Multi-Tech has introduced the MultiConnect AW analogue-to-wireless converters. The turnkey products allow legacy equipment with built-in analogue modems to connect to the cellular packet data or circuit switched data networks.
By emulating the traditional dial-up PSTN network and using integrated or external cellular modems, a converter can give new life to devices currently using traditional analogue dial-up communications.
With the addition of the MT200A2W model, the company says it now provides a more complete line of analogue-to-wireless converters to serve specific M2M applications and meet a full range of feature requirements.
A major difference between the existing and new models is the chassis. The latest model is housed in an attractive plastic chassis, which is suitable for indoor environments, while the existing model is in a rugged metal chassis for industrial applications.
“This new model was designed with the home healthcare market in mind, but it also extends the Multi-Tech product offering and allows all customers to choose the model that is right for them,” said Don Miller, senior product manager at Multi-Tech Systems.
A typical application would be a home medical device that uses an internal modem to communicate data from a medical implant device to health professionals. It has a physical RJ-11 connector for a PSTN phone line and initiates a dial-up connection to a central server using the PPP protocol.
However, in many homes analogue connectivity is not a viable option. The MultiConnect converter provides an immediate and reliable way for medical companies with devices that rely on analogue connections, and extends the lives of these types of tele-health devices. It facilitates a PPP connection to the cellular network and passes-through PPP handshaking, resulting in the remote device being assigned a routable IP address by the cellular provider.
