User manual

Doc: HMSI-27-240, Rev: 1.2
Netbiter Remote Access User Manual
Chapter 1
1. Overview
Netbiter Remote Access provides a remote connection through Netbiter Argos to the serial and Ether-
net ports on the Netbiter gateway. This makes it possible to use PC-based software applications to
remotely interact with industrial devices - just as if they were connected locally to the PC.
To establish the remote connection, the PC-based driver QuickConnect is installed and operated on
the PC. This creates a secure tunnel through Netbiter Argos to the Netbiter gateway and also establishes
a virtual connection to the software application on the PC.
The tunnel established between the laptop and the remote network can then be used to create one or
more channels for the actual connections to the remote devices.
The following types of channel are supported:
• Virtual Serial - provides a virtual COM port that is mapped to the RS-232 or RS-485 port on
the Netbiter gateway.
• TCP/UDP port forwarding - a channel can be mapped to a specific remote IP address and
specific port for TCP and UDP messaging. Limiting access to specific ports and IP addresses is
often an advantage from a security perspective, which is why this method should always be pre-
ferred to Network bridge whenever possible.
• Network bridge - this enables a remote connection to the network on the Ethernet LAN port
of the Netbiter gateway and allows remote access to any device on that network.
The Netbiter Remote Access solution is designed for connections that are open for a limited time only,
during which the programmer performs the required tasks and then closes the connection. Permanent
connections, for example between a SCADA application and equipment in the field, are not
supported.
1.1. Connection Examples
1.1.1. WAN Link to Ethernet LAN
The example below depicts the solution as used to access an Ethernet-based control network, via a
LAN network at the remote site, using an Ethernet-based connection over the Internet.
If the QuickConnect driver needs to pass a proxy server for access to the Internet, then the proxy
server settings will automatically be retrieved from the PC on which QuickConnect is installed.
QuickConnect driver and
device-specific software
on PC
LAN connection to
devices
Internet
Private network
(Proxy server)