Extending SMDR Port

[buthead]

Greetings,
I am trying to set up SMDR on a Legend. I have the correct features enabled. I have made my own 355 adaptor. When I plug it into the SMDR port of the Legend, and connect the other end (DB9) to my laptop, open Procomm, I see the call records. Here's the problem. The CDR server is in another room. If I plug a 7 ft. D8W cord into the SMDR port, then connect the other end of the D8W to my homemade cable with a 8 conductor "coupler", I get CD (carrier detect) and CTS (clear to send) but see no records. I have 2 short haul modems that I thought I would need because the distance between the switch and the server is around 50 feet. If I use my homemade 355 into the shorthaul, then through the cable to the server room, hook up the other shorhaul in the server room to my laptop, it's the same, CD + CTS but no records. I have run a separate Cat 5 cable between the switch and the server. Put a 8 conducter plug on the switch side, plugged it into the SMDR port; terminated the other end in a Cat 5 patch in the server room, plugged my (355) adaptor into the patch panel, connect my laptop to the 355 and same thing; CD + CTS but no records. I must be doing something wrong. It works great with just my cable and no other connections in between. I've also tried using a null modem adaptor but that didn't work either. What the heck am I missing?

 

[SYQUEST]

Does the same condition happen if you plug the cable into the programming port?

Did you check pair continuity and/or lead orientation of the CAT5 cable from jack to plug?

....JIM....

 

[buthead]

Jim,
I didn't try the admin port. I don't have SPM on my laptop and not being that familiar with the Legend I didn't try it. What would I see? As for the pair continuity, do you mean the cable between the switch and the server? That's 568 B and good. I thought of trying 568 A, but when I couldn't get a D8W to work, I thought it was something else. As for the continuity on my homemade cable, all I did was cut the end off of an ethernet patch cable and pin out leads of the RJ45 to the DB9 according to spec. Now that I'm thinking about this, is a D8W straight thru? If not I guess that's where the trouble lies. I used to have a break-out box, boy I think I need to find it. Let me know what you think. Thanks in advance.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Get a real 355-A/F adapter. It has the 8-pin jack on it, a DB-25 on the other end. Then you can simply use a Cat-5 wire run to extend to where ever you want to locate the call accounting system.

 

[dagwoodsystems]

Despite what you may have heard, there is NOT a 50 foot limitation on serial cable. I'm ok with you making your own adapter, but those short-hauls are probably strapped for hardware flow control. As such, it ain't gonna fly. Go ahead and try that adapter with the CAT5 and nothing else.

____________________________
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from Magix. --Arthur C. Clarke (imbellished).

 

[buthead]

Dagwood, Yes I've pushed stuff much farther than 50 ft, but not on a Legend. I pulled the Cat 5 off of the patch panel, terminated a DB9 on the end of it, plugged it into the I/O port of the CDR server, and off it went! Thanks to everyone for all your help.