Ethernet

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connectivity

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S m a l l c h a r a c t e r i n k j e t p r i n t e r s
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Contents

General 5

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■ Introduction 7
■ General network information 7

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Description of the Ethernet option 9

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■ Description 11

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Configuring the Ethernet option 13

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■ Communication principle 15
■ Configuration in TCP mode 16

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■ Configuration in RealPort mode 20

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Installing RealPort 20
RealPort configuration 24

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Adding / deleting printers 28
Updating the RealPort driver 31

RJ45 connection 33
Cables 35
DCME unit: Ethernet connector 35

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 t i o n
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General

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General

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General

■ Introduction

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The Ethernet option can be used to improve communication between the printer and the
control application.

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This solution has several advantages:
- Greater distance between the control PC and the printers.
- Use of the company's internal network.

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- The number of printers accessible to a single PC is no longer limited to the number of
serial ports.

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NOTE: The tools and documentation needed to configure the Ethernet
option are supplied on the "Documentation" CD-ROM supplied

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with each printer.

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■ General network information

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A network is a structured medium, organized and defined in order to exchange
information.

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In our case it is a set of computers and printers, linked together by physical lines,

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exchanging information in the form of digital data.

F
Control
application
Imaje 9030
printers

Ethernet network

Company network

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General

This type of network is organized as follows:

Ethernet IP
TCP Data

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(MAC adress) (IP adress)

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- the Ethernet layer, which uses MAC addresses (Medium Access Control) to identify
physical source and destination addresses.

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- the IP (Internet Protocol) layer which, among other functions, encapsulates data and

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provides source and destination IP addresses.
An IP address may be assigned in two ways:
• A temporary address, supplied automatically by a DHCP server.

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• A fixed, permanent IP address, configured manually.

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 t i o n
Description of
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Ethernet
i n f o option

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Description of the Ethernet option

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Description of the Ethernet option

■ Description

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This option involves installing an industrial interface board fitted with a DCME unit which
converts data from Ethernet packets to the printer's built-in serial link and vice-versa.

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It features an RJ45 connector for connecting the printer to the local area network. A cable
gland allows the cable to traverse the industrial interface panel.

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DCME

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Industrial
interface board
Cable

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NOTE:
Industrial interface
panel

Communication via an Ethernet network requires a correctly

configured network card on the control PC.

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 Configuringt the i o n
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Ethernet
i n f o option

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Configuring the Ethernet option

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Configuring the Ethernet option

■ Communication principle

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The PC can communicate with the printer over an Ethernet network in one of two modes:
- TCP mode: This mode communicates directly with the printer. The control application

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must be configured to transmit data over TCP/IP. The DCME unit must be configured.
- RealPort mode: RealPort mode effectively simulates a serial link. The PC application
should be configured for to transmit data over a serial port. The serial port is only virtual
but this makes no difference as far as the application is concerned. However, it requires

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a driver to be installed and configured on the PC(s) where the printer control program is
installed. This mode is used when the control application can only communicate over a

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serial link.

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The diagram below shows that RealPort mode is effectively located on the PC and TCP

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mode in the DCME unit, i.e. in the printer.

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PC application DCME Printer

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Ethernet

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RealPort TCP

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mode mode

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Configuring the Ethernet option

■ Configuration in TCP mode

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The unit is factory-configured in DHCP mode, and the printer is therefore assigned a
temporary IP address when it is connected to the network.

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The CFGWIZ.EXE program provided can identify this address and reconfigure the DCME
unit for an optimal connection.

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1. Run the application by
double-clicking on
CFGWIZ.EXE.

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The installation language may

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be changed by clicking the
"Change Language" button.

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The application must be

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restarted for the change of
language to take effect.

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Click "Next"

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Configuring the Ethernet option

2. The unit is recognized by its

MAC address and its IP
address.

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The list shows one IP address

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for each printer on the network.
Select an address then
click "Next".

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Note: The serial number shown
can be used to identify the

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printers. The number is marked

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on the manufacturer's plate on
the printer.

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3. By default the unit is

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configured in DHCP mode. To
use a fixed IP address, click

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"Use the following IP settings",

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enter the various addresses (IP
address, subnet mask and
default gateway)
Click "Next"

Caution: Only change these

settings if you understand the
implications.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

4. Configure the serial port

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settings as shown opposite.
Note: The maximum serial link

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speed on the printer is 38400
baud.
Click "Next"

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5. Your configuration is

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displayed.
You may change the settings by

F
clicking "Previous". to return to
the previous screens.
Otherwise confirm by clicking
"Next".

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Configuring the Ethernet option

6. The DCME unit is now

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configured.
Click "Finish" to quit the

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application.

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NOTE: The application must be run once for each printer connected to

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the network.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

■ Configuration in RealPort mode

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Some PC applications, such as Imaje Message Center or Imaje Graphic Center, can only
communicate over a serial link. The DCME unit effectively transforms an Ethernet

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connection into a serial link; what is needed is a means of doing the reverse, i.e.
transforming a serial link into an Ethernet link.
This is what the RealPort driver does.

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Installing RealPort

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See document 90000630-B: "RealPort installation".

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The unit is factory-configured in DHCP mode, and the printer is therefore assigned a
temporary IP address when it is connected to the network.

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1. Start the RealPort

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installation by double-clicking
on the file Setup.exe.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

2. A welcome screen is
displayed.

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Ensure that the printers are

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connected to the network
then click "Next".

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3. The printer(s) are
automatically detected.

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The list shows one IP address

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for each printer on the
network.
Select a printer and click
"Next".

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Configuring the Ethernet option

4. Select a serial port.

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The port selected by default is
the first in a list sorted in

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alphanumeric order.
Note: These are virtual serial
ports, and do not physically
exist on the machine.

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Click "Next"

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5. The port is configured
automatically.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

6. Click "Finish" to finish

installing the driver.

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NOTE:

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The configuration steps must be performed for each printer

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connected to the network.

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At this stage you do not know which printers correspond to which IP addresses. To find

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out, use the "Cfgwiz.exe" tool (See the "TCP mode" section.)

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Configuring the Ethernet option

RealPort configuration

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Once the "RealPort" driver has been installed, the serial port needs to be configured to
optimize the link, as follows:

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1. Open the system control
panel using the Start /
Settings / Control Panel

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menu and double-clicking on
the "System" icon.

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2. On the "Hardware" tab,
click "Device Manager".

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Configuring the Ethernet option

3. Expand the "Multi-port

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serial adapters" entry
created during when the

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RealPort driver was installed.
Right-click (or double-click)
on the device and select
"Properties".

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4. On the "Advanced" tab,
click the "Properties" button.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

5. Select "DigiConnect ME".

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The unit's IP address is
shown on the "Network" tab.

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You may need to modify
these settings if they have
been changed with the

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CFGWIZ.exe program.

Caution: only change these

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settings if you understand the

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implications.

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6. Click on the port to

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configure.
Set the parameters as shown

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opposite.

Note: the maximum serial

link speed on the printer is
38400 baud.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

7. On the "Advanced" tab,

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check the "Complete write
requests immediately" box

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to optimize the connection.
Confirm the changes by
clicking "OK".

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Configuring the Ethernet option

Adding / deleting printers

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1. If the number of printers on

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the network is modified, you
must run the "RealPort" setup
program to update your
configuration.

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Double click on the
"setup.exe" file.

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2. This window enables you
to add new printers or remove
printers which have been
disconnected from the
network.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

3. New printers are

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automatically detected.
Proceed as described in

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steps 3 to 7 of the "RealPort
configuration" section.

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4. To delete a printer from
your configuration after it has

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bene disconnected from the

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network, select the printer
and Click "Next".

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Configuring the Ethernet option

5. The device is removed

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automatically.

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6. Click "Finish" to confirm
your new configuration.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

Updating the RealPort driver

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NOTE: An Internet connection is needed to download updates.

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1. Select "Update Digi
RealPort Software" then Click

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"Next".

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2. The application uses the
Internet connection to check
for available updates.

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Configuring the Ethernet option

3. Click "Finish" to finish

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updating the RealPort driver.

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 t i o n
RJ45 connection
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RJ45 connection

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RJ45 connection

Cables

TIA / EIA T568 A standard TIA / EIA T568 B standard

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DCME unit: Ethernet connector

F Pin 8

Pin 1

Pinout
Pin 1 Pin 2 Pin 3 Pin 4 Pin 5 Pin 6 Pin 7 Pin 8
TXD + TXD - RXD + NC NC RXD - NC NC
Transmit Transmit Receive Not Not Receive Not Not
Data + Data - Data + connected connected Data - connected connected

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 12/ 2003
05/ 2005
Revision 11/
03/
2006
2007
05/ 2008

Ethernet link manual

Manual updates
- Revision index A corresponds to the first issue of this manual.

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- The revision index changes each time the manual is updated.

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Date of issue Documentation revision index Software revision
08/2005 A C10

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Photos and diagrams not contractually binding.
Imaje reserves the right to modify the technical characteristics of its products without prior notice.
This document may not be reproduced in whole or in part.
English Edition

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F o r Manuals Department – Imaje S.A.

Imaje SA
Head office:
9, rue Gaspard Monge
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France
Tel.: (33) 04 75 75 55 00
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