Multi-Tech Systems 7600 User Manual

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ION 7500 / ION 7600 User’s Guide
Time Synchronization: ION or GPS
Time Synchronization & Timekeeping Technical Note
Page 351
Time Synchronization: ION or GPS
Use ION software for systems where time synchronization is not critical. ION 
software can synchronize a meter’s clock to within ± 16ms (typical) of other meters 
in a serial network. 
Use a GPS receiver if you require time synchronization to within ± 1ms of 
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), or within ± 2ms (typical) of other meters in the 
network. If you install a GPS receiver, you’ll need an additional serial network.
ION Time Synchronization
ION software provides time synchronization by default. (It is disabled by default.) 
The communications port and protocol used for communications between ION 
software and the networked devices is automatically used to send time 
synchronization signals to all connected ION devices. ION software sends out a 
time sync packet and the time is set once the packet is received.
Time synchronization values are set when sites or Ethernet devices are defined in 
an ION Enterprise network. You enable time synchronization or set custom 
intervals for any device in any site through the ION Management Console.
Enabling or Customizing Time Synchronization
1.
Launch the ION Management Console.
2.
From the System Setup Pane, select Sites or Devices.
Select Sites if you want to customize a particular serial, modem, or Ethernet 
Gateway site.
Select Devices if you want to customize an individual Ethernet device.
3.
Right-click in the main window and select Properties.
4.
Right-click inside the display window and select Advanced Properties.
The fields for enabling or customizing time synchronization are shown below.
This field is in a Device’s 
Basic Properties screen for 
Ethernet devices; you set 
the Time Synch Ethernet 
Interval property under 
Advanced Properties. 
You configure a serial 
device via the Direct Site 
advanced properties.
Use these fields on the Site Ad-
vanced Properties screen to enable
time synchronization or set custom
intervals for any device in any Serial
Site or Ethernet Gateway Site.