Ethernet Comms Converter (ECC) - Grostech.com

Ethernet Comms 

Converter (ECC) 

ECC – 001 

Product Manual 

JANUS Access Control Systems 

INTRODUCTION 

The Ethernet Comms Converter (ECC) enables the routing of JANUS Comms over an Ethernet 

network supporting TCP/IP. 

This document describes how to use, install and configure the ECC, with examples of some 

typical applications. 

DESCRIPTION 

The software driver mimics a Com port on the Main JANUS PC. Connection to the network is 

via an RJ45 socket with a 5-way plug and socket for downstream JANUS Comms. An IDC can 

be directly connected to the ECC using RS-422/485. Figure 1 illustrates how the ECC connects 

JANUS hardware to a network. 

In JANUS communications, the convention has been adopted that upstream is towards the host 

computer and downstream is away from the host. 

JANUS 

Comms PC 

UTP 

ETHERNET 

ECC 

UTP 

RS-422 

Line 1 


UTP 

RS-485/422 

Line 2 

IDC 

1 

IDC 

IDC 

2 

IDC 

IDC 

32 

Figure 1. Connecting JANUS hardware to an existing network. 

Page 1 of 12 PM005R02 – November 2001 

Grosvenor Technology Ltd © 2001

Ethernet Comms Converter (ECC) 


ECC Features 

The ECC enables the main JANUS PC to communicate with remote IDC/IPC hardware across 

an existing LAN or WAN infrastructure, without the need to install extra cabling. 

The ECC plugs into a standard RJ45 data socket where upon it can be assigned a static IP 

address. This establishes a permanent connection between the main JANUS PC and the 

remote site IDC/IPC hardware. 

A maximum of 32 IDC/IPC may be connected to a single ECC. There is no limit to the number 

of ECCs that may be present on a network. 

If the network connection between the main JANUS PC and an ECC is lost, JANUS will 

automatically re-establish the link when it becomes available. 

The operation of the ECC can be monitored using the status LEDs on the board. 

Specifications 

Dimensions: 21.6 x 6.3 x 

2.9 cm 

Material: Aluminium casing 

9.3 cm 

Power Supply: 

9 to 24 VDC, 4W max 

Current: 

300 mA max at 13.6V 

M3 Threaded 

Fixing Holes 

Operating temperature: 

0° to 50°C 

21.2 cm 

20.9 cm 

5.0 cm 

Operating humidity: 

5-85% relative humidity 

non-condensing 

Weight: 435 grams 

Certifications: 

CE Mark approved 

6.3 cm 

2.9 cm 

Cable requirements: 

CAT 5 unshielded twisted 

pair (UTP) can be used with 

an RJ45 connector. 

For RS-485 or RS-422 

communications, 2 Pair 

Belden #8723 is 

recommended. 

Maximum cable distance 

for each is 1200M without 

repeater. 

Figure 2. ECC general specifications. 

PM005R02 – November 2001 Page 2 of 12 




Typical Application 

To convert between communications protocols: Ethernet 100BaseT (or 10BaseT) and RS- 

422/RS-485. Interfacing to optical fibre is also possible using additional fibre optic adapters 

(available separately). Figure 3 shows the basic ECC operation. 

Ethernet 

Network 

CPU 

Isolation 

RS-422 

RS-485 

Driver 

RS-422/485 

Janus 

Comms 

Line 

PSU 

Power 

9Vdc 

Figure 3. ECC operation. 

INSTALLATION 

The installation requirements for an ECC are listed in Table 1. 

Description 

Part Number 

1 x Ethernet Comms Converter ECC-001 

1 x Power supply (Plug-top) PWR-4 

1 x RJ45 Data outlet and patch lead 

1 x 230V Power source 

OR 

1 x Ethernet Comms Converter ECC-001 

1 x Enclosure (wall mounting) IDC-ENC-WHI 

1 x Chassis back-plate IDC-AUX-CHASSIS-001 

1 x Power supply IDC-10-PSU 

1 x Battery, typically 7Ah 

1 x RJ45 Data outlet and patch lead 

1 x 230V Power source 

Table 1. ECC installation requirements. 





EMC Compatibility 

In compliance with the EU EMC Directive(s) 89/336/EEC and 92/31/EEC, the Ethernet Comms 

Converter conforms to the standards detailed in Table 2. 

Standard Year Title 

BS EN50133-1 1997 Emissions and Immunity standard for access control 

systems. 

BS EN50081-1 1992 Generic emissions standard for light industrial 

applications. 

BS EN55022 class B 1995 Emissions standard for ITE residential and light 

industrial applications. 

BS EN50130-4 1995 Immunity requirements for Fire and Alarm Systems. 

BS EN61000-4-2 1995 ESD requirements. 

BS EN61000-4-3 1997 Radiated susceptibility. 

BS EN61000-4-4 1995 Electrical Fast Transient Burst requirement. 

BS EN61000-4-5 1995 Surges requirements. 

BS EN61000-4-6 1996 Conducted susceptibility. 

BS EN61000-4-11 1994 Voltage Dips and Interruptions. 

ENV50204 1996 RF EM field Keyed carrier. 

Table 2. Standards for EMC compliance. 

Safety 

All equipment must be installed to meet Health and Safety requirements and the IEE 16 th edition 

of regulations for electrical installations. In particular, all enclosures must be securely connected 

to a reliable ground. Earth studs are provided in the wall mounting enclosure for this purpose. 

Ensure no voltage above 24V is present in the low voltage section of the enclosure. 

Workmanship 

All wiring should be identified. The use of consistent cable types and colours for each element 

of the system will greatly ease system maintenance and future expansion. 

It is of vital importance to accurately label the installation and to provide detailed ‘as-installed’ 

wiring drawings. Future maintenance and expansion of the system will depend on this 

information. 

Enclosure 

The ECC is supplied in a metal case with rubber feet. It may be used as a stand-alone unit 

powered by the PWR4 plug-top PSU, or fitted in a wall-mounting enclosure with a JANUS PSU 

and backup battery. A chassis plate is available for fixing the ECC in a wall mounting enclosure 

(see Table 1 for part numbers). 

The enclosure should be installed in a secure area to prevent compromise of the system. The 

enclosure may also be mounted horizontally if required. In all situations, sufficient space should 

be allowed to permit engineers to work inside the enclosures for future maintenance. 

The ECC should be installed in a clean dry area. It will work satisfactorily between a 

temperature of 0°C and 50°C with a relative humidity between 5% and 85% and no 

condensation. The air should be completely free of corrosive gases. 





Avoid strong magnetic fields generated by transformers and motors etc. Do not install the 

enclosures near to hazardous voltages or in areas exposed to strong radio frequency signals. 

Wiring details for different cable types 

A standard patch cable may be used to connect to a hub. The first colour listed in the colour 

pair is the dominant colour of the wire. In other words, WHT/ORG is a white wire with orange 

stripes. 

CAT5 cable (EIA 568-A) Crossover cable (EIA 568-B) Crossover cable (USOC) 

Connector #1 Connector #2 Connector #1 Connector #2 Connector #1 Connector #2 

1 WHT/ORG 1 WHT/ORG 1 WHT/ORG 1 WHT/GRN 1 WHT/BRN 1 WHT/BRN 

2 ORG/WHT 2 ORG/WHT 2 ORG/WHT 2 GRN/WHT 2 WHT/GRN 2 WHT/GRN 

3 WHT/GRN 3 WHT/GRN 3 WHT/GRN 3 WHT/ORG 3 WHT/ORG 3 WHT/ORG 

4 BLU/WHT 4 BLU/WHT 4 BLU/WHT 4 WHT/BLU 4 WHT/BLU 4 WHT/BLU 

5 WHT/BLU 5 WHT/BLU 5 WHT/BLU 5 BLU/WHT 5 BLU/WHT 5 BLU/WHT 

6 GRN/WHT 6 GRN/WHT 6 GRN/WHT 6 ORG/WHT 6 ORG/WHT 6 ORG/WHT 

7 WHT/BRN 7 WHT/BRN 7 WHT/BRN 7 BRN/WHT 7 GRN/WHT 7 GRN/WHT 

8 BRN/WHT 8 BRN/WHT 8 BRN/WHT 8 WHT/BRN 8 BRN/WHT 8 BRN/WHT 

WHT - White BRN - Brown ORG - Orange GRN - Green BLU - Blue 

Table 3. Wiring details for different cable types. 

Power Supply 

The power supply for the ECC is nominally 12V DC, but will operate from 9V DC up to 24V DC. 

The 24V DC figure is the absolute maximum, so the unit should not be run on a 24V supply that 

has a ripple exceeding this figure. 

The supply current requirement of the ECC varies with voltage and ranges from 400mA at 9V 

DC to 150mA at 24V DC. At the nominal 12V DC supply voltage the current is around 300mA. A 

power supply of less than 1A output capacity should not be used. 

As a stand-alone unit the ECC can be powered using the PWR-4 plug-top PSU. When fitted in 

a wall mounting enclosure the ECC should be powered from a GTL IDC-10-PSU or alternative 

higher output GTL PSU. 

Where the ECC is located away from the host PC, it is recommended that a standby battery be 

used. This is fitted in the wall mounting enclosure and is connected in the same way as for an 

IDC or IPC. Figure 4 gives details of the power supply connections. 

+12V 

GND 

PWR 4 

Power 

from 

IDC PSU 

Battery 

Figure 4. Power supply. 





Communications 

RS-422A communications connections should be made with two individually shielded, twisted 

pairs (i.e. 4 wires), while RS-485 connections are made via a single shielded, twisted pair. All 

cable should be 22AWG or larger, preferably stranded since it is less prone to damage during 

installation. Belden #8723 or it’s equivalent is recommended. Five way connector blocks are 

used for RS-422A/485 connections. 

Unlike the IDCs and IPCs the TX and RX connections between the ECC and outside devices 

are not always made on a pin-to-pin basis. In most applications, the TX and RX pins of the two 

devices are crossed 

The cable screen should be connected to the SCRN terminal at both ends. The SCRN 

connection on the ECC is isolated from ground; therefore the other end should be grounded 

using the Upstream/Downstream Comms GND select link on the IDC. This should be set to 

Upstream. Figures 5 and 6 show typical connection from the ECC to the JANUS Intelligent 

Controllers. 

TX-A 

TX-B 

RX-A 

RX-B 

SCRN 

ECC Jbus 

Upstrm 

Dnstrm 

Comms GND 

Select on IDC 

First IDC 

RS-422 Comms 

Upstream Comms 

TX-A 

TX-B 

RX-A 

RX-B 

SCRN 

(See inset) 

TX-A 

TX-B 

RX-A 

RX-B 

SCRN 

Downstream Comms 

All Further IDCs 



(See inset) 

TX-A 

TX-B 

RX-A 

RX-B 

SCRN 

TX-A 

TX-B 

RX-A 

RX-B 

SCRN 


(To Upstream Port of next IDC) 

Figure 5. RS-422 connection. 

ECC Jbus 

A 

B 

SCRN 

Upstrm 

Dnstrm 

Comms GND 

Select on IDC 

First IDC 



A 

B 

SCRN 

A 

B 

SCRN 

(See inset) 


Figure 6. RS-485 connection. 

All Further IDCs 


A 

B 

SCRN 


A 

B 

SCRN 

(See inset) 


(To Upstream Port of next IDC) 





Board Layout 

Status LEDs 

RS-485 

RS-422 

Network 

connector 

Power indicator 

Receive data 

Transmit data 

Framing error 

LED 1 

LED 2 

LED 3 

LED 4 

Configuration Switches 

SCRN 

B 

A 

SCRN 

RX-B 

RX-A 

TX-B 

TX-A 

1 2 3 4 5 

1. Power 

2. Link 

3. 100BaseT Ethernet 

4. Server activity 

5. Serial activity 

+9V to 24 V DC, 4W max 

(300mA max @ 13.6V) 

Power Supply 

_ 

+ 

Figure 7. The ECC board layout. 

Dip switch settings 

The 8-way dip switch is used to make changes to the operational settings of the ECC such as 

the communications speed. Table 4 gives details of the SW1 switch functions, while Figure 8 

gives examples of settings. The default switch settings should be 5 & 6 OFF (up) and all others 

ON (down). The switch settings must be configured before the ECC can be used. 

Switch Operation 

1 

RS-422 TX termination status 

2 

3 

RS-485 TX/RX termination status 

4 

& RS-422 RX termination status 

5 RS-485/422 mode selection 

6 Not used 

7 Communications speed 

8 Communications speed 

Table 4. SW1 switch functions. 

422 TX Terminated 

422 TX Not Terminated 

485 TX/RX 422 RX Terminated 

485 TX/RX 422 RX Not Terminated 

485 (Two wire) mode 

422 (Four wire) mode 

Sw1, 6 Not used 

19200 baud only 



Auto detect baud rate 

Figure 8. SW1 Switch settings. 

Some of the switch settings are only read when the power is first connected to the ECC. 

Therefore, when changes are made to the settings, the ECC must be switched off and restarted 

before the changes will take effect. 





Status LEDs 

Once an ECC is running its status can be monitored via the LEDs mounted on the board. There 

are two sets of LEDs, one for the RS-422/485 Drivers, the second to monitor the Network 

CPU. Details are given below. 

RS-422/485 Drivers 

These LEDs are located on the side of the unit. 

Power (green) - When illuminated, this LED indicates that power is connected to the ECC. 

RX - Receive (yellow) - The RX LED illuminates when data is being received at the serial port. 

TX -Transmit (red) - The TX LED illuminates when data is being transmitted from the serial 

port. 

Framing Error (yellow) – Indicates that data is in the wrong frame format. 

Network CPU 

These LEDS are located on the top of the unit near the Ethernet connector. 

Power (green) - This indicates that power is available to the Network CPU. If this is off, but the 

Power LED for the RS-422/485 drivers is on, then there is a problem with the board. 

Link (green) - This will only light if there is a physical network connection to the ECC, via the 

RJ45 socket. 

100BaseT Ethernet (green) -This LED will only light if the network is 100BaseT Ethernet, not 

10BaseT Ethernet. 

Server Activity (green/red) – This will light if data is being received into, or sent from the 

network port. 

Serial Activity (green/red) – This will light if there is communication between the RS-422/485 

drivers and the Network CPU. 





PROGRAMMING THE ETHERNET COMMS CONVERTER 

The Ethernet Comms Converter (ECC) provides an RS-485/422 JANUS Line via an Ethernet 

Network and TCP/IP socket. The ECC is supplied un-programmed unless Grosvenor was 

requested to set-up the device prior to shipping. 

Default settings 

When setting up a brand new ECC it will have no IP address, Subnet Mask or Gateway. All 

ECCs have a unique Ethernet (MAC) address printed on the back of the device. The default 

values for the serial port are shown in Table 5. 

Parameter 

Value 

Baud rate 9600 

Data bits 8 

Stop bits 1 

Parity 

None 

Flow Control 

None 

Table 5. Default values for the ECC serial port. 

JANUS versions 2.34 or older 

If the version of JANUS is older than v2.40, a line must be added to the SERVICES file. 

1. Open the file with Notepad, it will be located on the Main JANUS PC at one of the 

following locations: 

[Windows NT4 and 2000] 

[Windows 95 and 98] 

C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\ 

C:\WINDOWS 

2. Add the following line: janus_comms 3001/tcp 

3. Save the amended file, ensuring it is not saved with a .TXT extension, i.e. Services.txt 

is not valid. 





Programming the ECC via the serial port 

A serial port on the PC needs to be connected to the serial port of the ECC via an RS-232/422 

converter (part number DVR-232/422). See Figure 9 for a description of how to connect an 

ECC to a converter. The SW1 switches on the ECC should be set to RS-422 (4 wire) mode and 

a speed of 9600 Baud. The device can then be programmed with Windows HyperTerminal. 

RS232/RS422 

Converter 


JANUS PC 

Converter 


ETHERNET 

Figure 9. Connecting an ECC to a converter. 

Using HyperTerminal 

1. Start the HyperTerminal program and connect to the ECC using the settings 9600, 8, 

None, 1 and no flow control. 

2. Power-up the ECC. 

3. Wait for two minutes for the device to finish booting and hit the Return key a few times 

until the command prompt Local_1 appears. 

4. If the unit just displays Boot then the Return key has been hit too early. If this is the 

case re-power the ECC and wait a minimum of two minutes before pressing Return. 

5. At the Local_1 prompt, enter the following; 

SET PRIVILEGED (or SET P) 

[At the password prompt type SYSTEM and hit return, it will not be echoed to the 

screen] 

CHANGE DHCP DISABLED 

CHANGE BOOTP DISABLED 

CHANGE RARP DISABLED 

CHANGE IPADDRESS xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx [where xxx is the required number] 

CHANGE SUBNET MASK xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 

CHANGE GATEWAY xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 

CHANGE SPEED 4800 

CHANGE FLOW CONTROL NONE 

CHANGE SERIAL DELAY 100 





6. Type SHOW SERVER and the screen will scroll and display the settings. Confirm that 

they have been entered correctly. 

7. Type SHOW PORT, this will display the serial port settings. 

8. The ECC is now ready to use. Connect it to a network point and try to PING its IP 

Address. Once the device can be seen on the network the serial port can be connected 

to an Intelligent Controller. 

Programming the ECC via the network port 

The ECC can be programmed through its network port via a hub or directly from a PC if a 

switched network cable is used. If a switched cable is used then no clock signal is present, it is 

therefore recommended that a 100MB network card be installed in the PC for reliable results. 

When programming via the network, Grosvenor recommends that the PC used for programming 

be attached to the same hub as the ECC. 

Once the ECC is connected to a network device it can be programmed using the EZWebCon 

software that is located on the JANUS CD. 

Using the EZWebCon software 

1. Install the EzWebCon software from the JANUS CD onto a PC. The software is located 

at: :\Installation\Extras\EZWEBCON\WIN32. When installing the software 

do not alter the default settings. 

2. When an unconfigured box is powered on it will search for a DHCP server. If one is 

present it will automatically obtain an IP Address. To avoid this from happening make 

sure that the network and serial ports are NOT connected. 

3. Once the ECC has fully booted (this takes about 2 minutes), the network connection 

can be reconnected. The EZWebCon software can then be used to program the 

device. 

4. Select Action • Assign IP Address. 

5. Enter the Ethernet address; this is printed on the back of the ECC. 

6. Enter the IP address and Subnet mask if required (or check None), but leave the 

TFTP host blank. 

7. Ensure that ‘Automatically connect and permanently assign the IP address to the 

server’ is checked. Click OK to finish. 

8. Once the IP address has been assigned you can browse for the device on the network 

and configure the serial settings etc. by selecting the Action • Manage option, or 

Action • Telnet (use the commands listed in step 5 of Using HyperTerminal for 

Telnet). 

9. For use with a JANUS system the serial port should be set to 4800 (or 9600), 8, N, 1 

with no flow control. DHCP should be disabled to stop the device from requesting an 

IP Address when it boots. 





CONFIGURING THE ECC FOR USE USING THE JANUS DATABASE PROGRAM 

For the JANUS system to recognise and communicate with an ECC, it must be configured 

within the JANUS Database program. 

1. With JANUS Comms running and the JANUS Database program open, select Open • 

Hardware • Comms line…. The Comms Line dialog opens. 

2. To enter a new Line Name, click on the New button and type the name. If you are 

editing an existing line then click on the Choice button and select the Line from those 

listed. 

3. Select Ethernet comms server for Line type. 

4. Type in a Host name. This is usually the IP address of the ECC, but can also be a 

name. 

5. Select Save to add the information to the database. The ECC is now ready for use. 

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 for each ECC to be configured. 

Troubleshooting ECC configuration 

The Client Socket in the comms window provides important information on communication 

between the JANUS Comms program and the ECC. 

Port 3001 is used to communicate with the ECC. If this port has been disabled then it is still 

possible to PING and Telnet to the ECC but JANUS Comms will not talk to it. Ensure that the 

network does not have any switches, hubs or firewalls that have been programmed to disable 

port 3001. 

If the Client Socket says the Host cannot be found, then add a line to the Lmhosts file and use 

a Host name in the Database’s comms line dialog box instead of the IP number. 

1. Open the file with Notepad, it will be located on the Main JANUS PC at one of the 

following locations: 

[Windows NT4 and 2000] 

[Windows 95 and 98] 

C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\ 

C:\WINDOWS 

2. Add an entry to the Lmhosts file that will substitute the ECC Host name for its IP 

address. An example is given below: 

102.54.94.117 remote_ecc1 #PRE 

3. Save the amended file, ensuring it is NOT saved with a .TXT extension, i.e. Lmhosts.txt 

is not valid. 

Millars Three, Southmill Road, Bishops Stortford, Herts, CM23 3DH. 

Tel: +44 (0)1279 838000, email: sales@grosvenortechnology.com, web: grosvenortechnology.com

Ethernet Comms Converter (ECC) - Grostech.com

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