*HelpHelp for Serial Control*Serial


With the Netfinity Serial Control service you can use your system's modem to remotely access another Netfinity system. Once properly configured, the Serial Control service can access and manage other Netfinity systems using only a modem, just as if they were attached to your LAN. If you use Serial Connection Control to connect with a Netfinity Manager, you can then use the remote system's Remote System Manager to pass through that system and manage any other Netfinity system on the remote system's network.

Also, if your system is not LAN-attached, the Netfinity Serial Control service will enable your system administrator to manage your system using any of Netfinity's applications without having to visit your office or interrupt your work.

Use the Netfinity Serial Control to:

Note: Your system must have a properly installed and configured modem that supports at least 9600 baud for the Serial Control service to function.

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Managing Serial Connections

The following operations can be performed from the Connections screen:

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Edit/Add Connection Information

Select a Connection List entry to edit an existing connection or select Add Connection to add a new connection entry.

To Edit/Add Connection Information:

  1. Type in the Connection Name field a unique name for the Serial Connection Control entry that you are creating for an individual system.
  2. For example, the System Name of the system that you are configuring for Serial Connection access would be a good entry. However, the Name entry is purely descriptive, and can be anything at all.

  3. Type in the Phone Number field the telephone number of the system that you will be accessing.
  4. Be sure to include the area code and any prefixes that might be necessary to reach this system (for example, some phone systems require that you dial a 9 to get an external phone line). Do not use parentheses or dashes in the telephone number.

    Note: The system that you are dialing in to must be in AutoAnswer mode for a connection attempt to be successful.

    Note:You must provide a number in this field for the null modem connection to function properly. The "dummy" number must consist of at least one digit.

  5. Set the Serial Connection Control User ID and Password.
  6. Type in the User ID and Password fields the user ID and password that a remote system, using Serial Connection Control, must provide in order to gain access to your system using Serial Connection Control.

    Note: You must provide a User ID and a Password that matches the User ID and Password on the remote systems Serial Connection Control for the Serial Connection Control to allow access to a remote system. Once connected, all normal Security Manager rules apply for access to both local and remote systems.

  7. Select in the COM Port To Use field a Com port for the modem communications using the pull down selections.
  8. Select in the Baud Rate field the baud rate for the modem to use for the serial connections using the pull down selections.
  9. Note: Many modems have built-in data compression, and therefore are capable of transmitting data at a rate higher than which they are rated for. You should set the Baud Rate as high as will permit a successful connection.

    Note: Setting the Baud Rate lower than your modem's rating will force a lower data transmission rate. This may be necessary if telephone line conditions are poor.

    Note: For a NULL modem connection to function properly the baud rate must be the same for both the connecting systems.

  10. Select the Auto Start check box to automatically start this serial connection when Netfinity is started.
  11. Select the Null Modem checkbox to allow serial communications over a null modem connection, such as a direct connection between two systems using their serial ports.
  12. Note: This option will not be present when connected to a Win3.x machine.

  13. Select Save to add the configured serial connection entry.
  14. Select Cancel to return to the Serial Control web page without saving any changes.
  15. Select Reset to reset the serial connection fields to their previous values.

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Delete Connection Information

Select a Connection List entry to delete a modem connection using the Connections screen.

To Delete Connection Information, select Delete to delete the displayed serial connection entry.

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Accessing Remote Systems

Once you have created one or more Serial Connection Control entries, you are ready to access remote systems.

To access a remote system:

  1. Select a Connection List entry for the remote system that you want to access.
  2. Select Start Connection to initiate the serial connection process.

Once you have initiated the serial connection process, your system will initialize your modem, dial the telephone number for the selected entry, wait for an answer, and then attempt to use the User ID/Password combination to access the remote system. If the connection is successful, you can add (or discover) the remote system with Remote System Manager. Then, you can remotely access and manage the remote system just as if it were part of your network.

Notes:

  1. The remote system must have its own Serial Control service running in AutoAnswer mode. If the remote system is not in AutoAnswer mode, your telephone call will not be answered by the remote system's modem.
  2. If you want the Serial Control service to automatically start and attempt to access a specific remote system when Netfinity is started, select the remote system's entry, and then select the Auto Start check-box. Only one entry can be configured to start automatically. Type in the Phone Number field the telephone number of the system that you want to use Serial Connection Control to access.

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Enabling Remote Access

Once you have configured your modem for use with Serial Control, you must grant access to your system to your network administrator or other authorized users. Authorized users can then use Serial Control to access your system. To grant access to your system:

  1. Set the Serial Control service to AutoAnswer mode.
  2. Use Security Manager to configure a User ID/Password combination for the authorized user to use when logging on to your system.

For information on how to configure a User ID/Password combination to enable remote access to your system, see "Setting Incoming User ID/Password Combinations".

To set the Serial Control service to AutoAnswer mode:

  1. Start the Netfinity Serial Connection Control service.
  2. Select the Serial Control object.

  3. Select Auto Answer entry from the Serial Connection List.
  4. The AutoAnswer setting will enable the Serial Connection Control service to automatically answer incoming phone calls through the modem. Once it has answered the telephone, it will attempt to establish a link with the calling system.

  5. Set the Serial Connection Control User ID and Password.
  6. Type in the User ID and Password fields the user ID and password that a remote system, using Serial Connection Control, must provide in order to gain access to your system using Serial Connection Control.

    Note: You must provide a User ID and a Password that matches the User ID and Password on the remote systems Serial Connection Control for the Serial Connection Control to allow access to a remote system. Once connected, all normal Security Manager rules apply for access to both local and remote systems. Set the Serial Connection Control User ID and Password.

  7. Select Start Connection.
  8. Once you select Start Connection, the Serial Control service will begin waiting for an incoming call. Once "Waiting for call" appears in the Serial Connection Control window status field, you can Exit. Serial Connection Control will continue to wait in the background for incoming calls.

    Note: If you want the Serial Connection Control service to automatically start and begin waiting for incoming calls when Netfinity is started, select Auto Answer, and then select the Auto Start check box.

  9. Select Refresh Status to update the connection status.

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Managing Modem Settings

The Serial Control service provides a variety of predefined modem definitions that you can use to access remote systems or to enable remote access of your own system through your modem. You can edit and customize the predefined modem definitions as well as define the settings for additional modems not listed.

The following operations can be performed from the Modem Settings screen:

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Add Modem Definition

To Add a Modem Definition using the Modem Settings screen:

  1. Type in the Modem Name field a unique name for the Modem Definition entry that you are creating.
  2. Type in the Initialization String field the initialization string for the modem.
  3. Type in the Hangup String field the connection termination sequence string for the modem.
  4. Select Save to add the configured modem definition entry.
  5. Select Reset to refresh the modem definition fields to their previous values.

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Edit Existing Modem Definition

To Edit an existing Modem Definition using the Modem Settings screen:

  1. Select in the Existing Modem Definitions field a modem entry.
  2. Edit the Modem Name, Initialization String, and Hangup String fields to the desired their values.
  3. Select Save to add the configured modem definition entry.
  4. Select Reset to refresh the modem definition fields to their previous values.

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Delete Existing Modem Definition

To Delete an existing Modem Definition using the Modem Settings screen:

  1. Select in the Existing Modem Definitions field a modem entry.
  2. Select Delete to delete the selected modem definition entry.

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Initialization String Guidelines

Although most modems share similar initialization string codes, there are differences from modem to modem. Therefore, it is very difficult to provide appropriate initialization strings for all modems. In some cases you might need to create your own initialization string for your modem. If you do, consult the documentation that comes with your modem for the appropriate initialization string codes.

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Configure COM Ports

Use the Configure Com Ports screen to configure one or more Com ports with a selected modem.

To configure Com ports for a defined modem:

  1. Select from the Com Port field the Com ports to be configured using the check boxes next to the available Com ports.
  2. Select from the Existing Modem Definitions field a modem entry to be configured with the selected Com ports.
  3. Select Configure to configure the checked Com port entries the selected modem entry.

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Exiting

To exit the Serial Control service, select the "Netfinity" image on the top or bottom of the Serial Control service to return to the Netfinity services screen.

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