If you are familiar with the NS-Link device driver for Windows, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that NS-Link driver configuration is now handled in an easy to use Management Console. In addition, if you are comfortable with using the Device Manager configuration method, you can still configure the driver without changing your installation routine.

Previous to the NS-Link driver v9.02 for Windows and SocketServer v8.00, there were two versions of firmware that ran on the DeviceMaster (DeviceMaster PRO, DeviceMaster RTS, or DeviceMaster Serial Hub), SocketServer and NS-Link . With the release of v9.02 of the NS-Link driver, SocketServer and NS-Link have been incorporated into a single binary (.bin) file.

By default, once loaded, SocketServer shows in both the web page and PortVision DX until the NS-Link device driver begins communication with this particular DeviceMaster . Once a driver establishes communications, the firmware indicates that it is NS-Link . The driver does not need to upload firmware to the DeviceMaster or reboot the DeviceMaster .

If SocketServer does not change to NS-Link in the web page and PortVision DX , then the NS-Link device driver loaded in the PC/laptop is NOT communicating with the DeviceMaster .

Note
Comtrol recommends uploading the latest version of SocketServer before installing the NS-Link driver or configuring SocketServer.

Upgrading to v10.10 or Higher Drivers

When upgrading from NS-Link drivers for Windows before v10.10, you must remove the existing driver and re-install the latest driver. In addition, you must have Bootloader v3.23 or higher.

Note
If you are unsure about the driver version, use the Device Manager to check a driver version.

You can use this procedure to upgrade from versions provious to driver version 10.10.

Optionally, you can save your existing NS-Link device and COM port configuration to a device driver configuration file that you can upload to the DeviceMaster and to individual ports after installing the 10.10 driver.
1. If necessary, open the Comtrol Drivers Management Console using one of these methods:
  - Windows Control Panel; go to your Control Panel and click on the Comtrol Drivers Management Console.
  - Shortcut; located under Start> Program Files> Comtrol> DeviceMaster> Comtrol Drivers Management Console.
2. Depending on your operating system, you may need to click Yes to the Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer? User Account Control message.
3. In the left pane, highlight the DeviceMaster for which you want to save the driver configuration.
4. Click Save Configuration.
5. Optionally, change the default file name and click Save.
6. Repeat the previous steps for each DeviceMaster for which you want to save the driver configuration.
Remove the existing NS-Link driver.

Note
Administrative privileges are required to remove device drivers on Windows systems, (excluding Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP).
1. From the Start button, click Programs>Comtrol>DeviceMaster>Driver Installation Wizard.
2. Click Next to start the Comtrol Driver Installation Wizard.
3. Click Remove All and Next.
4. Click Next to remove the driver.
5. Click Proceed to continue the driver removal process.
6. Click OK to the pop-up message that notifies you that you must restart the computer.
7. Click Close.
8. Shutdown or restart the system.
Make sure that you reboot the system as prompted after the driver removal.
Download the latest version of SocketServer.
Upload the latest version of SocketServer using PortVision DX.
Download the latest version of Bootloader.

Note
You must update the Bootloader to v3.23 or higher.
Upload the latest version of Bootloader using PortVision DX.
Install the latest NS-Link driver by executing the DeviceMaster_Windows_x.xx.exe file following the installation wizard.
Associate the MAC address to the DeviceMaster and if required, configure IP mode.
Configure the device properties or optionally, upload the device properties from the driver configuration file using this procedure.
1. If necessary, open the Comtrol Drivers Management Console using one of these methods:
  - Windows Control Panel; go to your Control Panel and click on the Comtrol Drivers Management Console.
  - Shortcut; located under Start> Program Files> Comtrol> DeviceMaster> Comtrol Drivers Management Console.
2. Depending on your operating system, you may need to click Yes to the Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer? User Account Control message.
3. In the left pane, highlight the DeviceMaster for which you want to load the device-level settings.
4. Click Load Configuration.
5. Browse to the location of the configuration file that you want to load.
6. Highlight the configuration file and click Open. The configuration file loads in a few moments.
7. Click Yes to the ComtrolApplet message, if you are using the file to restore a specific DeviceMaster. For example, you needed to remove and then re-install the DeviceMaster NS-Link device driver.
8. Click Apply so that the configuration is saved on the DeviceMaster.
9. Go to the next procedure if you want to restore port settings from a configuration file.
Configure the port properties or optionally, upload the COM port properties port-by-port using the following procedure. The port properties must uploaded on each port.
1. If necessary, open the Comtrol Drivers Management Console using one of these methods:
  - Windows Control Panel; go to your Control Panel and click on the Comtrol Drivers Management Console.
  - Shortcut; located under Start> Program Files> Comtrol> DeviceMaster> Comtrol Drivers Management Console.
2. Depending on your operating system, you may need to click Yes to the Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer? User Account Control message.
3. In the left pane, highlight the port for which you want to load the port-level settings.
4. Click Load Configuration.
5. Browse to the location of the configuration file that you want to load.
6. Highlight the configuration file and click Open. The configuration file loads in a few moments.
7. Click Yes to the ComtrolApplet message, if you are using the file to restore a specific DeviceMaster. For example, you needed to remove and then re-install the DeviceMaster NS-Link device driver.
8. Click Apply so that the configuration is saved on the DeviceMaster.
9. Repeat Steps c through h for each port.

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