These protocols are commonly used for wide area communication between the substation and the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) master.

In these environments, TCP/IP can help support network protocols within substations and manufacturing plants, such as DNP3 and IEC 64. TCP/IP is also widely used in industrial settings, unless the facility has opted for fast Ethernet protocols. For example, TCP/IP is used for the internet, which obviously demands fast communication speeds and flexibility in topologies. TCP/IP technologies have received much stronger development efforts than serial, due to the vast number of users currently utilising it. Unlike serial communication, if data corrupts or does not reach its destination TCP/IP defines how the missing data will be retransmitted, while controlling the flow of data to the right place. TCP/IP is responsible for managing the connection between a client and a server, making sure the data that needs to be transferred is split into several packets, which will eventually reach their destination. So, when ethernet became cheaper and new network topologies - the arrangement in which computer systems or network devices are connected to each other - were made possible, such as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

It was not until the 1990’s that fibre optics were implemented to guarantee immunity against electromagnetic interferences, this not only prevented interruptions but helped save tons of copper that were laid in cable conduits. Every device, might it be your computer or mobile, runs on serial protocol which serves as a reliable form of communication. Generally, serial communication is a widely used method to transfer data between processing equipment and peripherals.

Tcp ip over serial