Agilent Technologies N8201A Service Manual download pdf (Page 33)

Using the LAN Interface 2

Agilent N8211A/N8212A Performance Upconverter Synthetic Instrument Module, 250 kHz to 20 / 40 GHz 33

Using VXI-11

The N8211A/N8212A supports the LAN interface protocol described in the VXI-11

standard. VXI-11 is an instrument control protocol based on Open Network

Computing/Remote Procedure Call (ONC/RPC) interfaces running over TCP/IP. It is

intended to provide GPIB capabilities such as SRQ (Service Request), status byte reading,

and DCAS (Device Clear State) over a LAN interface. This protocol is a good choice for

migrating from GPIB to LAN as it has full Agilent VISA/SICL support.

It is recommended that the VXI-11 protocol or IVI COM DRIVER be used for instrument

communication over the LAN interface.

Configuring for VXI-11

The Agilent IO library has a program, IO Config, that is used to setup the

computer/N8211A/N8212A interface for the VXI-11 protocol. Download the latest version

of the Agilent IO library from the Agilent website.

Use the IO Config program to configure the LAN client. Once the computer is configured for

a LAN client, you can use the VXI-11 protocol and the VISA library to send SCPI commands

to the N8211A/N8212A over the LAN interface. Example programs for this protocol are

included in “LAN Programming Interface Examples" on page 55 of this guide.

Using Sockets LAN

Users with Windows XP and newer operating systems can use this section to better

understand how to use the N8211A/N8212A with port settings. For more information, refer

to the help software of the IO libraries being used.

Sockets LAN is a method used to communicate with the N8211A/N8212A over the LAN

interface using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). A socket is a

fundamental technology used for computer networking and allows applications to

communicate using standard mechanisms built into network hardware and operating

systems. The method accesses a port on the N8211A/N8212A from which bidirectional

communication with a network computer can be established.

Sockets LAN can be described as an internet address that combines Internet Protocol (IP)

with a device port number and represents a single connection between two pieces of

software. The socket can be accessed using code libraries packaged with the computer

operating system. Two common versions of socket libraries are the Berkeley Sockets

Library for UNIX systems and Winsock for Microsoft operating systems.

Your N8211A/N8212A implements a sockets Applications Programming Interface (API)

that is compatible with Berkeley socket for UNIX systems, and Winsock for Microsoft

systems. The N8211A/N8212A is also compatible with other standard sockets APIs. The

N8211A/N8212A can be controlled using SCPI commands that are output to a socket

connection established in your program.

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Agilent Technologies N8201A Service Manual Page 33