To connect a RHINO-2 Power-line Carrier Network (PLCN) to the Internet, a gateway is needed between the IP-network and the PLCN. The PLC Segment Builder has a RJ-11-6 connector for  RS232 communication. This port is used for connecting to a GPRS/3G modem or RS232 to IP Converter.

If access to the building-LAN is possible a RS232 to IP Converter solution should be preferred. However very frequently that is not the case. Very often electricity meters, etc. are located in old cellars where there is no Ethernet-connectors and WiFi-Ethernet is not possible or unstable. Also, this is often the case in street-cabins and other locations where the Segment Builder is installed. In those cases the only solution is to install a GPRS/3G modem to interface the PLCN to the Internet.

Currently Rational Network & Rational Products are implementing a DIN-Rail mountable RS232 to IP converter as well as GPRS modem. Those products will fit perfectly inline with the other DIN-Rail mountable products from Rational Products.
Meanwhile we recommend the following products as those have been widely used in our installations all over Europe:

RS232 to IP converters:

Tibbo DS203 Serial Device Server is known to be cost-effective, It can be purchased directly from Rational Products. Last, but not least important, it can be configured to initiate communication with our Control2Net server, eliminating the need of opening ports in the building LAN Router. This is vital as it is often hard to convince IT-manager to open such ports.

GPRS/3G modems:

eDevice eDbox300 is a complete, ready-to-integrate and easy-to-use GSM/GPRS terminal that comes with a powerful TCP/IP stack. It is also known to be very cost effective.
eDevice offers other type of GPRS and 3G modems that can be used also.

Mugler GSM / GPRS / EDGE - Router ER75i, a compact device on the basis of the MC75 module from SIEMENS. Those devices have been used with Control2Net with good results. Those are easy to configure as a "dyndns.org" clients, when dynamic public IP addresses are used.

Cabling.

It is often confusing to select the right type of cable to connect the Internet Gateway to the serial port of the Segment Builder or a PC. The Segment Builder is provided with RJ-11-6 connector to its RS232 port.

1 RTS Output
2 TX+ Output of SB
3 Gnd (TX- in RS-422/485)
4 Gnd (RX- in RS-422/485)
5 RX+ Input to SB
6 CD Input

Only TX, RX and Gnd are used.

When connecting the Segment Builder to the Internet Gateway, the correct cable is always a straight cable:

However when configuring an Internet Gateway via the serial port using a PC-computer, the cable should be a NULL modem cable: