Readme for LAVA Ether-Serial Link

December 2006

(c) Copyright 2006. All rights reserved.

This document contains important last-minute information about
using the LAVA Ether-Serial Link. Please review this document 
before installing the LAVA Ether-Serial Link.


*************************************************************
Thank-you for purchasing the LAVA Ether-Serial Link.
*************************************************************

NOTES ON SECURITY
*************************************************************
By factory default, the LAVA Ether-Serial Link has passwords 
assigned (one for the administrator, and one for each of the
physical serial ports). Passwords are case senstitive. The factory 
default administrator password is "admin". The factory default
port passwords are "port1" for port one, "port2" for port 2, and
so on. It is strongly recommended that new passwords be
configured if the LAVA Ether-Serial Link is to be used in a multi-user
situation, even in small offices.

Simple security can aid network users and administrators by preventing
accidental changes that could prove detrimental to network performance.

The LAVA Ether-Serial Link has been designed to support three basic
levels of security:
	1. "Administrator" level
	2. "Port" level
	3. "Access" level

LAVA Ether-Serial Links recognize a single password for each 
device, plus an additional, unique password for each port
on the LAVA Ether-Serial Link.

The administrator has complete access and control over the
LAVA Ether-Serial Link. The administrator can assign access and limit
control over ports to the other security levels.

The port user can change port settings (baud rate, driver mode, etc) as
may be permitted by the administrator. Ports may be accessed, but not
changed without a password. The port password can be entered using
either an html browser interface, or the Manager program (Windows).

Using the browser interface, enter the password from the "home page" of the
LAVA Ether-Serial Link. If you enter the correct administrator password,
you will automatically be directed to the Administrator's Menu.

If you enter a correct port password, you will automatically be directed
to the Port Configuration Menu.

Several ports may share the same password.

An empty password field means the password is NULL. If a port level
password has been set, but no administrator password has been set,
the correct administrator password must be entered (that is, NULL) to
log on with administrator rights, i.e. leave password empty and click
the CONFIGURE button. Note: If an administrator password has not been set,
port level passwords (should they exist) will not restrict users
from changing port settings.

*THIS HOLDS TRUE EVEN IF PASSWORDS HAVE BEEN SET FOR PORT ACCESS,
BUT NOT ADMINISTRATOR ACCESS*

Using the Manager application, enter the password by
right-clicking" on the Serial Device Server you wish to manage.

Administrator passwords apply to LAVA Ether-Serial Link "boxes"
(shown in the left-hand pane of the Manager).

Port passwords apply to LAVA Ether-Serial Link port(s) (shown
in the right-hand pane of the Manager).

Password icons appear to the left of the particular device.
If the icon is a lock, it means that the device is locked
and you must enter the correct password to access the device.
To enter the correct password, right-click on the device,
choose "unlock," and enter the correct password in the popup window.

An Administrator may grant or restrict access to individual ports
by IP address, or IP range.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERFACES
(MANAGER vs. WEB BROWSER vs. TELNET)
****************************************************

MANAGER:
--------
The easiest and most powerful way to configure and administer one or
more LAVA Ether-Serial Links is using the graphical user interface
of the Manager software provided.

To change settings at any level, both the Manager
software and a correct password are required. Conceptually, the left
pane describes administrator level controls (network settings,
etc.) and the right pane describes port level controls (bit rate,
driver mode, etc.).

No password is required to actually use a port that has no IP
access restrictions set:
- Highlight a LAVA Ether-Serial Link in the left pane.
- Right-click & choose "Properties" to set network parameters.
- If the device is locked, you do not have the correct
password. Rectify this by choosing "Unlock" and entering the
correct password.
- Available physical ports will appear in the right pane.
- Modes and settings may be configured in the right pane.
- Port level passwords may be set from the right pane.
- Port activation allows any user to install native support of
device ports as COMx - no password is necessary.
- Activated ports may be shown in the right pane by highlighting
the "My Computer" icon on the left pane.
- When activated, a port may communicate directly with your
operating system's API as a native COM port.

WEB BROWSER:
------------
The web browser interface permits users to change all the
device and port settings using a web browser. Most of the same
basic functions as those found in the Manager
are present in the web browser interface (except for OS-specific
port activation features).

Changes may only be initiated as administrator, or as port
user.

When logging on to the Serial Device Server, the password
itself determines the access level granted (see above,
NOTES ON SECURITY, for more information).

TELNET:
-------
To configure LAVA Ether-Serial Links using the Telnet interface,
please ensure that carriage return and line feed are set
(SET CRLF), and that local echo is set on (SET LOCALECHO).
- Basic commands: ?, STATUS, LOGIN, QUIT
- Administrator commands: ?, STATUS, DEVICE, PORT, PASSWORD, DEFAULT,
RESET, LOGOUT, QUIT
- Port user commands: ?, STATUS, PORT, LOGOUT, QUIT

- Command descriptions:
COMMAND	ACTION
?		displays list of currently available commands
status		gives basic information about current configurations
device		to change network settings (IP, subnet, gateway,
		NetBiosName, DHCP mode)
port		to change individual port settings (mode, TCP port,
		mode settings, access rights, soft reset)
login		to make configuration changes
password	to change password settings
default		restores factory defaults
reset		causes device to reboot
logout		ends configuration changes
quit		closes the Telnet session

- After typing "login," enter the correct password to determine level of
access.
- If your password matches the administrator password, you are granted
full functionality.
- If your password matches port(s) password, you are granted access to
changes for those ports only.


NOTE ON DRIVER SIGNING: WIN XP & WIN 2K
*************************************************************
Users of Windows XP and Windows 2000 may find their operating systems
object to installing unsigned drivers, and, depending on configuration,
may not install unsigned drivers at all. To correct this difficulty,
open Windows' Verifier (Start | Run | verifier) and under the "Settings"
tab, uncheck the "Verification type" checkboxes.

LEGAL
*************************************************************
- This software remains the property of LAVA COMPUTER MFG INC (LAVA).
All rights in the product including License Agreement Number, copyrights,
licensing rights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, design rights,
engineering rights, moral rights, and any other intellectual property
rights belong to LAVA. These rights are not transferred as part of this
agreement.
- No part of the product, including the License Agreement, may be
reproduced, published, transmitted electronically, mechanically or
otherwise, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated into
any language in any form, by any means, for any purpose other than the
purchaser's personal use, without the express written permission of LAVA.

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT (EULA)
*************************************************************
- This license agreement is a legal agreement between you the end user
(either as an individual or an entity) and LAVA. The software and any of
its supporting documentation and associated hardware are hereinafter
referred to as "the product".
- By installing or using the product, you indicate your complete and
unconditional acceptance of these terms and conditions. If you do not
agree to the terms and conditions of this agreement promptly remove the
product from your computer and destroy associated documentation.
- Should there be any conflict between the terms and conditions of this
agreement and the terms and conditions of any other agreement between you
and LAVA or their servants or agents in relation to the product the terms
and conditions of this agreement shall apply.
- If any provision of this agreement is found to be unlawful or void then
that provision shall be severed from this agreement and will not affect
the validity of the remaining provisions.
- Information contained in the product is subject to change without notice
and does not represent a commitment or contracted obligation on the part
of LAVA.
- You may make and distribute as many copies of this software as you wish,
provided that all associated files (including this readme file) are
included.
- You are expressly forbidden from making alterations or modifications to,
merge, adapt, de-compile, disassemble, reverse engineer, or attempt to
discover the source code without the expressed written permission from
LAVA. You are expressly forbidden from using any part of the product in
life saving or life critical applications without the express written
permission of LAVA.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
*************************************************************
- Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall
LAVA be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or
consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to
use, the product. You specifically acknowledge and agree that LAVA is not
liable for any defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of any user of the
free forums created using this or other LAVA products. If you are
dissatisfied with any LAVA's terms and conditions, your sole and exclusive
remedy is to discontinue using LAVA products. In addition, you release
LAVA and its affiliates from any damages that you incur, and agree not to
assert any claims against them, arising from your use of its products or
services.

REV. A08
