Channels are used to define how Geo SCADA Expert communicates with TBox RTUs.
There are two types of channel used for communication with TBox:
- TBox Direct Channel for outstations that have a permanent connection to the Geo SCADA Expert server, for example, via a cable, network, or a continuous radio signal
- TBox PSTN Channel for outstations that connect to Geo SCADA Expert across the Public Switched Telephone Network using dial-up modems.
Check that the channel configuration corresponds to the type of communications being used (Serial or TCP).
You need to configure a separate channel for each communications link that is available to the TBox RTUs on your system. For more information about channels, see Configuring a Channel in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers.
Configure the channel properties using the relevant Channel Form. Each Form has several tabs. For details of the propertieson these tabs, refer to Tabs on Channel Forms in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers.
Your TBox outstation might share two channels with other outstations in a Shared Outstation Set (see Defining Channel Settings for a Shared Set), or be a part of a Switched Outstation Set, which can be switched to a backup channel if the main channel fails (see Defining Channel Settings for a Switched Set). If the outstation is in a Shared Outstation Set or a Switched Outstation Set, ensure that both channels have been configured before you add the outstations and outstation sets.
A PSTN channel has specific configuration requirements that you need to set up on the PSTN tab (see Defining PSTN Settings for a Channel in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers).
Minimum Configuration
For a TBox Channel to be capable of functioning, as a minimum you need to specify the settings for an advanced driver (see Minimum Configuration for a channel in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers).