IP socket mode

IP socket mode provides serial communication for a single TCP or UDP port on the XLR PRO (multiple simultaneous connections are not supported). This would normally happen over the Ethernet connection, but it may also occur over the bridge if Ethernet RF bridging is enabled and another XLR PRO (which also has Ethernet RF bridging enabled) provides the Ethernet connection to an IP host. With the factory default settings, the XLR PRO listens on port 9750 for incoming TCP traffic. A telnet session can be initiated to the XLR PRO IP address as a simple IP socket connection.

The same operations that can occur in serial mode can also occur in IP socket mode. Those operations are based on the payload of the IP frames. In other words, serial data coming to and from the XLR PRO is equivalent to the payload of the IP socket mode data.

Controlling parameters

IP socket mode is configured by these parameters:

IB: IP socket mode baud rate. This is set to the maximum rate of 460800 b/s by default, but it may be set to a lower rate for throttling, if desired.
IP: IP protocol. Default value of 1 selects TCP and 0 selects UDP. This parameter must match the protocol used by the IP host.
C0: TCP or UDP port on which the XLR PRO listens. The IP host must send data to this port for the XLR PRO to accept the incoming data. If configuring the XLR PRO using XCTU, the port number is displayed in hexadecimal.
DY: Destination IP port. (See DX.)
DX: Destination IP address. Tells the XLR PRO where to send data if it initiates the conversation. If operating in TCP mode and a TCP connection does not currently exist, then the XLR PRO attempts to make a connection to this IP address (and the IP port given by DY) to send the data to the selected IP host and port. However, if a TCP connection already exists, then the data is sent to that connection, ignoring the DX and DY parameters. If operating in UDP mode, this rule changes slightly because it is a connectionless protocol. If the first IP socket mode data comes from the XLR PRO, then DX/DY is used. If not, then all UDP data is sent to the IP address and port from which the original data arrived.
TM: TCP client connection timeout. A client connection is one which was initiated by the XLR PRO. This parameter tells how many seconds a TCP client connection remains connected when no data is being sent or received on the connection.
TS: TCP server connection timeout. A server connection is one which was initiated by an external IP host. This parameter tells how many seconds a TCP server connection remains connected when no data is being sent or received on the connection.

In addition to the above IP socket mode parameters, the MY parameter is also used in IP socket mode:

MY: IP address of the XLR PRO. By default, this address is learned from a DHCP server, but it may be set to any value if static mode is used (MA=1).

Operational description

IP socket mode may start up in the following cases:

Reset: Based on the mode selection rules previously described.
Configuration parameters: Parameters that affect the mode are changed and applied.
Unplugged cable: An RS-232 cable is unplugged.

When IP socket mode is the primary interface, the Serial Data Out (yellow) LED lights for about three seconds.

Upon starting or restarting the XLR PRO, either a TCP or a UDP listener is set up depending on the IP parameter. If UDP data is received or if a TCP connection gets established before the XLR PRO attempts to send data, then the DX and DY parameters are unused. In this case, the XLR PRO takes the role of a TCP or UDP server. But if the XLR PRO has data to send before an IP host sends data to the XLR PRO, then DX and DY determine the destination of that data until the TCP connection times out or until IP socket mode is restarted, whichever comes first.