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Working With the BACdrop Gateway
This section describes the BACdrop Setup Wizard tools that allow you to interact with the BACdrop
gateway by means of a serial cable connection. With these tools you can gather information about the
MicroTech network configuration, set up or change the BACdrop configuration file, and download
program files to the BACdrop gateway. You can also back up and restore BACdrop configuration
files.
All of these tools can be found under the BACdrop Panel menu:
System Information
Displays a list of the MicroTech controllers connected to the
BACdrop gateway. This command also displays the BACnet network
number and the MicroTech network number.
Configure:
Modify Controller List
Displays a list of the MicroTech controllers and the address of each. It
also displays the Device instance number and the location of the
controller. You can edit the controller list with this tool.
Configure:
Change Network
Numbers
Allows you to change the network number of either the BACnet
network or the MicroTech network.
Download
Allows you to download software into the BACdrop gateway.
Advanced Options:
Write Configuration
to a File
Saves a BACdrop configuration file to the PC’s hard disk or a floppy
disk.
Advanced Options:
Read Configuration
from a File
Reads and restores a BACdrop configuration file that was previously
saved to disk.
Advanced Options:
Change Timing
Parameters
Allows you to change the amount of time the BACdrop gateway waits
for responses to MicroTech network requests before timing out. These
parameters should only be changed by advanced users because
improper values can cause network problems.
To use a tool on the BACdrop Panel menu
•
On the BACdrop Panel menu, choose one of the above tools.
The tool’s wizard starts and leads you through the setup. You will be asked to verify cable
connections and the COM port to be used. See below for more information on each tool.
PC Hardware and Cabling Configurations
This set of tools requires a standard serial cable (not a null-modem serial cable), which is connected
between the PC serial port and the BACdrop gateway’s “PC” port. The connector on the BACdrop
gateway is a female DB9.
You should know the COM port that is assigned to the PC’s serial port. The wizard will prompt for
this information.
The first screen of each tool’s wizard is a cabling diagram that helps you set up or verify cable
connections. Figure 12 shows an example.