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Connecting using pshell

After the host connection is established, open a pshell session to each modem. pshell may be available through a serial terminal, a USB serial connection, or an Ethernet/telnet session, depending on the selected product configuration.

For detailed pshell operation, command help, tab completion, and scripting notes, see Using pshell.

For Ethernet connections, open a telnet session to the modem command port:

telnet <modem-ip-address> 17001

For example, to connect to Modem A at 10.0.0.232:

telnet 10.0.0.232 17001

To connect to Modem B at 10.0.0.223, open a second terminal and enter:

telnet 10.0.0.223 17001

Chat Mode​

Chat operation allows two modems to communicate keyboard-to-keyboard using text in half-duplex mode.

At the pshell prompt on both modems, enter:

chat

Both the transmitting and receiving modems must be in chat mode. Characters entered from the keyboard are grouped into packets, transmitted through the water, received by the other modem, and displayed to the user.

The start and stop of a packet is initiated in one of three ways:

  • You enter a carriage return after a string of characters. This return signals the end of the string to be transmitted.
  • No typing occurs for longer than the configured timeout interval. After the timeout expires, the transmitter console collects the characters entered so far, groups them into a packet, and sends them.
  • The input exceeds the configured number of bytes per packet. For example, if ConsolePacketBytes is 32, characters are automatically bundled into groups of 32 and transmitted.
Chat Mode Parameters
ParameterTypeDescription
ConsolePacketBytesintSets the number of bytes collected by the data console before they are automatically transmitted.
ConsoleTimeoutMSintSets the data-console timeout, after which any collected bytes are transmitted.

Exit chat mode on both modems to resume normal operation by pressing Ctrl+], then press e.

Addressing a Particular Modem​

Each modem has a LocalID, which is an address between 0 and 254.

To address a message to a particular modem:

  1. Determine the remote modem's LocalID.
  2. Set the transmitting modem's RemoteID to the target modem's LocalID to address subsequent messages to the desired modem.