1570R Serial port and USB port

[Tim_Tielens]

Where can I find more info about the serial port on a 1570R device ?

What can you do with it, how can you connect and access it afterwards ?

Also the USB port, is that only for storage devices ?

Or can you connect a usb serial cable to that port and be able to connect to serial ports on other devices that way ?

I'm asking this because I need a comparison between a 1570R and a Opengear ACM7004-5

[G_W_Albrecht]

All that sk166654 gives is: Serial port (DB9 female connector), supports serial protocols RS232, RS422, R485 (SW-configurable) for end point PLC control.

[Tim_Tielens]

Yes, I've read all that.
But that tells me nothing, there is no entry in the guides about that serial port.

I need to know how to configure it exactly, and how you can use it afterwards.
Also what can the usb port handle, is it only for storage or can it do usb serial connections also ?
And how to connect then ? 

[G_W_Albrecht]

Sorry, i am not frequent with PLCs and their serial protocols. Your OT management networks are connected to the 1570R via 1 GbE copper or fiber or a highly available dual SIM LTE modem, and field devices are connected via serial RS232/RS422/R485, wired or Wi-Fi. 

USB port can only be used for:

- USB WiFi dongle (2.4GHz)

- firmware installation

- running configuration scripts

But - yes, this is Embedded Linux, so very much is possible...

[Tim_Tielens]

I have a good knowledge of what the product does 😉
I have some 1200r's running here, but I'm interested in the new functionality that the 1570r provides. 
And whether or not it can replace a console gateway like Opengear. 

And embedded linux in the form of R80.20 yes

[G_W_Albrecht]

Then open an information request with TAC

[PhoneBoy]

If you’re looking for remote access to some other device over a serial port, that’s not what the console or USB ports are for.
The console port is for accessing the gateway itself and configuring through CLI.
It can also be useful in troubleshooting.

[Tim_Tielens]

Hi,

SO why does it state ?

"Serial port (DB9 female connector), supports serial protocols RS232, RS422, R485 (SW-configurable) for end point PLC control."  

What does endpoint PLC control really mean ...

- Connection from a plc to the gateway over serial ?

Where would that be usefull ? (or even allowed) ?

- Connection from the gateway to a plc through console ?
That looks to me like something useful

It's really confusing if you can't find anything more detailed on that matter 🙂
It has a console port in the form of usb-c


Also, the device has almost everything.
- GPS, 4G backup, WAN, DMZ, 8 bridge or separate switch ports, dual power supply, usb, serial, wifi...
This seems to me like a missed opportunity, maybe from security standpoint I'm missing something... but from a critical gateway with built-in resilience features and robustness, it would be a great addition if this could connect to a serial console from another device.

[Mark_Halsall]

Disclaimer: this info is from when we were showing the 1570R prototype. I was working the booth at CPX and picked up a few tidbits. Some of this functionality may be under development but as far as I know it's still waiting implementation.

The "end point PLC control" was explained as a potential IP to serial communications bridge, It could be used, for example, to convert from Modbus/IP to Modbus over serial. 

Serial console (I believe, it's been a while) was part of the old Edge series - you'd connect to a serial concentrator, etc, and then use that to connect to the Edge. That functionality could also be useful here.

[PhoneBoy]

Serial Console was available on the Safe@/UTM-1 EDGE appliances, you are correct. 

[Tim_Tielens]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the extra info !

[desmond]

Did you ever find more info?

[Chris_Atkinson]

Suggest you enquire internally...

A related use case was "Active" mode for the serial port on the old 1200R from memory, refer:

https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R77.20.86/1400_Local_AdminGuide/97593.htm#o122106