Pagegate over virtual com port VMware

[nonsense]

I am unable to get Pagegate client test messages flowing from serial to ethernet.

I have a VMware Windows 2012 virtual machine that has the Lantronix virtual Com Port Redirector software installed and pointing to a Lantronix UDS1100.

In Pagegate, I have a Carrier of DirectComm1 setup as TAP, 9600, Even, 7, 1. My Connector points to Dedicated Carrier > DirectComm1, serial port 3, direct connect is checked.

In the Device Manager on Windows 2012, it show Lantronix CPR Port (COM3) with 9600,e,7,1.

In the Lantronix CPR Manager software, it shows Com 3 points to IP 192.168.1.14 TCP 10001, Com Status=Open Network, Status=Connected to 192.168.1.14.

When running a test from the Pagegate client (installed on the same server as the Pagegate admin), I select a recipient that has the DirectComm1 carrier assigned, and I just see the Pending counter increasing after hitting send. I am unable to see my Pagegate client test message in Wireshark, rather just periodic keep-alives between the Windows vm and the Lantronix going back and forth on TCP 10001, so I know the IP connectivity is good.

That being said, I am new to Pagegate, so perhaps I am missing something simple.

Here is the connector log:

6/29/2017 1:54:00 PM Start connection to carrier: DirectComm1
6/29/2017 1:54:00 PM Connect using TAP protocol
6/29/2017 1:54:00 PM Setting communication parameters (9600,e,7,1)
6/29/2017 1:54:00 PM Connected to carrier
6/29/2017 1:54:00 PM Waiting for protocol initialization
6/29/2017 1:54:00 PM Sent:<CR>
6/29/2017 1:54:02 PM Sent:<CR>
6/29/2017 1:54:05 PM Sent:<CR>
6/29/2017 1:54:09 PM Sent:<CR>
6/29/2017 1:54:14 PM Carrier retry limit reached. Marking pending messages as bad
6/29/2017 1:54:14 PM FAILED Stn:10 To:1310026 Frm:Administrator Msg:test

Also, I have tried 4 different serial to ethernet applications without success. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[OzCom]

Take PageGate out of the equation. Can you access that COM port with a terminal emulator, such as PuTTY? If not - then the issue is the MS Windows to COM port driver or configuration. PuTTY is my preferred tool - available at www.PuTTY.org

Also - UNCHECK "Direct Connect" - that setting is when a direct serial connection to a paging terminal is in use - eliminating the modem

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[nonsense]

That worked going from Putty on the server to Putty on my laptop, which is connected via serial to the Lantronix. After further investigation, I learned that it is due to how TAP communicates. Since my laptop wasn't responding to the <cr>, that the server just sitting there waiting to hear back from it. Since it was just putty, it wasn't returning anything to setup the session. Switching Pagegate from TAP to RawSerial allowed Putty > Putty traffic just fine. So apparently when I connect it to the actual paging terminal it should function just fine. Thanks for your help.

[OzCom]

If you are connecting directly to a paging terminal - you DO need DIRECT CONNECT but you also need to make sure the cable connection is a NULL MODEM cable. Your paging terminal also needs to be configured for inbound direct connect on that port - otherwise it will be waiting for a ring from a POTS line

_________________
Aaron D. Osgood
Streamline Communications, LLC
* Authorized Notepage, Inc. Development Partner and Re-seller
TEL: 207-518-8455
AOsgood@streamline-solutions.net
Creators of AutoPage Spillman CAD interface for PageGate

[nonsense]

Thank you for that info. One final thing I need cleared up. Since we are migrating from a physical Windows server with a fully functional PageGate to a VMware virtual, I mimicked the settings as much as possible. I did notice in Device Manager on the physical com port it showed 9600, 8, none, 1. However in PageGate it shows 9600, 7, even, 1 in the carriers>DirectComm1 settings. So my question is what takes precedence? I would guess it uses the physical com port settings in Windows and ignores what Pagegate has configured under DirectComm1. So in the case of the new virtual server, if it follows the pattern, the virtual com port settings in Windows device manager would also take precedence? If this is the case, why would the Carriers settings even have com port settings if the physical takes precedence?

[Tech Support]

The communication parameters in PageGate will take precedence, the default COM port values are only used if the program using the COM port doesn't provide connection settings of its own.

_________________
Tech Support
support@notepage.com
http://www.notepage.net

[nonsense]

Good to know. Thank you very much for your assistance.