DIYer Seeks Free Professional Advice With X255 Access Control Networking

So, after getting out of the industry I find myself setting up and improving the control system on my shop. I am still a fan of Napco and I am implementing some access control solutions to an x255 in my shop. Setup, cards, readers, keypads, etc. I have all that covered.

My issues is that every single NL-MOD I ever installed when I was in the business eventually started acting flakey and had to be replaced. It would take a few years, but a customer would complain that they couldn't update cards or schedules or some other thing over the network. I'd go power cycle the NL-MOD and order a new one. The NL-MOD would work for a while after being power cycled, but each time it would work for a shorter time before needing to be power cycled again. A new unit would cure the problem for atleast a couple years. Even at dealer price they are kind of pricey.

Now my thought is simply to eliminate that network connection and implement a direct serial connection. I've got a couple different working computers within a reasonably short distance of the X255. The problem is none of them have serial ports. I do still have a couple old slowly deteriorating laptops that have serial ports and even have Napco software installed, but they really don't have much life left in them. I'd actually like to shred them and dispose of the carcasses, but for now they are locked in the safe.

So what's the answer? Anybody know if Napco has improved the NL-MOD design or if its still got a short life span? Is there a solution to legacy serial communications on newer 64bit systems? I've got a couple USB to RS232 adapters, but even on 32bit systems they were not 100%. They took a bit of fiddling from time to time.

I'd like to stick with Napco if only because I have no real incentive to learn a whole new line now that I am out of the business. Its not like I would be installing more of them.

Bob La Londe The EXCON-tractor

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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Dang-It! I didn't think I would be out of the "club" so quick. LOL.

Bob La Londe The EXCON-tractor

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Gee whiz Bob, your are a lifetime member of "Da Club".

I can't respond to your quest since I am totally clueless to da stuff you got's.

Sad to think that "Da Club" can't help. There should be someone out there to lend an assist to you.

Now. if you are thinking of replacing the "Napco" stuff with something else................... well then............. but you wasn't asking.

Good Luck,

Les

Reply to
ABLE1

Gee whiz Bob, your are a lifetime member of "Da Club".

I can't respond to your quest since I am totally clueless to da stuff you got's.

Sad to think that "Da Club" can't help. There should be someone out there to lend an assist to you.

Now. if you are thinking of replacing the "Napco" stuff with something else................... well then............. but you wasn't asking.

Good Luck,

Les

******************

ACH-ULLY! It seems there are cheap USB to RS232 adapters of which I have a couple and there are good ones that typically run $40 or so as opposed to $8-15.

Ah-wreck-ons ahm a gonna have to try wun ub dem dur good-uns.

I can probably do all my initial setup with a cheap one anyway, and then just swap out to a good one later. Since I'll have zero turn over in my one man machine shop I probably won't have to update stuff often anyway.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

HI Bob,

I'm coming in a little late on this one but although I've been a Napco advo cate for 40 years I never got involved with access control. Since I've most ly been a one man company, I never took on Telephone systems or access cont rol because if those systems go down, help is needed instantly and one guy can't be in two locations at the same time.

However, if I would have read your post earlier I would have said that .... ... in my other endeavors I've discovered that there is likely a converter from anything to anything now days. I'm sure there must be a USB to serial port or vice versa converter for about $10 to $20.00 that's available.

Reply to
Jim Davis

Maybe this will help. A link to go to. $13.99

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Product Details

0" offers over 1 Mbps transfer rate and features automatic handshake mode.

-byte buffer for upstream as well as downstream data flow. Cable can be use d with cellular phones, PDA, digital cameras, modems and more. USB/RS232 DB9 male (serial)/DB25 male Supports automatic handshake mode, over 1 Mbps data transfer rate

70" Supports remote wake-up and power management 96-byte buffer each for upstream and downstream data flow Easy installation Works with cellular phones, PDA, digital cameras, modems and ISDN terminal adapters Frees RS-232 ports for other uses, no IRQs, no IRQ conflicts Compatible with Microsoft Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 (3 2 and 64)
Reply to
E D

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