- A "Serial" connection sends bits down a wire one at a time. This is distinct from a "Parallel" system which sends several bits simultaneously over a bundle of wires. The most popular standard for serial connections was RS-232. RS-485 was published to address limitations in the RS-232 configuration.
- Like RS-232, the RS-485 standard describes a type of connector, i.e. cable and voltage variations for carrying signals from a computer to a peripheral device. Whereas RS-232 connects one computer to one device, RS-485 can connect up to 64 nodes together. An RS-232 cable is expected to be less than 15 meters; RS-485 can cover longer distances -- up to 1,200 meters.
- RS-485 extends connection capabilities to cover a network of devices rather than just a link between two. This requires much faster data throughput. RS-232 has a throughput of 20kbps over 12 meters. RS-485 has a speed of 35Mbps over the same distance.
Background
Function
Features
SHARE
