BNC 835-3 Programmer Manual - Manual (Page 4)

1. Introduction
This manual provides information for remote operation of the 835-3 Signal Generators using
commands sent from an external controller via Ethernet. It includes the following:
• A general description of the LAN and the bus data transfer and control functions
•
A general description of how to establish connection to the BNC Model 835-3 via LAN
•
A listing of the IEEE-488 Interface Function Messages recognized by the signal
generator with a description of its response
•
A complete listing and description of all the Standard Commands for Programmable
Instruments (SCPI) commands that can be used to control signal generator operation
with examples of command usage
Ethernet Interface Connection and Setup
The BNC MODEL 835-3 fully supports the IEEE-802.3 standard. Most front panel functions
(except power on/off) can be remotely controlled via a network server and an Ethernet
connection. The BNC MODEL 835-3 software supports the TCP/IP network protocol.
Ethernet uses a bus or star topology where all of the interfacing devices are connected to a
central cable called the bus, or are connected to a hub. Ethernet uses the CSMA/CD access
method to handle simultaneous transmissions over the bus. CSMA/CD stands for Carrier Sense
Multiple Access/Collision Detection. This standard enables network devices to detect
simultaneous data channel usage, called a collision, and provides for a contention protocol.
When a network device detects a collision, the CSMA/CD standard dictates that the data will be
retransmitted after waiting a random amount of time. If a second collision is detected, the data
is again retransmitted after waiting twice as long. This is known as exponential back off.
The TCP/IP setup requires the following:
• IP Address: Every computer/electronic device in a TCP/IP network requires an IP address. An
IP address has four numbers (each between 0 and 255) separated by periods. For example:
192.168.1.50 is a valid IP address.
• Subnet Mask: The subnet mask distinguishes the portion of the IP address that is the
network ID from the portion that is the station ID. The subnet mask 255.255.0.0, when
applied to the IP address given above, would identify the network ID as 192.168 and the
station ID as 1.50. All stations in the same local area network should have the same network
ID, but different station IDs.
• Default Gateway: A TCP/IP network can have a gateway to communicate beyond the LAN
identified by the network ID. A gateway is a computer or electronic device that is connected to
two different networks and can move TCP/IP data from one network to the other. A single LAN