Hardware Support: Methods to Connect Multiple Computers to a LocoNet® Layout
To connect multiple computers to your LocoNet®-equipped layout using a single
LocoBuffer, use LocoNet over TCP. It uses standard TCP/IP protocols to communicate.
See the LocoNetOverTCP LbServer,
which is external to JMRI.
The LocoNetOverTCP uses a
separate non-Java server process, LbServer, that communicates using plain ASCII String
messages over TCP/IP sockets, allowing non-Java nodes to also share the one LocoBuffer.
Notes:
- If the computers are all close to the LocoNet, e.g. acting as local control panels, you
don't really need any networking to do this. You can instead connect each of the computers
to the LocoNet via their own LocoBuffer or LocoBuffer-II (or MS-100, though this is not
recommended) and have them individually take part in the LocoNet communications. This
doesn't cause any additional communications load. It does cost a little more for the extra
adapters, and doesn't permit you to put a computer remote from the layout.
LocoNet® is a registered trademark of Digitrax,
Inc.
