Whit,
The "local port" parameter of the IPASCII object is an optional
parameter and does not need to be configured for the IPASCII object to
work correctly. As the definition from the Lookout Helps, the IPASCII
object is the "Local Ethernet I/O port the object uses for
communicating to the external device".
The Port paramerter under the "Ethernet Settings" section may be more
important, assuming that your remote device has been configured to
communicate on a specific ethernet port. If your device has stated a
port, enter it into this location.
I hope that this helps,
Patrick R.