Most industrial computer systems come with standard RS-232 serial ports. Though widely accepted, RS-232 has limited transmission speed, range and networking capabilities. The RS-422/485 standards overcome these limitations by using differential voltage lines for data and control signals. The RS-422/485 repeater simply amplifies, or boosts, existing RS-422/485 signals to enable them to cover longer distances. It extends the communication distance by 1200m (4,000 ft.) or increases the maximum number of connected nodes by 32.