Specifications

LONWORKS® LN-Series Network Communication and Interface Guide Technical Bulletin 13
Communication Protocols
A LONWORKS network is based on the LonTalk® communication protocol
(American National Standards Institute [ANSI]/Electronic Industries Alliance
[EIA]/Consumer Electronic Association [CEA]-709.1 standard). This protocol
defines the format of the message being transmitted between devices and defines
the actions expected when one device sends a message to another. The protocol
ensures that application data on a source device is correctly received by the
applications on one or more destination devices.
Channel Types
Table 5 explains the most commonly used LONWORKS channel types. Different
channel types can be connected using a LonTalk router.
Table 5: Channel Types
Channel Type Description
TP/FT-10 A Free Topology channel is typically used at the device level. Use
Echelon® Free Topology Transceivers FTT-10A or FT-X1 on a TP/FT-10
channel.
TP/LP-10 A Link Power channel is typically used at the device level. On a TP/LP-10
channel, devices are powered by the communication channel itself using
the communication conductors.
TP/XF-1250 A 1250 high-speed channel is typically used as a network backbone.
L
ONWORKS IP A LONWORKS IP channel is typically used as a network backbone. The
reach of a L
ONWORKS IP channel can easily be extended beyond the LAN
to the Internet for remote management tasks.
FO-10 A Fiber Optical channel is typically used as a network backbone. A FO-10
channel is used in applications where a long network is required (for
example, a large university campus). The maximum cable length for a
FO-10 channel is 30 km (19 mi). Special tools and training are required for
conditioning and connecting the fiber.
PL-10 and PLT-22 PL-10 and PLT-22 channels allow you to communicate over a high voltage
powerline channel. These channels allow you to use your building’s
existing electrical AC wiring for communications.