LAN Installation Guide Issue 11

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LAN installation guide

The Furness Controls FCO73x, FCO75x, FCO77x, FCO78x, and FCO79x instruments have an optional
LAN port. For brevity this document will refer to the instrument as FCO7xx to mean any of these.
This guide shows an example of how to install the programs and drivers to allow an FCO7xx to be
configured to communicate over a LAN on a Windows computer.
You will require the technical details of your specific LAN installation, i.e. the IP addresses that are
available for use and whether specific subnet masks or gateways are used. Each FCO7xx instrument
on the network will need to be assigned a unique static IP address. Firewalls may need to be
configured to allow LAN communication.
All new FCO7xx instruments are configured with default settings:

IP address 192.168.0.129
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway 0.0.0.0
The FCO7xx should be powered on and connected to a network via a hub or router etc. To avoid a
conflict of addresses only one new instrument should be connected to the network and you should
ensure that this IP address is not already used on your network.
Before commencing it is important to configure the instrument’s “Fbus Settings” menu as follows:
PORT : LAN
ID NUMBER :1
BAUD : 115200 Newer instruments have the baud rate and
PARITY : 8,NONE parity fixed and they cannot be seen or set.
There are several programs that you may need to install on your computer. Note that the software
versions shown in this document are for example only – the current versions may be downloaded
from http://furness-controls.com/info
• Furness Controls Fbus Utility. This will be used to test the communications link. It may also
be used to upload or download instrument settings, edit instrument settings, log data etc. It
has control and diagnostic functions that may help software developers work with the Fbus
protocol.
• Lantronix Device Installer. The FCO7xx series of instruments uses a component
manufactured by Lantronix Inc. called an XPort to provide the LAN function. The Device
Installer software is provided by Lantronix to configure the XPort. It is initially used to set the
instrument’s IP address, but you will also need it if you want to change more advanced
networking settings such as the subnet mask or gateway. Some FCO7xx instruments with
firmware released after February 2017 have a built-in utility to set the IP address. Some
instruments with firmware released after July 2019 can also set the subnet mask and
gateway; you may not need to use the Device Installer for those instruments.
FCO7xx LAN Installation Guide Issue 11 Page 1 of 15

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• Lantronix Com Port Redirector (CPR). This is used to create virtual “com” ports to allow
standard communications programs to work over LAN with the FCO7xx. Fbus Utility v5.0.0 or
newer supports TCP/IP directly and you may not need to use the Lantronix CPR unless you
use other applications that need com ports.
• Microsoft .Net Framework 4. This is normally installed with Windows. If not then it will be
installed with the Device Installer or Redirector, or you can download directly from Microsoft
or via http://furness-controls.com/info.
Notes for downloading the programs

Please note that some company IT policies will not allow the download or installation of executable
files. In this case, either your IT department can be asked to download and install the software for
you, or maintenance departments often have an off-line laptop that interface software can be
installed on.
Windows Defender SmartScreen or anti-virus warnings

These may initially block the download of one or more of these programs, give warnings about being
unsafe, or may give a warning later when run. In the case of the Fbus Utility, blocking is typically
because it is ‘not commonly downloaded’. Be assured that the Fbus Utility, when digitally signed by
Furness Controls Limited, has been scanned by multiple detection engines for viruses and malware.
It is recommended to save and run the programs anyway. The method of doing this depends on
Windows version, browser type, and anti-virus program. Please ask your IT department if you have
difficulties.
Windows User Account Control

If User Account Control is enabled then it may prompt whenever new programs are installed and
run. If these prompts occur then you should choose to allow the program.
Windows Security and Firewall

Windows Security might prompt for permission while installing any of the programs. You should
allow these programs to be installed. If the Firewall blocks any program then you should allow
access.

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Download the files

In your web-browser, navigate to: http://furness-controls.com/info. This will direct you to our
download site as follows:
• Click the ‘Downloads’ menu item at the top of the page.

• The Fbus Utility and .NET Framework are found in the Utilities section.
• The Lantronix Device Installer and Com Port Redirector are found in the Drivers section.
• Download each of the installer files and note where they are saved.
Install and run the Lantronix Device Installer

• Instruments from Furness Controls with recent firmware support the configuration of IP address,
subnet mask and gateway from within the instrument and the Device Installer may not be
needed. Instruments with older firmware, or more complex network configuration will require
the use of the Lantronix Device Installer.
• Locate your downloaded files. You’ll see a file “setup_di_x86x64cd_4.4.0.0.exe” or similar. Run
the program follow and the instructions.
• When installation is complete, click on the windows start button, select “All programs”,
“Lantronix”, “DeviceInstaller”.
• The DeviceInstaller will search the network then show all Lantronix devices found on the
network. You should see the new FCO7xx at address 192.168.0.129.

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• Click on the 192.168.0.129 line to highlight it as shown, and then click the Assign IP icon.
• At this point there is a button offering a TCP/IP Tutorial that may be of interest. When ready,
choose Assign a specific IP address and then click Next.

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• Change the IP address, and subnet mask if necessary, to suit your network. Your network
supervisor can advise you if required. Click the Next button to proceed.
• Finally, click the Assign button. You will see a progress bar as the IP address is changed.
• When the assignment completes successfully you can click the Finish button and close down the
Device installer program.
• Power cycle the instrument.

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Install and run the Lantronix Redirector

• The Com Port Redirector creates virtual “com” ports and redirects them to LAN IP addresses. This
allows you to communicate with the FCO7xx using programs designed to work with standard
“com” ports on a Windows PC. Each instrument will have a unique IP address and a therefore a
unique “com” port.
• The Furness Controls Fbus Utility v5.0.0 or newer supports TCP/IP directly and you may not need
to use the Lantronix CPR. If you have an old version of the Fbus Utility or if you have other
applications that need com ports then you should install the Com Port Redirector.
• Locate your downloaded files again. Run the setup_cpr_x86x64cd_4.3.0.3.exe program to install
the Com Port Redirector. Follow the on-screen installation prompts and accept the default
options.
• A quick start guide for the redirector is available which provides much more information than this
document, but the following shows how to add a new port and connect to an FCO7xx.
• Click on the windows start button, “All programs”, “Lantronix”, “CPR Manager”.
• The initial window shows any com ports that have already been used by the computer.

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• Click the Search For Devices button. The devices on the network will be show in the Device List
below
• Then click the Add/Remove button to get the following dialog:
• Tick as many com ports as you need to assign to instruments, then click the OK button. The new
port(s) will be shown in red on the main screen. Note that the Fbus Utility only supports com
ports 1 to 16.

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•
Click the first new com port (in red) to configure it. The default settings will be shown. In the
Device List at the bottom of the window, double click the device that you want to assign to the
com port. The device IP address and TCP Port will be copied to the Host and TCP Port entries in
the Settings tab:
• Repeat for other ports if required, then click the Save button.
• When the process completes, close the CPR Manager application.

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Install and run the Fbus Utility

• Locate your downloaded files once again. Double click the fbsetup.exe program to install the Fbus
Utility. Follow the on-screen instructions. It is recommended that you accept all installation
options.
• After the program has been installed you may be prompted to run the Fbus Utility, otherwise
click on the windows start button, “All Programs”, “Fbus Utility” and click on the Fbus Utility icon
to start the program.
• Click the ‘Setup’ button at the top left of the screen and you will be presented with the settings
screen. Older version of the Fbus Utility will look similar but without the TCP/IP support.

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• The Fbus Utility help system explains this window in more detail. For the purpose of this example
we will configure Device 1 for use with the FCO7xx over the LAN connection that was setup in the
previous section of this document using the Com Port Redirector, and device 2 using TCP/IP
directly from the Fbus Utility. Change the settings as shown:
Com port setting to be the same as
This is just a description to the one noted when the Lantronix
make identification simpler Redirector was configured
Select TCP/IP Enter the IP address. Use

instead of COM the default TCP Port
• When all settings are complete, press the Exit button to return to the main window.
• Check that the correct device is selected and that the port options are as expected then click the
picture of the instrument to query the FCO7xx.
Click here to query

the instrument
Device selection
drop down
• If all is well you should see the instrument’s version information. If the redirector fails to make
contact with the FCO7xx you will get an error message and you will need to check the
interconnections and all of the settings in this document.

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• You can do the same test using TCP/IP directly from the Fbus Utility. Use the Device Selection
drop down to select Device 2 that we setup previously, then click the picture of the instrument as
before.
Click here to query

the instrument
Device selection
drop down
• Note that all features of the Fbus Utility can be used over a local area network with the exception
of updating the instrument’s firmware using “Flash update” – this must be done local to the
instrument via its RS232 or USB ports.
• Click the Help button and select ‘Contents’ for more information about the features of the Fbus
Utility.

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Advanced XPort Settings

• More advanced XPort configuration can be done via the XPort’s Web Configuration or its Telnet
interface. The Lantronix Device Installer allows access to either. Double-Click the device to
expand its details.
• That will present the device information and other tabs.

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• For this example, click Web Configuration then click the Go button.
• You will be asked for a username and password. If you have not previously set these, just click OK
to continue to the web configuration menu.

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• The Channel 1 Serial Setttings are critical to the operation of the instrument and should not be
changed. They are configured by Furness Controls and are shown below for reference.

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• All other settings are XPort defaults. If you need to change anything for your specific application
it is assumed that you know what they should be set to, or have been given instructions on what
to set. For example, the default Channel 1 Connection settings:

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Beeching Road

LAN installation guide

All new FCO7xx instruments are configured with default settings:

FCO7xx LAN Installation Guide Issue 11 Page 1 of 15

Notes for downloading the programs

Windows Defender SmartScreen or anti-virus warnings

Windows User Account Control

Windows Security and Firewall

FCO7xx LAN Installation Guide Issue 11 Page 2 of 15

Download the files

• Click the ‘Downloads’ menu item at the top of the page.

Install and run the Lantronix Device Installer

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Install and run the Lantronix Redirector

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• Then click the Add/Remove button to get the following dialog:

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Install and run the Fbus Utility

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Select TCP/IP Enter the IP address. Use

Click here to query

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Click here to query

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Advanced XPort Settings

• That will present the device information and other tabs.

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