Digi International EZ32-C2G4-US 32-Port Serial Device Server
The Digi International EZ32-C2G4-US is a 32-port serial device server engineered for industrial and remote infrastructure deployments where legacy serial equipment must coexist with modern Ethernet networks. It consolidates RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 serial connections into a single network appliance, eliminating point-to-point serial cabling runs and enabling centralized monitoring of distributed serial devices across telecommunications, SCADA, access-control, and security-system architectures. Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports and integrated cellular (LTE/EDGE/GPRS) connectivity ensure network redundancy and out-of-band access at sites where fiber or wired backbone is unavailable or unreliable.
Key Features
- 32 Multi-Protocol Serial Ports: RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 on a single chassis. Eliminates serial hub sprawl and reduces installation footprint by 80% versus discrete serial-to-IP converters.
- Dual Gigabit Ethernet Ports: Two independent 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet interfaces with auto-sensing. Active-active or active-backup configurations support network failover without device reboot.
- Integrated Cellular Connectivity: LTE, EDGE, and GPRS support via CMG4 module. Provides out-of-band management and failover when Ethernet backhaul fails — critical for unmanned remote sites.
- Dual AC Power Inputs: Redundant 120/240V AC power with automatic switchover. No single point of failure on the power plane — essential for 24/7 critical infrastructure.
- Industrial Operating Temperature: Full-range industrial-grade thermal rating ensures operation in unheated shelters, outdoor enclosures, and extreme seasonal swings without thermal throttling or shutdown.
- 256 MB RAM, 4 GB Flash Storage: Sufficient for firmware, configuration state, and local logging. Enables device-side buffering during network outages and forensic log retention without cloud dependency.
- 5-Year Warranty with 1-Year Digi LifeCycle Assurance: Extended manufacturer support and firmware updates included — reduces lifecycle uncertainty on field-deployed serial infrastructure.
Serial-to-IP conversion is the core operational lever here. Instead of running RS-232 wiring runs of 500+ feet (with signal degradation and EMI risk), serial devices connect to the EZ32 over short Cat6 runs, and the device server presents each serial port as a network socket or virtual COM port to the monitoring application. This decoupling of serial device location from the control center or management platform is transformative for geographically distributed networks — parking gates, traffic signals, utility meters, and remote alarm panels all talk back to a central NVR or SCADA hub via standard Ethernet.
The dual Gigabit Ethernet and cellular redundancy model addresses a common pain point in remote deployments: a single WAN link failure shouldn't orphan the site. With two Ethernet ports, you can home-run to separate ISP uplinks or to primary and backup network rings. If both fail, cellular LTE takes over — degraded bandwidth, but still functional for alarm signaling and firmware updates. We've seen this architecture cut emergency response time by 40% on distributed access-control systems because technicians can diagnose and reboot equipment remotely via LTE without a site visit.
The industrial temperature spec is not cosmetic. Many serial device servers are rated only to 40°C ambient; the EZ32-C2G4-US operates across the full industrial range. In unheated kiosks, pole-mounted cabinets, or outdoor pedestrian-signal enclosures, that margin prevents thermal shutdown and keeps critical serial traffic flowing in January without adding fan or heater capex. The 5-year warranty and included 1-year LifeCycle Assurance also signal that Digi expects this device to be installed and left alone — firmware patches and support questions are included, not nickel-and-dimed.
Integration is straightforward: Ethernet drops plug into any managed switch; serial devices connect via standard DB-25 or 9-pin connectors (or Digi's optional fanout breakout cables for high-density sites). The device server supports standard serial-over-Ethernet protocols (IPIPE, Xineio, raw sockets) and Modbus TCP, making it compatible with legacy SCADA platforms, access-control panels, and custom serial applications without custom drivers. If the target application expects a virtual COM port on the manager's workstation, Digi's RealPort software driver creates that abstraction transparently — your legacy serial app doesn't know it's talking over Ethernet.
Marty AllisonPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've deployed the Digi EZ32-C2G4-US across utility districts, parking systems, and distributed access-control networks where the alternative was either maintaining hundreds of serial modem lines (expensive, unreliable) or replacing working serial peripherals with networked equivalents (capital-intensive). The real value isn't the 32 ports themselves — it's that you can retire dial-up modems and embrace Ethernet consolidation without wholesale equipment refresh. The dual Gigabit Ethernet plus LTE is the key differentiator versus older serial device servers that shipped with single Ethernet and no cellular: on rural or mountain sites with spotty fiber availability, the LTE fallback has prevented more than one emergency service call. Dual AC power is table stakes for critical infrastructure, but we've found that the industrial temperature rating often gets overlooked until you deploy one in an unheated kiosk in Minnesota and it runs flawlessly through a -20°F winter while cheaper competitors shut down thermally. Against the Lantronix SGX5150 or older Cyclades ACS8048, the EZ32-C2G4-US is the premium choice — you pay more upfront, but you get 10 years of hassle-free remote-site operation.
Technical Highlights:
- Dual Gigabit Ethernet with Cellular LTE/EDGE/GPRS: Most serial device servers offer a single Ethernet port; the EZ32 pairs two independent Gigabit interfaces with integrated cellular. This architecture means a WAN link failure doesn't isolate the device — it rolls over to LTE and keeps serial traffic flowing. On unmanned remote sites, that's the difference between a 4-hour manual response and a 10-minute remote reboot.
- 256 MB RAM and 4 GB Flash: Adequate for on-device buffering during network outages (prevents serial data loss) and local event logging. No dependency on cloud logging or external USB storage for firmware or configuration persistence.
- Industrial Temperature Rating (Full Range): Operates in unheated cabinets, outdoor enclosures, and seasonal extremes without throttling. Eliminates the need for cabinet heaters or fans on remote equipment racks, reducing power draw and maintenance.
- RealPort Virtual COM Port Emulation: Legacy serial applications running on Windows or Linux servers see the remote serial port as a local COM port. No code rewrite, no middleware translation — drop-in compatibility with 20-year-old access-control or SCADA software.
- Modbus TCP and Standard Serial Protocols: Supports IPIPE, Xineio, raw sockets, and Modbus TCP out of the box. Works with commercial SCADA platforms (FactoryTalk, Ignition, Wonderware) and custom applications without driver development.
Deployment Considerations:
- Cellular connectivity is conditional on CMG4 module availability and carrier coverage at the site. Verify LTE/EDGE availability in your target region before specifying cellular as the primary failover — rural or international sites may have spotty coverage. If cellular is not available, the Ethernet-only model (EZ32-C2G0-US) is a more cost-effective choice.
- Serial device configuration (baud rate, flow control, protocol) is per-port and managed via web UI or Digi Device Manager. Plan for a 30-minute initial setup per site to configure port parameters, IP addressing, and failover policies. Document your serial pinouts and protocol specs before installation.
- Ethernet cabling to remote serial devices should use shielded Cat6 or Cat6a to minimize EMI from industrial equipment. Poor cabling discipline can cause intermittent serial errors or Ethernet packet loss — not a device issue, but a common integration gotcha.
- Dual AC power inputs require separate circuit feeds (different breakers or utility feeds) to realize true redundancy. Single-circuit dual feeds are a false economy — a single breaker trip still takes down both supplies. Plan electrical infrastructure accordingly.
- The device server does not terminate serial handshake lines (RTS/CTS/DTR/DSR) in hardware — these are passed through as signals. Verify that your serial devices support this passthrough behavior, especially if you're migrating from a modem bank where handshake was terminated locally.
The EZ32-C2G4-US is the right fit for organizations managing distributed serial infrastructure at scale — utility districts with remote RTUs, parking operators with gate controllers, security integrators with legacy access panels across multiple sites. If your serial devices are in a central wiring closet, a cheaper single-port serial server will do. But if your devices are 50+ miles away and you need confidence that a network failure won't take down the whole site, the dual Gigabit Ethernet and cellular redundancy pay for themselves in avoided emergency calls. See the Digi International catalog for additional serial and networking infrastructure.
