HWg details of Hercules utility


English version


Czech version


- Main Page
- Test file
- TCP Client
- TCP Server
- UDP tab
- Data I/O pins
Hercules SETUP was originally programmed for our internal using. Because of that, there are a lot of specialized functions. Most of them are related only to our hardware units. This page explain most of these features.

 

PortStore & PortStore2 - Buffer test

The PortStore and PortStore2 devices require simple test for internal 2 Mbytes FLASH buffer. You can test it over with usin half automatic mode. Fill the buffer by specialized file, hardware handshake stop serial communication when Flash buffer is full. Than you can download data from the TCP Client. File has internal CRC, which is checked during receiving..

  1. First we set the DIP 1..4 of the PortStore device and NVT commands to OFF. We open the COM1 in our case with the parameters: 115200 (Baud), 8, none, RTS/CTS (Hardware Handshaking), Free (Mode). Right click on the Received/Sent data field and choose Send File/ Test File generator from the menu to generate a test file which contains random data and control characters.



  2. After creating a Test file .tst choose Send File name to send the .tst file created. A window will open when you can see the transmission of the file from the computer to the device.



    • Since the capacity of the device's memory is only 2048 kB the transmission will stop when the memory of the device will be full. It will take about 5 minutes to fill the memory.

      Note: If NVT is enabled then approximately 15% of the patterns will have the wrong CRC.

    • Now, you have to switch to the "TCP Client" tab and continue testing there..
      Check you have defined OK IP address and Port number of the tested PortStore device and click to the "Received test" data to perform a check on the data (the test file in this case) sent from the PortStore / PortStore2 device in our case.

      In the window is displayed progressively the total number of bytes sent, the number of patterns sent, the number of error patterns (Failed CRC) and the number of patterns checked.

      Pattern is 16 bytes with random data and CRC included.

      Note: For testing we recommend to have Enabled NVT in the PortStore / PortStore2 device. Check by click to the right menu if you have enabled it in the TCP Client tab too.. If there are not VSP enabled on both sides, there are typically 15% of patterns error..


TEA - How to use it

This chapter is short description how the TEA can be used with the Hercules..

  • TEA key - secure 16 bytes pasword. It's set on both sides, it's never going thought network.
    It's defined in most of our devices as 4 groups with 4 bytes defined in HEX form..
  • Authorization code - 12 digits in the base64 represents the random number, sent byt the connection TCP Client when the connection is established. It's called "salt" sometime.
  • Authorization reply - 12 digits in the base64 represents the reply generated by the TCP Server. This reply is based on received Authorization code and defined TEA Key.
  • Padlock button starting the proces of generating Authorization reply. The reply is automatically sent to the connection.
  • If the correct Authorization reply isn't received up to defined time, the TCP Server reject the connection.

 

The TEA encryption & Authorisation algorithm
One necessary function for TCP/IP devices is security access and related functions. For simple authorization you can use the password system (Insert your name & password when prompted before beginning communication). This solution has a big disadvantage, because the password is sent in the non-secure format to the Ethernet network, so it could be read by someone else. It is more desirable to use one of the cryptography methods for secure authorisatio.
All our devices support TEA authorization for secure access. For more information, read our support manual, how to use & implement TEA (The Tiny Encryption Algorithm).

 

 

 

TCP Server tests

This test shows how you can simple use the Hercules for understanding how the HTTP protocol function.. It's just example what you can do with Hercules..

  • Here the server listens to port 80 (i.e., it works as a web server) and sends a reply message to the client browser. The MS Internet Explorer browser is used. The request made by the client to the server is shown in the Received data window of Hercules TCP Server tab. The reply message will be displayed in the browser after the Close button is pressed.



  • Here the Mozilla Firefox browser is used. When the server echo is turned on the message sent to the server by the client is displayed on the client browser as well.



  • Here the server listens to port 23 i.e. a Telnet server. Write telnet localhost or telnet 127.0.0.1 at the command line to connect to the server in the same computer, otherwise write down the IP of the server. Here the client and server are on the same device. There will be displayed two characters instead of one on the client side if the server echo is turned on. One is the character sent to the server, the other is the character received from the server.


UDP tab - 2x Hercules communication

This example shows, how you can simple test the UDP communication on your own computer..

  • Two Hercules utilities are set to listen and send messages in UDP packets to each other. Also the effect of the server echo is shown.



Test mode - data I/O pins

This example describe, how you can use the "Test mode" tab in the program. It's useful with Digital I/O modules from HW group sortiment (I/O Controller, IP Relay, Charon 1).

  • The Data I/O pins box uses NVT commands to control the I/O pins of the Charon module or the I/O Controller device. By checking on of the D0...D7 checkboxes you are setting to OFF one of the respective LEDs and by unchecking you set them to ON. It is working only if you have switched on the NVT! or the [V: NetworkVirtualTerminal On] selection in the SETUP of the device. You can see the respective NVT command after checking one of the boxes, as commented in the image on the right - click to view it enlarged.