Is it possible to access Dial-Up Modems with linx/logix 5/500 through the internet?

[Russ]

Some of the sites I service on a regular basis still use a modem. Is it possible to configure a laptop to allow linx to connect with these modems through the internet?

On a related note, I have a Verizon cell phone (Galaxy S6) and can use it as a hot spot. I contacted Verizon about this issue, to see if there might be a way to use my cell phone as a modem, and they seem baffled. No matter how many ways I tried to explain what I was trying to do they simply didn't understand. I feel very old.

 

[Paullys50]

Yes you should be able to still use a modem. I haven't used one in years but we had a setup where the office had a couple of modems that the engineers could reach through our internal network. I think we had some virtual modem on our laptops that bridged to them through our network (IT setup). We would be routed to the modem we wanted to use, we would then use the connected modem to dial out to a client modem and have access through RSLinx.

Sometimes that didn't work well, the virtual modem was cumbersome at times. We would drag a very long phone cable from the physical modem and plug directly to our laptops modem (gone are the days when a modem was part of a laptop) and made the connection. This pretty much worked every time.

I think the driver in Linx was dependent on how the client modem connected to the PLC. Typically it was just serial so the DF1 driver.

I doubt you can use your cell phone as any sort of modem. You would probably need some type of USB Modem, which I have never used.

 

[JesperMP]

Hmmmmm..... good question indeed.

I have also pondered the same question. Since there are quite a few modems connected to some of our legacy machines out there. In our new offices there are no telephone lines at all. We all have smartphones, there is nothing to connect a modem to from our side.

Skype can call up from an internet connected PC to "real" telephone numbers. But how to tell the application to use Skype as the COM port ? Googling for "Skype virtual COM port" gives no usable hits.

There are ethernet/serial adapters that provide a virtual COM port, so if you have a VPN connection into the site, that could be the way to go. But that is not exactly what you ask for. You want a way to connect to real landline connected modems out there.

There are virtual modem emulators, like this one:
http://www.eltima.com/products/virtual-modem-pro/
But as far as I understand, it require that the emulator runs at both ends. I might be wrong though.

 

[JesperMP]

And trying to google for something like "smartphone as virtual modem" just returns a lot of guides as how to setup a smartphone as hotspot. I found a few discussion boards that actually discussed it in the way we want, but it seems noone has made actual success.

 

[Paullys50]

Perhaps something like Virtual Modem Pro on your laptop. (I've never used this, quick google found it).

Add your phone as a hot spot to give you network connectivity in the event you don't have access to one.

 

[Russ]

Thanks guys. I just tried Virtual Modem Pro, but the latest version is from 2006, and every time I would try to "Add a Modem" I would get a pop-up window stating that it couldn't create a Virtual Serial Port. Which is necessary for Linx to work.


I sent an email to their tech support, and hope to hear back... but again... the most recent release is from 2006. I'm not getting my hopes up.

 

[Firejo]

To do what you are looking to do will require a terminal server at the modem end and redirect software on the PC end. The redirect software allows you to assign a serial port number to an IP address and port number. The terminal server would be configured with the IP address and port number. When the redirect software sees a request for the comm port, it takes that data and wraps it in an Ethernet packet which would be sent out on the Ethernet connection of the PC. At the other end the terminal server would receive the data packet (because it has the IP address the software is using), strip the Ethernet packet off and send it out the port that has the port number the software is using. You would also need a VPN or some other way to make an Ethernet connection between the two locations.
If all you’re looking to do is connect to a PLC remotely via the Internet you could also go this route;
http://www.spectrumcontrols.com/webport.htm

 

[Russ]

To do what you are looking to do will require a terminal server at the modem end and redirect software on the PC end. The redirect software allows you to assign a serial port number to an IP address and port number. The terminal server would be configured with the IP address and port number. When the redirect software sees a request for the comm port, it takes that data and wraps it in an Ethernet packet which would be sent out on the Ethernet connection of the PC. At the other end the terminal server would receive the data packet (because it has the IP address the software is using), strip the Ethernet packet off and send it out the port that has the port number the software is using. You would also need a VPN or some other way to make an Ethernet connection between the two locations.
If all you’re looking to do is connect to a PLC remotely via the Internet you could also go this route;
http://www.spectrumcontrols.com/webport.htm

Thank you for the detailed response. I might be able to use it at another site, unfortunately it won't help me in this situation. I have to connect through their modem, and there is no chance of setting up VPN access.

The way I worked around this in the past is to have a dedicated computer at home that I could access via remote desktop. Unfortunately, that didn't work this time (thanks to Rockwell's buggy security.... though GE is running neck and neck in the annoyance Olympics, and may likely pull out a surprise victory).

 

[Russ]

Bump... just curious to see if anyone might have any advice.

 

[Firejo]

To clarify, when you use the term “modem”, are you talking about a dial up modem with a serial port interface? If so, the only way to access the serial port via the internet is with a terminal server of some sort along with re-direct software. Keep in mind this setup might get called different things but you need to take the serial data and put it onto the Ethernet network (re-direct software) and break it back out to a serial port on the other end (terminal server). Once you get it back to a serial protocol then you can connect that to the serial port of the modem.
Having said that, if you are able to put a PC with the serial modem and have it connected to the internet then there are other options that basically allow you to access the PC via the internet and have it connect to the modem.

 

[Russ]

To clarify, when you use the term “modem”, are you talking about a dial up modem with a serial port interface? If so, the only way to access the serial port via the internet is with a terminal server of some sort along with re-direct software. Keep in mind this setup might get called different things but you need to take the serial data and put it onto the Ethernet network (re-direct software) and break it back out to a serial port on the other end (terminal server). Once you get it back to a serial protocol then you can connect that to the serial port of the modem.
Having said that, if you are able to put a PC with the serial modem and have it connected to the internet then there are other options that basically allow you to access the PC via the internet and have it connect to the modem.

You would think that someone would be able to do this, especially when I can call pretty much anyone in the world via Skype.

Yes, I am talking about a dial-up modem connected to channel zero of a variety of SLC 5/03, 5/04, and even an old plc 5 series processor. One of the units still uses a Hayes Smart-modem (it's a beast!). If I could set up a dedicated pc that had internet access and was connected to the plc through its serial port, I could just as easily use whatever communication protocol it uses (DH-485, or DH+) instead. This would give me access to the plc and hmi, which would be even better.

My current solution involves leaving a laptop at home so I can access it (via remote desktop) when I'm in the field. This solution works well until Rockwell's activation manager decides to forget all of my software activations, leaving me stuck between a hotel's wifi and an essentially useless laptop. The most likely option (based on the current replies) is to make sure my Rockwell software is running on my home laptop before I leave. Cumbersome? Antiquated? Awkward? Yes, yes, and yes; however, it would eliminate a repeat of a situation that prompted me to write this post. and keep me from losing another chunk of change in the process.