Lantronix XPress DR+ manual Introduction, Product Description

Chapter 2: Introduction

This chapter provides basic information about the wired and wireless versions of the XPress DR+. The wireless version has two modes of operation: wireless and wired. In wired mode, the wireless functionality is not used, and the unit behaves identically to the wired XPress DR+. In wireless mode, the unit's behavior is wireless to serial, and the Ethernet ports are not functional.

Unless otherwise noted, information in this User Guide applies to both versions of the product. Information specific to the wireless version of the XPress DR+ unit is in Chapter 4: XPress DR+W.

Note: In this User Guide we sometimes refer to the XPress DR+W as "the wireless unit" or the "wireless device server."

Product Description

The Lantronix XPress DR+ Industrial Device Server is a robust, feature-rich, and cost effective way to network-enable equipment in an industrial automation environment. The XPress DR+ provides two serial ports, two switched Ethernet ports, a wide power input range, and expanded environmental specifications, making it an ideal solution

for connecting multiple asynchronous RS232, RS422, or RS485 serial devices to an Ethernet network.

The internal two-port Ethernet switch allows the XPress DR+ to cascade connections from a single network drop to another Ethernet device or from one XPress DR+ to another and another, and so on. By leveraging a single network drop to connect multiple devices, the XPress DR+ greatly reduces device connectivity costs, reduces cabling cost and simplifies system changes and device moves.

By encapsulating serial data and transporting it over Ethernet, the XPress DR+ allows virtual serial links over Ethernet and IP (TCP/IP, UDP/IP) networks. As a result, you can extend limited distance, point-to-point, direct serial connections within the plant, throughout the facility, or across the global enterprise.

The XPress DR+ provides an impressive list of features and functions enabling multiple industrial devices to be connected, controlled, configured, managed, and updated over a network. With two serial ports and two auto-sensing Ethernet ports, the XPress DR+ can easily connect multiple serial devices to a network and cascade from one XPress DR+ to another from a single network drop.

Types of supported devices:

‹Programmable controllers (PLCs)

‹Process controllers

‹Motor drive controllers

‹Power monitoring equipment

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