I understand you can use the Citect OMFINS driver for Ethernet but not sure if it is fully up to date with the latest PLCs - check with Citect.
I use Omron FINS Gateway middleware but you have to buy it. I then use Citect FINS driver - this gives you great flexibility for serial, Ethernet, Controller Link, Sysmac Link or a mixture of any of those. The Citect driver also has different 'FINS' words to choose from. 'FINS1' is for the older C200H, C200HS, Alpha etc, 'FINS2' for the C1000H, CV1 etc and 'FINS3' for the CS1, CJ1, CP1.
The driver allows a mixture of comms methods, different PLCs etc.
I recently installed a system with 2 CS1 PLCs on Ethernet and 5 C200HS PLCs on RS422 multidrop. It all worked beautifully with the exception that the serial interface slowed the Citect read times down considerably but that is to be expected.
For the RS422 interface I used an Adam 4561 USB/serial converter. It has a terminal block and you can use 232 or 422 or 485. The device is isolated and is powered by the USB port. Worked first time on Vista Business (UAC off) with both Citect and CX-Programmer and never faulted in 4 days of very heavy use and has not failed since (2 weeks now).
I used FINS Gateway 2003 (Vista compatable as long as UAC is turned off), Citect V7.1 (Vista compatable) and CX-One V3 with all updates (has been Viusta compatable for over 18 months by the way), Citect FINS driver (Vista compatable). I am not sure if the Citect OMFINS driver is Vista compatable though - you would have to chack with Citect.
