M-BUS Converter Setup Tool v1.4 Help

Table of contents

  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Starting the application
  • 3. Converter configuration communication encryption settings
  • 4. Interacting with the application.
  • 5. Converter wired interface settings
  • 6. Device settings
  • 7. Devices nearby
  • 8. Configuration examples
  • 9. Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Introduction

    This document describes how to use the M-BUS Converter Setup Tool v1.3 application.

    The M-BUS Converter Setup Tool is used to configure the M-BUS Converter, Wireless to wired hardware.

    M-BUS Converter, Wireless to wired

    To power the M-BUS Converter, it needs to be connected to an M-BUS master that can deliver 7 M-Bus loads (this can either be in the form of an M-BUS master connected to your PC, an externally powered M-BUS master or an electricity meter).

    Known working PC connected M-BUS masters:

  • The Relay USB M-bus Mikromaster
  • The Integra USB M-Bus Mini-Master
  • The Relay Level-Converter PW60/PW20
  • The Elvaco CMa30 - USB M-Bus Master

    The M-BUS Converter has the capability to be configured over both the wired and wireless interface.

    If an M-BUS Converter is connected through an M-BUS master to the same PC that is running the M-BUS Converter Setup Tool, choose the wired option. Find out which COM port the M-BUS master is exposing and use that.

    If the M-BUS Converter is not connected to an M-BUS master on the same PC that is running the M-BUS Converter Setup Tool you will need to use a 'USB RF install tool dongle':

    RF USB stick

    Wired connection configuration is convenient to use in a controlled location (e.g. a lab or factory or distribution site). Wireless meters to be managed by the converter can be (pre)configured before installation of both the converter and the meter in the field.

    Wireless configuration is geared toward configuration in the field when it is impractical to disconnect the converter from the MBUS-master or Electricity meter to configure a new wireless meter to be managed.

    Wired and wireless configuration options are identical. The main difference between wired and wireless configuration is the fact that the converter can handle unencrypted configuration in wired mode (when configured). Wireless mode configuration is always secured with encryption.

    2. Starting the application

    When starting the application the start screen is presented.

    Here you can choose to communicate to a converter via wired or wireless. For wireless operation a USB RF install tool dongle is needed. For wired operation an M-Bus master is needed.

    2.1 Wireless communication

    When choosing wireless usage, the USB RF install tool is automatically detected if available. First thing to do in the main screen is to press "Find converter" to trigger the search for wireless M-Bus converters in the vicinity and to select the specific converter you want to communicate with.

    Select the serial number of the converter from the drop down list.

    NOTE: If your converter serial number is not there, press escape and retry the search by pressing "Find converter".

    After selecting the converter serial number the main application is ready. It is showing the M-Bus converter you are currently communicating with.

    When no USB RF install tool dongle is found, the following error is shown:

    The application will offer the possibility to start a wired communication session.

    2.2 Wired communication

    When choosing wired configuration, the application will ask for the COM port of the wired M-Bus master.

    Choose the required COM port from the drop down list and press connect. The application will automatically ask the M-Bus master to query the connected M-Bus converter and the following main screen is shown:

    If no M-Bus converter was connected at startup or if you want to connect a different M-Bus converter, press "Find converter".

    3. Converter configuration communication encryption settings

    As explained in chapter 2, when using a wired connection, there are 2 possible ways to communicate to the converter for configuration purposes:

    1. Wired not using encryption.
    2. Wired using encryption.

    There are 2 main options in the configuration tool that govern these options:

    Default the dongle will be in mode 'wired no encryption'. So in this case the 'use wired encrypted messages' is unchecked and the converter option 'unencrypted wired config' is set.

    NOTE: In wireless configuration mode, these options have no effect and all communication will use encryption.

    When doing wireless configuration or wired configuration using encryption, the key for the specific converter needs to be made available to the application.

    This can be done in 2 ways:

    1. By filling in the key manually in the 'Converter Encryption Key' field.


    2. By putting the key file in the directory 'dongleKeys' relative to where you have installed the M-Bus Converter Setup Tool application. The directory dongleKeys can contain multiple key files with the following structure:
    In this case, based on the serial number the application will try to lookup the key automatically.

    4. Interacting with the application.

    First thing to do is to check that communication is working. The easiest way to check for this is to look if there is valid data in the 'Converter ID' field.

    Alternatively, you can look at the 'Communication log' tab and see if every request made is getting a response message.

    NOTE: If the response message on every request sent is an "<<< Answer single byte ACK.", it is an indication that the key being used to configure the converter is incorrect or the converter interface is encrypted and the requests are being sent without encryption.

    If communication is working, the next step is to read out the converter configuration. The main use case for the converter is to connect up to 4 wireless M-Bus devices to a wired M-Bus network. In order to be able to do this, the converter has 4 'Device settings' slots. Each slot has the following buttons:

    For each 'Device setting' slot (1..4) press the 'Get Data' button. This will give an overview how the converter is currently configured.

    In this configuration example the following meters are configured:

  • A Hydrometer meter in slot 1.
  • A Metrix meter in slot 2.
  • A Kamstrup meter in slot 3.
  • Slot 4 has not been configured.

    5. Converter wired interface settings

    The converter wired interface settings controls how the received wireless M-Bus meters are presented on the wired M-Bus side.

    Valid configuration combinations are:

  • Generic / NONE
  • LUXmetering / MODE7
  • DSMR22 / MODE4
  • DSMR4 / MODE15
  • OMS / MODE5 | MODE7 | NONE
  • ECHELON / DES MODE2 | DES MODE3*
  • RAW WMBUS | NONE

    * DES MODE3 needs a valid timestamp to function correctly
    ** Each of the protocols LUXmetering, DSMR22, DSMR4, OMS, ECHELON can also be used with encryption 'NONE'

    Generic / NONE will put the received wireless MBUS frame on the wired M-Bus without encryption.

    LUXmetering / DSMR22 / DSMR4 / ECHELON are specifically for electricity meters following those specifications.

    OMS will try to follow OMS specification as much as possible with available data

    RAW WMBUS will put the received wireless MBUS frame into a wired MBUS frame with relative timestamp and RSSI value

    NOTE: It is possible to configure a wired output type per wireless meter configuration. However, the current configuration program follows the most used 'use case'.

    6. Device settings

    Setting up the converter for the correct wireless device(s) to monitor and make available on the wired M-Bus side is done through the 4 device setting slots.

    The following fields can be configured:

  • Active
  • Manuf. ID
  • Version
  • Device ID
  • Media
  • Key Encryption Key*
  • Master Key
  • Wireless Protocol
  • Wireless Encryption Mode
  • Wired Address

    The 'Active' check box sets if this configuration slot is being used to look for the configured wireless meter.

    Manufacturer ID + Version + Device ID + Media make up the wireless address for the meter to actively monitor by the converter. This can be either the address of the meter (as found in the payload) or the address of the communication module of the meter (if it is using one). On the wired side always the meter long address will be used (if available).

    Key Encryption Key is only used for protocols: DSMR22, DSMR4, LUXmetering as these protocols support a Key change protocol.

    Master Key is the key that is being used by the configured meter to encrypt the wireless frames.

    Wireless protocol is a hint given to the converter what kind of wireless protocol to expect.

    Wireless Encryption mode is a hint given to the converter what kind of wireless encryption to expect.

    Wired address configures on which wired M-Bus address this configured wireless meter will present it's output. This can be pre-configured or if the used M-Bus master supports address assignment this can be set to 0.

    The following combinations for different types of meters can be configured:

  • Generic / NONE -> Unencrypted wireless M-Bus meters.
  • LUXmetering / MODE7 -> LUXmetering protocol meters (limited 2-way).
  • DSMR22 / MODE4 -> Dutch Smart Meter v22 (limited 2-way).
  • DSMR4 / MODE15 -> Dutch Smart Meter v4 (limited 2-way).
  • OMS / MODE5 | MODE7 | NONE -> OMS meters
  • SMR | ESMR / MODE9 -> Dutch Smart meter (limited 2-way).
  • Legacy Hydrometer | Legacy Hydrometer -> Hydrometer meters with address error and proprietary encryption.
  • KAMSTRUP / MODEC -> Kamstrup mode C meters with AES-128 Counter Mode Encryption (including proprietary fix).

    If a meter has been configured, use the 'Set Data' button to store the configuration.

    When the meter key file is in the directory 'meterKeys' relative to where you have installed the M-Bus Converter Setup Tool application, the button 'Key Find' can be used to lookup the keys for a configured meter. The directory meterKeys can contain multiple key files with the following structure:

    7. Devices nearby

    'Devices nearby' can be used to interactively configure a meter configuration slot.

    By pressing the 'Scan' button, the dongle is asked to show the meters that are in the range of the converter.

    When double clicking on one of the results the following dialog comes up:

    By choosing one of the configuration slots, the information for this meter (Manufacturer ID + Version + Device ID + Media) is filled in.

    9. Configuration examples

    The following example will configure a Metrix gas meter with ID 00000109 to configuration slot 2 which will report itself on wired M-Bus address 2. The meter is an OMS meter using MODE5 encryption.

    The following example will configure a Kamstup heat meter with ID 40000220 to configuration slot 3 which will report itself on wired M-Bus address 3. The meter is a modeC meter using CTR mode encryption.

    10. Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: I am using a Relay USB M-Bus master and it is not working.

    A: There is a known problem with the default install of the driver for the Relay USB M-Bus master. Make sure that the option 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' is not checked.

    Q: I am using not encrypted wired configuration and it is not working.

    A: Check the output of the 'Communication log' tab. Are you seeing '<<< Answer single byte ACK.' answers? If this is the case, then the configuration interface is encrypted (a number of devices were shipped with default set to encrypted configuration interface). Set the key for the converter. Check 'Settings / Use wired encrypted messages'. Select 'Converter options / Set option bits'. Make sure that 'Unencrypted wired config' is selected. Set this option. You can now configure the converter without encryption.