NetLink

NetLink is an Android-based communications client that enables discovery of and access to data on a variety of remote server devices. Using NetLink, technicians and maintenance personnel have the ability to conveniently interact with building automation systems and factory controls from on-site or around the globe with any Android smartphone or tablet.

Individual network drivers are installed as plugins to the NetLink Application, thereby allowing expandable access to a variety of popular networking protocols, such as Modbus and BACnet. This commonality provides a uniform interface, configuration and application experience, thereby reducing the user's learning curve and commissioning time. Remote server devices can be accessed via the cellular network or any on-board Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet interface.

After selecting the desired protocol, an unlimited number of data access definitions can be configured to monitor and command data values. Data is viewed and managed using a variety of data visualizations and sorting options.

NetLink is a free download and comes packaged with a demo mode plugin that generates random data values for evaluation purposes.

NetLink Application Features

• Monitor and command data values
• Import and Export configuration settings
• Supports three types of user-configurable graphs for data visualization: Bar graph, Line graph, Step graph
• Supports organizing data items into commandable groups
• Supports data value scaling, units text, and decimal or hexadecimal values
• Real-time connection status feedback for all objects

Modbus/TCP Plugin Features
A plugin for the NetLink Application that provides Modbus/TCP client support.

• Discover Modbus devices on the local network or over the internet
• Supports access to holding register, input register, coil status and input status elements
• Configurable destination port , scan rate and timeout
• Select between different write functions for registers and coils
• Supports data value scaling, units text, signed and unsigned data types, and decimal or hexadecimal values
• 32-bit registers are fully supported, including floating point values
• Supports both Modbus/TCP and Modbus RTU over TCP modes

BACnet/IP Plugin Features
A plugin for the NetLink Application that provides BACnet/IP client support.

• Discover BACnet devices on the local network or over the internet
• Supports access to analog input, analog output, analog value, binary input, binary output, binary value, multi-state input, multi-state output, and multi-state value object types
• Configurable destination port, scan rate and timeout
• Write priority can be selected for each object
• Supports data value scaling, units text, and decimal or hexadecimal values
• Supports BBMD and foreign device registration functionality for accessing BACnet devices across subnet boundaries and throughout the internet
• Configurable device name and device instance

OEM customer features

• 3rd-party project-specific licensing options available
• Ability to embed any of the NetLink Application and plugin screens as components of other Android applications
• Access plugin services independent of the NetLink application via standard Android APIs

Brochure

• NetLink Trifold Brochure

Manuals

• NetLink User's Manual (October 21, 2014)

Version Information

• NetLink Version Info (July 22, 2019)

Developer Documents

• NetLink Component Documentation for Third-Party Developers (May 21, 2019)

Associated Links