to change the Port Mode for

the Internal Modem Port. The Internal Modem Port is always

conﬁgured for Modem Mode.

5-18

Conﬁguration

To select common parameters for all APS-8/16M RS-232 ports, proceed as

follows:

1. Access command mode. If the password prompt is displayed, key in a

password that permits Supervisor Mode.

2. At the command prompt, type /CPand press [Enter], the menu shown in

Figure 5.7 will be displayed.

3. Selecting Parameters: To select parameters to be copied, key in

the number for the desired parameter, press [Enter], then follow the

instructions in the submenu. Note that it is not necessary to deﬁne all port

parameters, for example, the /CP command could be used to select only

the Baud Rate for all ports.

4. Clear Menu: After deﬁning several parameters, if you wish to clear the

/CP menu and start again, type -(dash) and press [Enter], the menu will

be reset.

5. Exit Without Copy: To exit from the Copy Parameters menu without

copying selected parameters to all RS232 ports, type Xand then press

[Enter]. The APS-8/16M will exit from the Copy Parameters menu and

return to the command prompt.

6. Copy Parameters: When you have ﬁnished selecting parameters, press

[Esc] to copy the selected parameters to all APS-8/16M RS-232 Ports and

exit from the Copy Port Parameters menu. Note that the APS-8/16M will

display a "Sure" prompt before copying parameters to other ports.

5.7. Save User Selected Parameters

Although this step is optional, it is strongly recommended to save all user-

deﬁned parameters to an ASCII ﬁle. This will allow quick recovery in the

event of accidental deletion or reconﬁguration of port parameters. Section 9

describes the procedure for saving conﬁguration parameters to an ASCII ﬁle.

5-19

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

5-20

6. The Internal Modem

This section lists commonly used AT commands for the APS-8/16M’s internal

modem, and brieﬂy describes the procedure for communicating with the

internal modem. Please note that although APS-8/16M includes an internal

modem, any APS-8/16M RS232 port can also be conﬁgured for connection to

an external modem.

6.1. Communicating with the Internal Modem

To communicate with the APS-8/16M’s internal modem, proceed as follows:

1. Access the APS-8/16M command mode as described in Section 5.1.

Notes:

• If you log on to the APS-8/16M using a password that does not

permit Supervisor Mode, then you will only be able to connect to

the Internal Modem Port if your password allows access to that port.

Passwords that permit Supervisor Mode will always allow access to

all ports.

• To access the internal modem’s command mode from a remote

location, you must ﬁrst dial into an external modem installed at one

of the other RS232 ports, and then proceed as described below. The

internal modem’s command mode cannot be accessed via a remote

connection to the internal modem.

2. When the APS> command prompt appears, type /C 8and press [Enter]

to connect to the Internal Modem Port (Port 8 on the APS-8M, or Port 17

on the APS-16M).

3. 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.

6-1

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" document at http://www.wti.com/guides/guidarch.htm.

Notes:

• Type commands in either upper or lower case. Do not use a

combination of upper and lower case characters.

• Use the Backspace key to delete errors.

• All commands begin with the AT preﬁx, and are invoked by

pressing [Enter]. The only exceptions are A/(Repeat Previous

Command) and +++(Exit to on-line command mode).

• The maximum command length is 40 characters. This does not

include the AT Preﬁx, Carriage Returns, or spaces.

• Default settings are marked with an asterisk (*).

Command

Function/Options

Reset Modem. Resets modem parameters to default values.

Reset modem to proﬁle saved by the last

&W command.

Same as Z0

Dials telephone number s. Where s may be up to 40 characters

long and may include the numbers 0-9, *, #, B, C, and D

characters and the L, P, T, V, W, S, comma (,), semicolon (;), !,

@, ^ and $ dial string modiﬁers.

Dial String Modiﬁers:

Redial last number. (Must be placed immediately

after ATD.)

Pulse-dial following numbers in command line.

Tone Dial following numbers in command line.

Wait for a new dial tone before continuing to dial

(X2, X4, X5, X6 or X7 must be selected.)

(Comma) Pause during dialing for time set in

;

Return to command mode after dialing.

(Place at end of dial string.)

Hook Flash. Causes modem to go on-hook for

one half second, then off hook again.

Wait for quiet answer. Causes modem to wait for a

ringback, then 5 seconds of silence, before processing

the next part of the command. If silence is not detected,

the modem returns a NO ANSWER code.

6-2

The Internal Modem

Command

Function/Options

&Dn

Data Terminal Ready (DTR) Control.

&D0 Modem ignores true status of DTR signal and responds

as if it is always on.

&D1 If DTR drops while in online data mode, the modem

enters command mode, issues an OK, and

remains connected.

&D2 If DTR drops while in online data mode, the modem

hangs up. If the signal is not present, the modem will

not answer or dial.

&D3 If DTR drops, the modem hangs up and resets as if an

ATZ command had been issued.

Set Modem Command Mode Echo.

Disable echoing of command mode characters.

Enable echoing of command mode characters.

&Wn

Store Current Modem Conﬁguration.

&W0 Stores current modem settings in non-volatile memory

and causes them to be loaded instead of the factory

defaults at power-on or when the ATZ command

is invoked.

&W1 Clears user default settings from non-volatile memory

and causes the factory defaults to be loaded at power-on

or following the ATZ command.

+++AT In-band Escape Sequence. Puts the modem in command mode

(and optionally issues a command) while remaining online. Type

+++ATand up to six optional command characters; then press

[Enter]. Used mostly to issue the hangup command:

+++ATT<CR>.

&Qn

Asynchronous Communications Mode.

&Q0 Asynchronous with data buffering. Same as /N0.

&Q5 Error control with data buffering. Same as /N3.

&Q6 Asynchronous with data buffering. Same as /N0.

&Q8 MNP error control mode. If MNP error control is not

established, the modem falls back according to the

setting in Register S36.

&Q9 V.42 or MNP error control mode. If neither error

control method is established, the modem falls back

according to the setting in Register S36.

6-3

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

Command

Function/Options

Information Request

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.

Display ﬁrmware version for data pump (e.g., 94.)

Display the board ID: software version, hardware

version, and country ID.

Display the country code.

I11

Display diagnostic information for the last modem

connection, such as link type, line speed, type of error

correction / data compression, number of

past retrains, etc.

&En

XON/XOFF Pacing Control.

&E12 Disables XON/XOFF pacing.

&E13 Enables XON/XOFF pacing.

6-4

7. The Status Screens

The APS-8/16M Status Screens display the connection status and

communication parameters for the RS-232 ports. Basically, There are four

different status screens; The Port Status screen (/S), the Port Diagnostics screen

(/SD), the Port Parameters screens (/W), and the View Password Directory

screen.

7.1. The Port Status Screen (/S)

The Port Status Screen lists the general status of the RS-232 ports. To display

the Port Status Screen, access the command mode and type /S [Enter], the

screen will appear as shown in Figure 7.1.

Although the Port Status Screen can be displayed by passwords that permit

Supervisor Mode and passwords that do not permit Supervisor Mode, note

that the resulting screen will appear slightly different, depending upon the

Supervisor Mode access rights of the port and password that invoked the /S

command. When the /S command is invoked by a user who does not have

access to Supervisor Mode, the Port Status Screen will only display the status

of those ports that are speciﬁcally allowed for the password entered at log in.

PORT STATUS: APS-M, Version 3.0, Site ID: (undeﬁned)

PORT |

NAME

| CMD ACCESS | STATUS | MODE | BUFFER COUNT

-----+------------------+------------+--------+--------+--------------

01 | (undeﬁned)

02 | (undeﬁned)

03 | (undeﬁned)

04 | (undeﬁned)

05 | (undeﬁned)

06 | (undeﬁned)

07 | (undeﬁned)

08 | Internal_Modem

| Unlocked | Free | Any

| Unlocked | Free | Modem |

Enter /H for command menu.

APS>

Figure 7.1: The Port Status Screen (Model APS-8M Shown)

7-1

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

exceeded, and the port has been locked in order to prevent further access

attempts. To unlock a port, you must either issue the /UL command to

unlock all ports, or wait for the port’s user-deﬁned Lockout Duration

period to elapse.

• Status: The connect status of each port. When the port is connected, this

column will list the number of the other APS-8/16M port connected to

this port.

• Mode: The user-selected Port Mode. This column will read Any (Any-

to-Any), Modem, Passive, or Buffer, depending on the conﬁguration

selected for the port.

• Buffer Count: Lists the amount of data (in bytes) stored in the buffer for

this port.

7.2. The Port Diagnostics Screen (/SD)

The Port Diagnostics Screen provides more detailed information about

each port, including most communication parameters. To display the Port

Diagnostics Screen, access the command mode and type /SD [Enter], the

screen will appear as shown in Figure 7.2.

Like the Port Status Screen, the Port Diagnostics Screen is also available in

both Supervisor Mode and non-Supervisor Mode. Note however, that if the

Port Diagnostics Screen command (/SD) is invoked by a password or port that

does not permit Supervisor Mode, then the resulting screen will only display

status of the ports that are speciﬁcally allowed by the password entered

at log in.

7-2

The Status Screens

PORT DIAGNOSTICS: APS-M, Version 3.0, Site ID: (undeﬁned)

PORT |

NAME

| STATUS | BAUD | COM | HS | MODE | BUF | CTS

-----+------------------+--------+--------+-----+------+--------+-------+----

01 | (undeﬁned)

02 | (undeﬁned)

03 | (undeﬁned)

04 | (undeﬁned)

05 | (undeﬁned)

06 | (undeﬁned)

07 | (undeﬁned)

08 | Internal_Modem

| *Free | 9600 | 8N1 | RTS | Any

| Free | 9600 | 8N1 | RTS | Any

0 | H

0 | L

0 | H

| Free | 9600 | 8N1 | RTS | 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.

• Status: The connect status for each port. When the port is connected,

this column will list the number of the other port that is connected to this

port. Note that if this column contains an asterisk, this indicates that the

port has accessed command mode.

• Baud: The baud rate selected for each port.

• COM: The Data Bits, Parity, and Stop Bits selected for each port. For

example, "8N1" indicates Eight data bits, No parity, and One stop bit.

• HS: The handshaking (ﬂow control) mode for each port.

• Mode: The user-selected Port Mode. This column will read Any (Any-

to-Any), Modem, Passive, or Buffer, depending on the conﬁguration

selected for each port.

• BUF: Lists the amount of data (in bytes) currently stored in the buffer for

this port.

• CTS: The High/Low status of the CTS line at the RS232 interface.

7-3

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

PORT PARAMETERS #01:

1. Port Name:

(undeﬁned)

2. Baud Rate:

9600

3. Bits/Parity:

8-None

4. Stop Bits:

5. Handshake Mode:

6. Port Mode:

RTS/CTS

Any-to-Any

64. DTR Output:

Pulse

7. Supervisor Mode:

8. Logoff Character:

9. Sequence Disconnect:

10. Timeout Disconnect:

11. Response Type:

12. Command Echo:

13. Accept Break:

Permit

One Character Only

Off

Verbose

Yes

14. Invalid Access Lockout: Off

APS>

Figure 7.3: The Port Parameters Screen (Port 1 Shown)

7.3. The Port Parameters Screens (/W)

The /W command displays more detailed information about an individual

APS-8/16M port. Rather than listing connection information for all ports like

the Port Status Screens, the Port Parameters screen lists all deﬁned parameters

for a speciﬁc port as shown in Figure 7.3.

The /W command is available to both Supervisor Mode and Non-Supervisor

Mode ports and passwords. Note however, that if the /W command is invoked

by a port or password that does not permit access to Supervisor Mode, then the

APS-8/16M will only display information for your resident port.

7.4. The Password Directory Screen (/V)

The Password Directory Screen (Figure 7.4) lists currently deﬁned parameters

for each of the APS-8/16M passwords. Note that the Password Directory

screen will not display actual passwords, and instead, will only indicate

whether or not a password has been deﬁned for each username.

The Password Directory Screen is only available when the Supervisor Mode

is active, and cannot be displayed by ports or passwords that do not permit

Supervisor Access. The APS-8/16M allows for the deﬁnition of up to 32

separate passwords.

7-4

The Status Screens

Name

Password

Dial Back #

DB SA

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

admin

(deﬁned)

5556789

On On

Off Off

Off On

On Off

Off Off

On Off

Off Off

On On

drafting

engineering

ﬁnance

(undeﬁned)

5559900

(undeﬁned)

5551234

5559876

5554321

5556789

manufacturing

marketing

sales

service

test

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:

• Name: The username for each password. Note that the username is not

entered during login, and is used for descriptive purposes only.

• Password: If a password has been deﬁned for the corresponding

username, this column will read "deﬁned"

• Dial Back Number: The number that will be called if the Dial Back

Function is enabled for this password, and the user attempts to access

the APS-8/16M via modem. For more information on the Dial Back

Function, please refer to Section 5.4.2.

• DB (Dial Back): Indicates whether or not the Dial Back Function is

enabled. This column will read "On" if the Dial Back function has been

enabled for the corresponding password.

• SA (Supervisor Access): Indicates whether or not the password will

provide access to the Supervisor Mode. This column will read "On" if the

corresponding password has been granted permission to access Supervisor

Mode.

7-5

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

7-6

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. This

allows you to connect devices that use dissimilar baud rates, parity, handshake,

and etc. The APS-8/16M converts data rates and other parameters, eliminating

the need to select common parameters for all connected devices.

8.1.1.1. Connecting Ports

Two different types of connections can be made between APS-8/16M ports;

Resident Connections and Third Party Connections.

• Resident Connections: Your resident port issues a /C command to

connect to a second port. For example, Port 4 issues the /C command to

connect to Port 5.

• Third Party Connections: (Supervisor Mode Only) Your resident port

issues a /C command to create a connection between two other ports. For

example, Port 1 is your resident port, and Port 1 issues a command to

connect Port 2 to Port 3.

Notes:

• Third Party Connections can only be initiated by ports and

passwords that permit access to Supervisor Mode.

• If a port has accessed command mode using a password that does

not permit Supervisor Mode, then that port will only be able to

connect to the ports that are speciﬁcally allowed by the password

deﬁnition.

8-1

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

To connect ports, proceed as follows:

1. Access command mode as described in Section 5.1. If the Password

Prompt is displayed, enter a password that permits Supervisor Mode.

2. Invoke the /C command to connect the desired ports.

a) Resident Connect: To connect your resident port to another port,

type /C xx [Enter]. Where xxis the number or name of the port

you want to connect. The APS-8/16M will display the numbers of

the connected ports, along with the command sequence that will be

required in order to disconnect the two ports.

Example: To connect your resident port to Port 8, type

/C 8 [Enter].

b) Third Party Connect: (Supervisor Mode Only) To connect any

two ports (other than your resident port), type /C xx XX [Enter].

Where xxand XXare two port names or numbers. The APS-8/16M

will display the numbers of the two connected ports.

Example: To connect Port 5 to Port 6, access command mode using

a password and port that permit Supervisor Mode, and then invoke

the following command: /C 5 6 [Enter].

When the /C command speciﬁes the port name, it is only necessary to enter

enough letters to differentiate the desired port from other ports. Type an

asterisk (*) to represent the remaining characters in the port name. For

example, to connect your resident port to a port named "SALES", the connect

command can be invoked as /C S*, providing no other port names begin with

the letter "S".

8.1.1.2. Disconnecting Ports

There are three different methods for disconnecting ports, the Resident

Disconnect, the Third Party Disconnect, and the No Activity Timeout.

Providing the Timeout feature is enabled, a No Activity Timeout will

disconnect resident ports or third party ports.

Note: When Any-to-Any Mode, Buffer Mode, or Passive Mode are

selected, Option 64 in the Port Parameters Menu determines how the

DTR signal will react when the port disconnects. The DTR signal can

either be held low, held high, or pulsed and then held high.

8-2

Operation

To disconnect ports, proceed as follows:

1. 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. The APS-8/16M offers two different Resident Disconnect

command formats; the One Character Format and the Three Character

Format (for more information, please refer to Section 5.5.3.):

a) One Character (Default): When the One Character Disconnect

Sequence is selected, simply enter the selected Logoff Character

once (Default = ^X([Ctrl] plus [X])). Note that it is not necessary

to enter a carriage return before or after the Logoff Character.

b) Three Characters: Uses the format [Enter]LLL[Enter], where

Lis the Logoff Character. For example, if the Logoff Character

is "+", then the three character disconnect sequence would be

[Enter]+++[Enter].

c) If the default Resident Disconnect Sequence is not compatible with

your application, both the command format and Logoff Character

can be redeﬁned via the Port Conﬁguration menus, as described in

Section 5.5.3.

2. Third Party Disconnect: (Supervisor Mode Only) The /D command is

issued from your resident port to disconnect two third party ports. For

example, if your Resident Port is Port 1, a Third Party Disconnect could

disconnect Port 3 from Port 4.

a) The /D command uses the format: /D xx XX [Enter], where xx

and XXare the numbers of the ports that you wish to disconnect.

b) The /D (Disconnect) command can only be invoked by a port that

permits Supervisor Mode.

c) The /D command can specify both connected ports, or either of the

two ports. For example, if Port 1 is your resident port, any of the

following commands can be used to disconnect Port 3 from Port 4:

/D 3 4 [Enter]

/D 3 [Enter]

/D 4 [Enter]

8-3

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

3. 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.

a) 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

Section 5.5.3. Option 10 enables and deﬁnes the Timeout

Disconnect Feature.

b) When the Timeout Disconnect Feature is enabled, the port will

automatically disconnect if no data is received for the deﬁned

Timeout Period.

Notes:

• When connected ports time out, both ports will exit command mode

after disconnecting.

• When an unconnected port is left in command mode and no

additional data activity is detected, the port will automatically exit

command mode when its deﬁned timeout value elapses.

8.1.2.

Defining Hunt Groups

A Hunt Group creates a situation where the APS-8/16M will scan a group of

ports and connect to the ﬁrst available port in the group. Hunt Groups are

created by assigning identical or similar names to two or more ports. Hunt

Groups can be deﬁned using Any-to-Any, Passive, Buffer, or Modem Mode

Ports.

1. Access command mode. If the password prompt is displayed, key in a

password that permits Supervisor Mode.

2. Invoke the /P command to access the Port Conﬁguration Menu for the

desired Port(s). For example, to conﬁgure Port 4, type /P 4 [Enter].

3. From the Port Conﬁguration Menu, select item 1 to deﬁne the Port Name.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 above to assign identical names to the other ports

in the Hunt Group. For example, a series of ports in a group could all be

named "SERVER".

5. To connect to the next available port in the hunt group, invoke the /C

command using the port name to specify the desired group. For example,

/C SERVER [Enter].

8-4

Operation

6. 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.

7. It is only necessary to enter enough letters of the port name to

differentiate Hunt Group ports from other ports. Type an asterisk (*) to

represent the remaining characters in the port name. For example, to

connect your resident port to the ﬁrst available port in a group of ports

named "SALES1", "SALES2", and "SALES3", the connect command can

be invoked as /C S* [Enter], providing no other port names begin with

the letter "S".

Hunt Group port names must be unique. Otherwise, ports with similar names

will also be included in the Hunt Group.

Hunt Group Example 1:

1. Ports 1 and 2 are conﬁgured as Modem Mode ports, and external modems

are installed at both ports. Port 1 is named "MODEM1" and Port 2 is

named "MODEM2".

2. Your resident port is Port 4. To connect to the ﬁrst available external

Modem, access command mode and type /C MODEM* [Enter].

Hunt Group Example 2:

1. Ports 3, 4, and 5 are Any-to-Any Mode ports. All three ports are named

"SERVER".

2. Your resident port is Port 1, and you want to connect Port 2 to the ﬁrst

available server, access command mode and type

/C 2 SERVER [Enter].

8-5

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

8.2. Passive Mode

Passive Mode Ports function the same as Any-to-Any Mode Ports, but do not

allow access to command mode. A Passive Mode Port can communicate with

other ports, but cannot enter command mode, and therefore cannot invoke

commands to redeﬁne port parameters, display status, and etc.

Passive Mode Ports can be connected by accessing command mode from a

free Any-to-Any Mode or Modem Mode Port, and invoking the Third Party

Connect or Resident Connect Command as described in Section 8.1.1. Passive

Mode ports will not buffer data, except during baud rate conversion.

Notes:

• A Passive Mode Port is not allowed to access command mode.

• In order to ensure supervisor access to important command

functions, the 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

device and store it in the APS’s statically allocated memory. Each port features

a ﬁxed length, ﬁxed position data buffer.

The Buffer Mode allows collection of data from various devices without the

requirement that all devices use the same communication parameters (e.g. baud

rate, parity, etc.).

Notes:

• Buffer Mode Ports cannot access command mode.

• In order to ensure supervisor access to important command

functions, the Buffer Mode is not available to Ports 1 and 2

(SetUp Ports).

• The Internal Modem Port cannot be conﬁgured as a Buffer 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.

8-6

Operation

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:

/C xx [Enter]

Where xxis the number or name of the port buffer to be read.

If the port’s buffer is empty, the APS-8/16M will send a message which reads

"Connected xx, Buffer Empty"; where "xx" is the port number. If the buffer

contains data, the APS-8/16M will display a prompt that offers four options:

Next Screen: To scroll through data one screen at a time, press the [Space] bar.

Each time the space bar is pressed, the next full screen of data will be sent.

• Scroll All: To send all data without pausing, press [1].

• Skip/Connect: To connect to the buffer port without sending stored data,

press [2].

• Erase/Connect: To connect to the buffer port and erase stored data,

press [3]. Note that buffered data will be erased immediately and will not

be sent.

Note: All four of these options also allow pass-through

communication with the device connected to the Buffer Mode port.

To clear data from the buffer, use the Erase/Connect option, or go to a free

Any-to-Any or Modem Mode Port with Supervisor Mode capability, and issue

the /E (Erase Buffer) command using the following format:

/E xx [Enter]

Where xxis the number or name of the port buffer to be cleared.

8-7

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.

• Any-to-Any, Passive, and Modem Mode Ports: When two ports are

communicating at dissimilar baud rates, the buffer memory prevents data

overﬂow at the slower port.

• Buffer Mode Ports: Stores data received from connected devices.

The user issues a connect command (/C) from an Any-to-Any Mode or

Modem Mode port to retrieve data.

If the Status Screen indicates an accumulation of data, the /E (Erase Buffer)

command can be invoked to clear the buffer.

8.4. Modem Mode

In addition to allowing data transfer, the Modem Mode also provides

additional functions speciﬁcally related to modem communication. A Modem

Mode Port can perform all functions normally available in Any-to-Any Mode.

The Modem Mode is available to all RS232 ports. In addition to allowing

conﬁguration of the internal modem, the Modem Mode also simpliﬁes the

process of connecting an external modem to the RS232 Ports.

Note: The Internal Modem Port is always conﬁgured for the modem

mode. The Internal Modem Port cannot be conﬁgured as an Any-to-

Any Mode, Buffer Mode or Passive Mode port.

When the Modem Mode is selected, the port conﬁguration menu (command

/P) will display three additional prompts, which allow the user to re-deﬁne

the modem reset string, initialization string, and hang-up string. When

Modem Mode is selected for a port that permits Supervisor Mode, you should

also deﬁne at least one password that permits Supervisor Mode in order to

discourage unauthorized access to higher command functions.

Normally, when a call is received, the unit will prompt the caller to enter a

password. The APS-8/16M allows three attempts to enter a valid password.

If the correct password is not entered in three attempts, or if the user does

not respond to the password prompt within 30 seconds, the modem will

disconnect. Passwords are deﬁned by invoking the /F command as described

in Section 5.4.

8-8

Operation

Notes:

• 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.

• All APS-8/16M RS232 ports can use both the unit’s internal modem

and external modem(s) installed at another RS232 port, providing

that the port password allows access to the desired modem port. To

call out, invoke the /C command to connect to the port, and then

access the modem as you normally would.

• If desired, the Invalid Access Lockout Feature can be conﬁgured to

completely shut down a port after a user-deﬁned number of invalid

access attempts are detected. For more information on the Invalid

Access Lockout Feature, please refer to Section 5.5.4.

8-9

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

8-10

9. Saving and Restoring

Configuration Parameters

After the APS-8/16M has been properly conﬁgured, parameters can be

downloaded and saved as an ASCII text ﬁle. Later, if the conﬁguration is

accidentally altered, the ﬁle with the saved parameters can be uploaded to

automatically reconﬁgure the unit without the need to manually re-assign

each parameter.

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.

The "Save Parameters" procedure can be performed from any communications

program (e.g. HyperTerminal, ProComm, Crosstalk, etc.), that allows

downloading of ASCII ﬁles.

9.1. Sending Parameters to a File

1. 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.

2. When the APS command prompt appears, type /Uand press [Enter].

The APS-8/16M will prompt you to conﬁgure your communications

program to receive an ASCII download.

a) Set your communications program to receive an ASCII format

download, and the specify a name for a ﬁle that will receive the

saved parameters (e.g. APS8M.PAR).

b) Disable the Line Wrap function for your terminal emulation

program. This will prevent command lines from being broken in two

during transmission.

3. When the communications program is ready to receive the ﬁle, return to

the APS-8/16M’s Save Parameter File menu, and press [Enter] to proceed

with the download. APS-8/16M parameters will be saved on your hard

drive in the ﬁle speciﬁed in Step 2 above.

4. The APS-8/16M will send a series of ASCII command lines which specify

the currently selected APS-8/16M parameters. The last line of the ﬁle

should end with a "/G-00" command. When the download is complete,

press [Enter] to return to the "APS>" command prompt.

9-1

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.

1. 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.

2. Conﬁgure your communications program to upload an ASCII text ﬁle.

3. Upload the ASCII text ﬁle with the saved APS-8/16M parameters. If

necessary, key in the ﬁle name and directory path.

4. Your communications program will send the speciﬁed ASCII text ﬁle to

the APS-8/16M. When the communications program is ﬁnished with the

upload, make certain to terminate the Upload mode.

Note: If the APS-8/16M detects an error in the parameters ﬁle, it will

respond with the "Invalid Parameter" message. If an error message is

received, carefully check the contents of the parameters ﬁle, correct the

problem, and then repeat the upload procedure.

5. If the parameter upload procedure is successful, the APS-8/16M will

send a conﬁrmation message, and then return to the "APS>" command

prompt. Type /Sand press [Enter], the APS-8/16M Status Screen will

be displayed. Check the Status Screen to make certain the unit has been

conﬁgured with the saved

9-2

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.

1. Obtain the update ﬁle. Firmware modiﬁcations can either be mailed to

the customer on a 3.5" diskette or CDROM, or downloaded from WTI via

modem. Place the diskette in your diskette drive and/or copy the ﬁle to

your hard drive.

2. Access the APS-8/16M command mode. If the password prompt is

displayed, key a password that permits Supervisor Mode. The Upgrade

Firmware feature is only available in Supervisor Mode.

3. When the APS-8/16M command prompt appears, type /UFand then press

[Enter]. The APS-8/16M will display a screen which offers the

following options:

a) Continue Upload and Keep Current Parameters: To proceed

with the upgrade, while retaining current, user-deﬁned parameters,

type 1and press [Enter]. All parameter settings will be restored

when the upgrade is complete.

b) Continue Upload and Default System: To proceed with the

upgrade, and reset parameters to default settings, type 2and press

[Enter]. When the upgrade is complete, all parameters will be set to

default values. Note that if the Firmware Upgrade is performed via

modem, Modem Port parameters will not be defaulted until after you

hang-up and disconnect from the unit.

c) Abort Upload: To cancel the upgrade and return to the command

prompt, type 3and press [Enter].

10-1

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

4. 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.

Note: The Upload function will time-out after one minute of

inactivity. If the function times out, type 1and press [Enter] to

continue, or press [Esc] to abort.

5. If the upload is successful, the APS-8/16M will prompt the user to

continue the upgrade or abort.

a) Upgrade: To continue with the upgrade, type 1and press [Enter].

APS-8/16M will erase the previous ﬁrmware, move new ﬁrmware

from data ﬂash to program ﬂash memory, calculate and store the

new checksum, and reboot. Do not attempt to reconnect to the

APS-8/16M until the RDY indicator blinks to indicate the process is

complete.

Note: Do not turn off power to the APS-8/16M unit while the

upgrade is in process.

b) Abort: To abort the procedure, type 2and press [Enter].

6. Incomplete Upload: If the upload is interrupted, times-out, or if the ﬁle

is corrupted during transfer, the APS-8/16M will display a screen which

asks for user conﬁrmation before proceeding. To proceed, type 1and

press [Enter], then return to Step 4 above.

7. Emergency Recovery: In the rare event that the APS-8/16M operating

system becomes corrupted during installation, front panel indicators will

blink ﬁve times and the unit will automatically switch to Emergency

Recovery Mode. Please contact WTI Customer Service for further

instructions.

When ﬁrmware upgrades are available, WTI will provide the necessary

ﬁles via modem or mailed diskette. At that time, an updated Users Guide or

addendum will also be available.

10-2

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 /Dcommand (Disconnect Port), or the /Ecommand

(Erase Buffer) the command will be applied to all ports. For example, to

erase all port buffers, type /E * [Enter].

• Port Name Wild Card: It is not always necessary to enter the entire port

name. Port names can be abbreviated in command lines by entering the

ﬁrst character(s) of the name followed by an asterisk (*). For example, a

port named "SERVER" can be speciﬁed as "S*". Note however, that this

command would also be applied to any other port name that begins with

the letter "S".

• Suppress "Sure?" Prompt: When the /D(Disconnect Port), /E(Erase

Buffer), or /I(Default and Test Unit) commands are invoked, the /Y

option can be included in the command line to override the "Are you Sure

(y/n)?" prompt. For example, to disconnect Port 8 without displaying the

"Sure?" prompt, type /D/Y 8 [Enter].

• Enter Key: All commands are invoked by pressing [Enter].

• Command Mode: APS-8/16M Ports will only recognize commands

when the command mode has been activated. The command mode can

be accessed from a free Any-to-Any or Modem Mode Port. To access the

command mode, proceed as described in Section 5.1.

• Connected Ports: When two ports are connected, most APS-8/16M

commands will not be recognized by either of the connected ports. The

only exception is the Resident Disconnect Sequence (Default = ^X ([Ctrl]

plus [X])).

• Conﬁguration Menus: To exit from most conﬁguration menus, you

must press [Esc]. The only exception to this rule is the Copy Parameters

Menu. For more information on the Copy Parameters Menu, please refer

to Section 5.6.

11-1

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.

After the unit is installed and conﬁgured, the port conﬁguration command

(/P) can specify an individual response format for each port. In addition to

the Terse and Verbose response modes, the port conﬁguration commands can

also select the Quiet Mode. When the Quiet Mode is selected, the port will not

send messages in response to commands.

The table below summarizes the various response messages for both the Terse

and Verbose modes.

Terse

Verbose

RAM Test Passed

Connected *

Busy

Disconnected

Invalid Command

Are You Sure (Y/N) ?

Invalid Parameter

Invalid Syntax

Invalid Access

Enter Site ID:

Aborted

Enter Password:

Invalid Password

RAM Test Failed at *

Inactivity Timeout, Disconnected

Data in Buffer from Previous Connection ...

Re-Enter Logoff Sequence to Purge Buffer.

Asleep

* These verbose Response Messages include additional information not

provided by terse Response Messages.

11-2

Command Reference Guide

11.3. Command Summary

Command Availability

Function

Command Syntax

Supervisor

Non-Supervisor

Enter Command Mode

Exit Command Mode

Help Menu

[Enter]

/X [Enter]

/H [Enter]

/J [Enter]

/S [Enter]

Display Site ID

Display Port Status

X

X

Display Port Diagnostics /SD[Enter]

Display Port Parameters /W [n] [Enter]

(Who)

Display Password

Directory

/V [Enter]

Set System Parameters /F [Enter]

Set RS232 Port

Parameters

/P <x> [Enter]

Copy RS232 Port

Parameters

/CP [Enter]

Connect

/C <x> [x] [Enter]

X

Resident Disconnect

Third Party Disconnect

/D[/Y] <x> [x] [Enter]

/D[/Y] * [Enter]

Unlock All Ports (Invalid /UL [Enter]

Access)

Erase Buffer

/E[/Y] <x> [x] [Enter]

/E[/Y] * [Enter]

/I[/Y] [Enter]

/U [Enter]

Default & Test

Save Parameters

Upgrade Firmware

/UF [Enter]





Supervisor Mode displays parameters for all ports; Non-Supervisor Mode

only displays parameters for ports allowed by Port Password.

Ports and passwords that do not permit access to Supervisor Mode can

only view parameters for the ports that are speciﬁcally allowed by the

password entered at log in.





Ports and passwords that do not permit access to Supervisor Mode are not

allowed to perform a Third Party Connect.

Resident Disconnect: Disconnects your resident port from another port.

Note that the Resident Disconnect Sequence can be redeﬁned via the Port

Conﬁguration Menus.



Third Party Disconnect: Disconnects two or more nonresident ports.

Must be issued from a third port where Supervisor Mode is active.

11-3

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. When command mode is inactive (port

asleep), the port will only respond when the [Enter] key is pressed without any

characters preceding it. If you have deﬁned at least one password that permits

access to Supervisor Mode, the unit will require a password before allowing

access to command mode.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: [Enter] (Press [Enter] twice if other characters have already

been typed.)

Response: The Port Status Screen will be displayed, followed by the

command prompt.

^X Resident Disconnect Sequence

The Resident Disconnect Sequence is issued to disconnect your resident port

from another port. For example, if you are communicating via Port 3, and Port

3 is connected to Port 4, the Resident Disconnect Sequence would be used

to disconnect Port 3 from Port 4. Although the default Resident Disconnect

Sequence is ^X([Ctrl] plus [X]), the command format and Logoff Character

can also be redeﬁned via the Port Conﬁguration Menus. Note that a three

character disconnect command can also be selected.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: ^X

Response:

Verbose: The APS-8/16M will send the "Disconnected" message, followed

by the Port Status Screen.

Terse: 3

11-4

Command Reference Guide

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.

• Third Party Connect: If the /C command speciﬁes two port names or

numbers, the unit will connect the two ports indicated. A Third Party

Connect command must be issued from a third port where Supervisor

Mode is active. Passwords and ports that do not permit Supervisor Mode

cannot initiate a Third Party Connect.

Note:

• Passwords and ports that do not permit Supervisor Mode can only

connect to the ports that are speciﬁcally allowed by the password

entered at log in.

• Passwords and ports that permit Supervisor Mode can connect to

any free APS-8/16M port.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /C <x> [x] [Enter]

Where xis the number or name of the port(s) to be connected.

Response:

Verbose: Connected xx, when a Resident Connection is initiated, the

APS-8/16M will also display the currently selected Resident Disconnect

Sequence for your port.

Terse: 1

/CP Copy RS232 Port Parameters

Allows quick set-up when all RS232 ports will be conﬁgured with the same or

similar parameters. When the /CP command is invoked, the APS-8/16M will

display a menu that is used to select common port parameters, which can then

be copied to all APS-8/16M RS232 ports. Note that the Copy Command will

not change restricted parameters at Ports 1 and 2 or the Internal Modem Port.

For more information, please refer to Section 5.6.

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only

Format: /CP [Enter]

Response: Displays Copy Parameters Menu

11-5

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).

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only

Format: /D[/Y] <x> [x] [Enter]

Where:

/Y (Optional) suppresses the "Sure?" prompt.

Is the number or name of the port(s) to be disconnected.

To Disconnect all ports, enter an asterisk.

Response:

Verbose: "Are you Sure (y/n)?", if Y, unit will respond with

"Disconnected".

Terse: 5, if Y, unit will respond with 3.

Example: To disconnect Port 2 from Port 3 without the "Sure?" prompt,

access command mode using a port and password that permit Supervisor

Mode, and type one of the following commands:

/D/Y 2 [Enter] or /D/Y 3 [Enter]

Erase Buffer

Erases data from the buffer for a speciﬁed port or several ports. Note that

erased data cannot be recovered.

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only

Format: /E[/Y] <x> [x] [Enter]

Where:

Is the number or name of the port buffer(s) to be cleared.

To erase buffers for all ports, enter an asterisk.

/Y (Optional) Suppresses the "SURE? (Y/N)" prompt.

Response:

Verbose: "Are You Sure (y/n)?", if Y, the unit will respond with "OK".

Terse: 5, if Y, the unit will respond with 0.

Example: To clear the buffer for Port 3, access command mode using a port

and password that permit Supervisor Mode, and type /E 3 [Enter].

11-6

Command Reference Guide

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

brief description of each command.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /H [Enter]

Response: Displays Help Screen. Note that the Supervisor Mode Help Screen

differs from the Non-Supervisor Mode Help Screen.

Default and Test

Tests internal memory and initializes the unit with the default parameters

speciﬁed by the SetUp Switches.

CAUTION: When /I is invoked, the APS-8/16M will revert to the

parameters speciﬁed by the SetUp Switches. Command selected

parameters will be lost.

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only

Format: /I[/Y] [Enter]

Where /Yis a command option used to suppress the "Sure?" prompt.

Response:

Verbose: "Are You Sure (y/n)?", if Y, memory test and initialization begins.

Terse: 5, if Y, memory test and initialization begins.

Display Site ID

Displays the user-deﬁned Site I.D. message.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /J [Enter]

Response: Displays Site I.D. Message

11-7

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 xis the number or name of the port to be conﬁgured. If the

port number or name is not speciﬁed, the APS-8/16M will display the

conﬁguration menu for your resident port.

Response: The Port Parameters Menu is displayed.

Display Port Status

Displays the Port Status Screen, which lists current conditions and parameters

for all ports. When the Supervisor Mode is active, the /S command will

display the current status of all APS-8/16M Ports. If the Supervisor Mode is

not active, then the /S command will only display status information for the

ports that are speciﬁcally allowed by the password entered at log in. For more

information on the Port Status Screen, please refer to Section 7.1.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /S [Enter]

Response: Displays Port Status Screen

/SD Display Port Diagnostics

Provides more detailed information regarding the operational status of each

port. If your password and port permit Supervisor Mode, the /SD command

will display status information for all APS-8/16M ports. However, if your

password or port do not permit Supervisor Mode, then the /SD command

will only display information for the ports speciﬁcally allowed by your

password. For More information on the Port Diagnostics Screen, please refer

to Section 7.2.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /SD [Enter]

Response: Displays Port Diagnostics Screen

11-8

Command Reference Guide

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.

/UF 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. Note that this command will only function at the Internal Modem

Port and at Setup Ports One and Two.

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only

Format: /UF [Enter]

Response: The APS-8/16M will display a menu which offers the options

to retain existing APS-8/16M parameters, default parameters or abort the

upgrade procedure.

/UL Unlock All Ports

Unlocks all ports that have been deactivated by the Invalid Access Lockout

Function. When the /UL command is invoked, the APS-8/16M will unlock all

RS232 ports that are currently in the locked state. For more information on the

Invalid Access Lockout Function, please refer to Section 5.5.4.

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only.

Format: /UL [Enter]

Response: The APS-8/16M will unlock all RS232 Ports.

Display Password Directory

Displays the Password Directory as described in Section 7.4. Note that the /V

command will not display actual passwords, but will instead read "deﬁned" or

"undeﬁned."

Availability: Supervisor Mode Only.

Format: /V [Enter]

Response: The unit will display the Password Directory Screen.

11-9

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. However, if you have logged into command mode using a

port or password that do not permit Supervisor Mode, the /W command will

only display information for your resident port. For more information, please

refer to Section 7.3.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /W [x] [Enter]

Where xis the Port number or name. If the "x" argument is omitted,

parameters for your resident port will be displayed.

Response: Displays port parameters.

Example: To display parameters for a port named "SERVER", access the

Command Mode from a port with Supervisor Level command capability, and

type /W SERVER [Enter].

Exit Command Mode

Exits command mode. When issued at the Net Port, also ends the telnet

session. Note that exiting from command mode will not terminate port

connections.

• Any-to-Any Mode: Exits command mode.

• Modem Mode: Disconnects and resets modem, hang-up message is sent,

hardware line to modem drops for 500 ms, and modem reset string is sent.

Availability: Supervisor Mode / Non-Supervisor Mode

Format: /X [Enter]

Response: Disconnected

11-10

A. RS232 Port Interface

Figure A.1: RS232 Port Hardware

DCD and DTR hardware lines function as follows:

1. When connected:

a) If either port is set for Modem Mode, the DTR output at either port

reﬂects the DCD input at the other end.

b) If neither port is set for Modem Mode, DTR output is held high

(active).

2. When not connected:

a) If the port is set for Modem Mode, upon disconnect DTR output is

pulsed for 0.5 seconds and then held high.

b) If the port is not set for Modem Mode, DTR output is controlled

by the DTR Output option (Parameters Menu, Option 74). Upon

disconnect, Option 74 allows DTR output to be held low, held high,

or pulsed for 0.5 seconds and then held high.

Apx-1

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.

Internal Modem Interface: RJ11 connectors for connection to your telco line

Coding: Asynchronous, 7/8 bits ASCII.

Parity: Even, Odd, None

Stop Bits: 1 or 2.

Data Rate: 300 to 115.2K bps (standard rates).

Flow Control: XON/XOFF, RTS/CTS, Both, or None.

Timeout: No activity timeout disconnects port. 1, 5, 10, 15, 30 seconds, 1, 5,

15, 30, 90 minutes.

Memory: Stores Parameters and captured data. Non-volatile 32K SRAM

buffer memory per port.

Break: Accept Break or Refuse Break

LEDs: On, Ready, Activity (for each RS232 Port).

Temperature: 0°C to 45°C (operating)

Power:

AC Models: IEC-32 Inlet, 115/230 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 5 watts

DC Models: Terminal Strip, -48 VDC, 0.2 Amp Max.

Size: 1.7” High x 17.15” Wide x 6.8” Deep (One Rack Unit)

Weight: 8 lbs. shipping weight

Humidity: 10 to 90% RH, Non-Condensing

Venting: Side vents are used to dissipate heat generated within the unit.

When mounting the unit in an equipment rack, make certain to allow

adequate clearance for venting.

Apx-2

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.

WTI Customer Service

5 Sterling

Irvine, California 92618

Local Phone: (949) 586-9950

Toll Free Service Line: 1-888-280-7227

Service Fax: (949) 457-8138

Email: [email protected]

Apx-3

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.

Information and descriptions contained herein are the property of Western

Telematic Inc.. Such information and descriptions may not be copied,

disseminated, or distributed without the express written consent of Western

Telematic Inc..

Printed in the United States of America.

March, 2005

Part Number: 13202, Revision: D

Trademarks Used in this Manual

ProComm and ProComm Plus are registered trademarks of Datastorm

Technologies, Inc.

HyperTerminal is a registered trademark of Hilgraeve, Inc.

Apx-4

Appendices

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. This

equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in

accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.

Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which

case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two

conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept

any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation

WARNING: Changes or modiﬁcations to this unit not expressly approved by the

party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the

equipment

FCC Part 68 Statement

General Requirements For All Equipment:

This equipment complies with Part 68 of the FCC rules. On the back cover of this equipment is a

label that contains, among other information, the FCC registration number and ringer equivalence

number (REN) for this equipment. If requested, this information must be provided to the telephone

company.

A plug and jack used to connect this equipment to the premises wiring and telephone network

must comply with the applicable FCC Part 68 rules and requirements adopted by the ACTA. A

compliant telephone cord and modular plug is provided with this product. It is designed to be

connected to a compatible modular jack that is also compliant. See installation instructions for

details.

The REN is used to determine the number of devices that may be connected to a telephone line.

Excessive RENs on a telephone line may result in the devices not ringing in response to an

incoming call. In most but not all areas, the sum of RENs should not exceed ﬁve (5.0). To be

certain of the number of devices that may be connected to a line, as determined by the total RENs,

contact the local telephone company.

If this equipment (analog modem) causes harm to the telephone network, the telephone company

will notify you in advance that temporary discontinuance of service may be required. But if

advance notice isn’t practical, the telephone company will notify the customer as soon as possible.

Also, you will be advised of your right to ﬁle a complaint with the FCC if you believe it is

necessary.

The telephone company may make changes in its facilities, equipment, operations or procedures

that could affect the operation of the equipment. If this happens the telephone company will

provide advance notice in order for you to make necessary modiﬁcations to maintain uninterrupted

service.

Apx-5

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

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.

Connection to party line service is subject to state tariffs. Contact the state public utility

commission, public service commission or corporation commission for information.

If your home has specially wired alarm equipment connected to the telephone line, ensure the

installation of this equipment does not disable your alarm equipment. If you have questions about

what will disable alarm equipment, consult your telephone company or a qualiﬁed installer.

EMC, Safety, and R&TTE Directive Compliance

The CE mark is afﬁxed to this product to conﬁrm compliance with the following European

Community Directives:

•

Council Directive 89/336/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation of the laws of Member

States relating to electromagnetic compatibility;

and

Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the harmonization of the laws of

Member States relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage

limits;

and

•

Council Directive 1999/5/EC of 9 March on radio equipment and telecommunications

terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity.

Industry Canada

This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

This product meets the applicable Industry Canada technical speciﬁcations

The Ringer Equivalence Number is an indication of the maximum number of devices allowed

to be connected to a telephone interface. The termination on an interface may consist of any

combination of devices subject only to the requirement that the sum of the RENs of all the devices

does not exceed ﬁve

Apx-6

Index

Dial Back Mode

Dial Back Number

Disconnecting Ports

DTR Output

DTR Signal

Duplex Mode

5-6

8-2 to 8-3

5-13

Accept Break

5-16

2-1

4-1

5-6

5-5

5-6

5-7

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

Apx-1

5-16

Edit/Delete from Search

Edit/Delete from List

Edit Password

EMC Information

Enter Command Mode

Erase/Connect

5-5 to 5-6

5-5

5-7

Apx-6

11-4

5-6

5-11

6-1 to 6-4

8-7

Erase Buffer Command

Exit Command Mode

11-6

11-10

Baud Rate

Bits

Breaks

Buffer Mode

Port Buffers

Reading Data

5-13

5-16

Firmware Upgrade

Flow Control

10-1 to 10-2, 11-9

5-13

5-1, 5-11, 8-6

8-8

8-7

Grounding

Handshake Mode

Hang-Up String

Help Menu

CLEAR Button

Command Echo

2-1

5-16

5-13

5-14

11-7

Command Mode Access

Local

5-1 to 5-2

Hunt Groups

8-4 to 8-5

Modem

Command Reference Guide

Command Response

Command Set

Command Summary

Conﬁguration

Connecting Ports

Connecting Power

Connect Command

Copying Parameters

Copy Parameters

Customer Service

11-1 to 11-10

11-2 Initialization String

11-4 Internal Modem

11-3 Invalid Access Lockout

5-14

6-1 to 6-4

5-16 to 5-17

5-17

5-1 to 5-20

8-1 to 8-2

4-1

Lockout Access

Lockout Attempts

Lockout Duration

Unlock Ports

5-17

11-9

11-5

5-18

11-5

Apx-3

Line Port

Lockout Access

Logoff Character

2-2, 4-2

5-17

Data Bits

DCD Indicator

5-15

5-13

2-1

4-1

Modem Command Mode

Modem Mode

6-1

5-11, 8-8

5-14

2-2, 4-2

DC Powered Units

Default and Test

Default Parameters

Reset

Delete Password Directory

Diagnostics Screen

Dial Back Attempts

Dial Back Delay

Dial Back Function

11-7

Hang-Up String

Initialization String

Reset String

2-1

5-8

7-2

5-4

Modem Port

5-8 to 5-9

Index-1

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

Port Interface

Port Mode

Port Modes

Any-to-Any Mode

Buffer MOde

Buffer Mode

Modem Mode

Passive Mode

Port Name

Port Parameters

Port Parameters Screens

Port Status

Port Status Screen

Power Components

Power Supply

Apx-1

5-13

5-11

Name

No Activity Timeout

5-6

8-4

One Character Disconnect

ON Indicator

5-15, 8-3

2-1

8-1 to 8-9

8-6 to 8-7

5-11, 8-8

5-11, 8-6

5-13

11-8, 11-10

7-4

11-8

7-1 to 7-2

2-2

Operation

Parameters

Saving and Restoring

Parity

9-1 to 9-2

5-13

Passive Mode

Passwords

Adding

5-1, 5-11, 8-6

5-2 to 5-4

5-6 to 5-7

5-7 to 5-8

5-4 to 5-6, 11-9

5-5 to 5-6

5-5

i, 4-1

Editing and Deleting

Password Directory

Add Name/Password

Delete Entire Directory

Deleting Entire

Edit/Delete from List

Edit/Delete from Search

Password Directory Screen

Password on Dial Back

Pinout

Rack Mounting

RDY Indicator

Reading Data

Reset Default Parameters

Reset String

Resident Connections

Resident Disconnect

Response Type

Restoring Parameters

RS232 Ports

2-1

8-7

2-1

5-14

8-1

5-8

5-5 to 5-6

5-5

7-4 to 7-5

5-4

Apx-1

5-7

8-8

5-10 to 5-19

5-16

5-15, 8-3, 11-4

5-16

9-2

2-2, Apx-1

5-12 to 5-17

Port Access

Port Buffers

Port Conﬁguration

Accept Break

Baud Rate

Conﬁguration

Save Entry

Saving Parameters

Scroll All

Sequence Disconnect

Serial Ports

SET Button

5-7

9-1, 11-9

8-7

5-13

5-16

5-10

5-18

5-13

Command Echo

Conventions

5-15

2-2

2-1

5-2

Copying Parameters

Data Bits

DTR Output

Handshaking

Set Up Ports

Site I.D. Message

Skip/Connect

Slash Character

Speciﬁcations

5-4, 11-7

8-7

Hang-Up String

Initialization String

Invalid Access Lockout

Logoff Character

Parity

Port Mode

Port Modes

Port Name

Reset String

Response Type

Sequence Disconnect

Supervisor Mode

Timeout Disconnect

Port Connection

Resident Connections

Third Party Connections

Port Diagnostics

Port Diagnostic Screen

Port Disconnection

5-14

5-16 to 5-17

5-15

11-1

Apx-2

7-1 to 7-5

7-4

7-2 to 7-3

7-4

Status Screens

5-13

5-11

5-13

5-14

5-16

5-15

Password Directory Screen

Port Diagnostic Screen

Port Parameters Screens

Port Status Screen

Stop Bits

7-1 to 7-2

5-13

Supervisor Mode

Sure Prompt

5-1, 5-2, 5-6, 5-15

11-1

5-3 to 5-9, 11-7

System Parameters

Dial Back Attempts

Dial Back Delay

Password Directory

Password on Dial Back

Site I.D. Message

5-16

5-4

5-4 to 5-7

5-4

4-2, 8-1 to 8-2

8-1

11-8

7-2

8-2 to 8-3

5-4

Index-2

Index

Terminal Block

Terse Response

4-1

5-16, 11-2

8-1

8-3, 11-6

5-15, 8-3

8-4

Third Party Connections

Third Party Disconnect

Three Character Disconnect

Timeout

Timeout Disconnect

5-16

Unlocking Ports

Unlock Ports

5-17

11-9

Upgrade Firmware

Upgrading Firmware

User Name

11-9

10-1 to 10-2

5-6

Verbose Response

5-16, 11-2

Warnings and Cautions

Who Command

11-10

Index-3

APS-8M / APS-16M Asynchronous Port Switches; User’s Guide

Index-4

5 Sterling • Irvine • California 92618

(949) 586-9950 • Toll Free: 1-800-854-7226

Fax: (949) 583-9514 • http://www.wti.com

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