The maximum cable length supported by the SN65C3221EPWG4 is dependent on the baud rate and the type of cable used. As a general guideline, the maximum cable length for a baud rate of 1 Mbps is around 100 meters, while for a baud rate of 100 kbps, it can be up to 500 meters.
To ensure reliable communication over long distances, it is recommended to use a shielded twisted-pair cable, maintain a good signal-to-noise ratio, and implement error detection and correction mechanisms in the communication protocol.
Yes, the SN65C3221EPWG4 can be used in a multi-point or multi-drop configuration, but it requires the use of a repeater or a hub to connect multiple devices to a single bus.
The maximum number of devices that can be connected to a single bus using the SN65C3221EPWG4 is 32, as per the RS-485 specification.
To handle bus contention and collisions, it is recommended to implement a collision detection and automatic retransmission mechanism in the communication protocol, as well as use a token-passing or master-slave architecture to control access to the bus.