FarSync Flex - The Synchronous USB Adapter

Overview

The FarSync Flex USB adapter is a high quality synchronous solution for business, government and military applications, it has been developed to provide a high performance, neat, durable and versatile connectivity for Linux and Windows systems.

The bus powered USB adapter will support a synchronous line at speeds of up to 2.048 Mbits/s continuous, higher speeds can be supported in bursts. The highly flexible universal network connector supports RS232C, X.21, RS530 (RS422 signaling), RS449 and V.35 network interfaces.

The adapter can support the host computer's TCP/IP protocol stack or an Application can be written to use the low level API for a variety of different functions. The FarSync Flex SDK provides a Developers Toolkit for the product.

The Flex can be used for line monitoring with the addition of a special Monitor cable. A monitoring application is included. The monitoring support is also compatible with Wireshark.

Features under Linux: The Flex adapter installs seamlessly as a plug and play device under the popular Linux 32 and 64 bit distributions. The 2.0 USB adapter supports Linux kernel version 2.6 in 32 and 64 bit formats, including the leading distributions supplied by Redhat, SuSE, Mandriva, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Slackware and more. SMP (multi-processor) systems are supported.

The low level API is based on the raw socket interface supports HDLC framed and transparent bit stream data.

The Flex adapter can use the TCP/IP stack to allow access to IP based networks such as the Internet.

FarSite is committed to supporting the FarSync Flex on new versions of Linux and Linux kernels as they are released. The source code for the driver is supplied with the product, allowing rebuilding by the end user for use with almost any of the current or future Linux variants.

Features under Windows: The adapter installs seamlessly as a plug and play device under Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Vista and Windows Server 2008 on both 32 and 64 bit, single and multi-core systems. The FarSync Flex drivers are signed by Microsoft for easy installation.

The low level API is based on an extended SDCI interface and supports HDLC framed and transparent bit stream data.

The Flex adapter can installed to appear as a NDIS (LAN) interface so can simply use the TCP/IP stack to allow access to IP based networks such as the Internet.

Developers Toolkit: The FarSync Flex SDK provides a Developers Toolkit with full documentation, useful utilities such as a line monitor and many sample applications for Linux and Windows. Support from FarSite's engineering department is provided to customers purchasing the FarSync Flex SDK who have technical questions using the API.

Typical Applications

The FarSync Flex adapters are suitable for a very wide range of uses. Typical applications include:

• Internet Access and remote office access over leased lines
• HDLC framing support for non standard or specialist protocols
• Connection to secure BRENT units
• Interfacing video and voice bitstreams such as T-DMB, DAB and ETI
• Interfacing high speed MPEG Video bitstreams to Servers
• Line monitoring
• Data generators for test systems
• Engineering monitoring and control systems

FarSync Flex - Product Details

The FarSync Flex is supplied with support for Windows and Linux. This includes a low level driver that allows access to the communications features available in the hardware and an optionally installable driver that connects with the standard TCP/IP protocol stack to allow access to IP based networks such as the Internet. Multiple devices can be installed.

Key Features

The intelligent FarSync Flex is designed for reliability, high performance and flexibility. The adapter uses a fast ARM processor with Flash and RAM for the onboard code.

• Network interfaces for  X.21 (V.11), V.35, RS232C (V.24, X.21bis), RS449, RS530 (EIA530, RS422)
  
  
• Line speeds of up to 2.048 Mbits/s (E1 Speed)
  
  
• USB 2.0 high-speed mode (480mb/s) and 1.1 compatible
  
  
• Multiple Flex's can be run from a single server
  
  
• High efficiency USB Bus powered, energy saving design
  
  
• NRZI, NRZ, FM0 and FM1 line signaling formats, tri-state transmitters and receivers
  
  
• Internal and external line clocking with multiple clock selection options
  
  
• Dual bank flash for secure in field upgrades and previous system restore capability
  
  
• Software selectable Synchronous HDLC and Transparent Bitstream formats
  
  
• New releases of the software available for free download from the Download page in this web sites Support section

Key Features supported on Linux

The FarSync Flex installs seamlessly under Linux kernel series 2.6 on both single and multi-core 32 and 64 bit systems. All the popular distributions are supported including Red Hat, SuSE, Slackware, Ubuntu, Mandriva, Debian and Fedora.

Installation is simple, the driver is dynamically loadable so a kernel rebuild is not required for the driver to be installed. The driver acts as a dynamically loadable module. The link level protocol can be PPP, Cisco HDLC or Frame Relay with optional authentication by CHAP, MSCHAP or PAP (RFC 1334) providing a standard point-to-point network interface. The driver is supplied with source code.

The Raw Sockets API allows applications developed using the FarSync Flex SDK to access the full feature set of the hardware, these include bit synchronous (HDLC framed) data, transparent bitstream data, asynchronous data and signal modes NRZ, NRZI, FM1 and FM0.

A configuration utility is provided to set the line speed, interface type and protocol, after which the ports may be configured with standard networking tools.

Key Features supported on Windows

The FarSync Flex installs easily under Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 2000 on single or multi-core 32 and 64 bit systems. A low level SDCI driver is installed with the optional installation of an NDIS (LAN) driver. The NDIS driver supports TCP/IP running over PPP with optional authentication by CHAP or PAP (RFC 1334) providing a standard point-to-point network interface. The drivers are signed by Microsoft for easy installation.

The product is supplied with a comprehensive configuration utility and its own Line Monitor that allows the user to record, display and store line traffic with WAN protocol decoding for fast debugging. The Line Monitor application is also suitable for standalone use with a special cable. The line monitor function is compatible with Wireshark via a DLL supplied with the Flex.

FarSync Flex's enhanced SDCI API allows applications developed using the FarSync Flex SDK to exactly control the type of data sent and received in bit synchronous (HDLC framed) data and transparent bitstream formats in signal modes NRZ, NRZI, FM1 and FM0.

FarSync Flex SDK - The Developers Toolkit

The SDK includes support for writing applications on both Linux and Windows and contains documentation and working sample applications. There is everything a user needs to rapidly develop and test a wide variety of applications such as specialist synchronous (HDLC framed) protocols or transparent bitstream data requirements including Audio, MPEG Video T-DMB and DAB ETI. The FarSync Flex SDK is ordered separately.

Windows SDCI API

The SDCI API allows applications to exactly control the type of data sent and received in both bit synchronous data and transparent bitstream formats. The SDCI API manual in Adobe PDF format provides a comprehensive set of function call definitions and helpful advice on the best way to utilise the interface, the sample applications are written in C.

Linux Raw Sockets API

The Raw Sockets API allows applications to exactly control the type of data sent and received in both bit synchronous data and transparent bitstream formats. The Linux Raw Sockets API manual in Adobe PDF format provides a comprehensive set of function call definitions and helpful advice on the best way to utilise the interface. The sample applications are written in C. Source for the driver is included.

We provide free email and telephone assistance from our Engineering department to the application developers using the API as part the package provided when the FarSync Flex SDK is purchased.

Configuration

For Windows configuration is by a GUI application, a typical screen is shown on the right.

The line can be reconfigured and restarted without reloading the software.

There is context sensitive help and an on-line manual should it be required. An advanced tab permits users to exactly specify the configuration of the line if necessary.

For Linux a configuration utility is provided, alternatively text files can be used.

Cables

The cable and connector configurations available for the FarSync Flex are described in the order information. Crossover cables, sometimes referred to as null modem cables, are also available, contact us for further details.