System and Method of Using Existing Cabling While Achieving Ethernet Network Capabilities and Speed

A communication network for providing an Ethernet network and a first protocol to a plurality of gaming devices in a gaming area of a gaming establishment, the network comprising:

• a server area Ethernet network located in a server area of the gaming establishment;
• a gaming area Ethernet network located in the gaming area of the gaming establishment;
• a long cable comprising a first twisted pair of wires and a second twisted pair of wires and a ground wire, having a first end located in the server area of the gaming establishment and a second end located in the gaming area of the gaming establishment;
• a first converter connected to the first end of the long cable and arranged to communicate with a second converter using a first protocol over the first twisted pair of wires, and connected to the server area Ethernet network, and arranged to convert between the first protocol over the long cable and the server end Ethernet network;
• the second converter connected to the second end of the long cable and arranged to communicate with the first converter using the first protocol over the first twisted pair of wires, and connected to the gaming area Ethernet network, and arranged to convert between the first protocol over the long cable and the gaming area Ethernet network;
• a fifth converter connected to the first end of the long cable and arranged to communicate with a sixth converter using a first protocol over the second twisted pair of wires, and connected to the server area Ethernet network, and arranged to convert between the first protocol over the long cable and the server end Ethernet network;
• the sixth converter connected to the second end of the long cable and arranged to communicate with the first converter using the first protocol over the second twisted pair of wires, and connected to the gaming area Ethernet network, and arranged to convert between the first protocol over the long cable and the gaming area Ethernet network;
• a controller board of a slot machine located in the gaming area, and arranged to communicate via the first and second converter using a second protocol with a game Controller computer located in the server area Ethernet network;
• and
• a game board of the slot machine located in the gaming area, and arranged to communicate via the fifth and sixth converter using Ethernet with a server.

A method of converting a gaming establishment communication network with a long cable used for communication using RS-485, to a gaming establishment communication network with a server area Ethernet network located in a server area of the gaming establishment, and a gaming area Ethernet network located in the gaming area of the gaming establishment;

• installing a first converter connected to the first end of the long cable, wherein the first converter is arranged to communicate with a second converter using a first protocol over the first twisted pair of wires, and connected to the server area Ethernet network, and arranged to convert between the first protocol over the long cable and the server end Ethernet network, wherein the long cable comprises at least a first twisted pair of wires and has a first end located in the server area of the gaming establishment and a second end located in the gaming area of the gaming establishment;
• installing the second converter connected to the second end of the long cable, wherein the second converter is arranged to communicate with the first converter using the first protocol over the first twisted pair of wires, and connected to the gaming area Ethernet network, and arranged to convert between the first protocol over the long cable and the gaming area Ethernet network,
• wherein a controller board of a gaming device is located in the gaming area, and arranged to communicate via the first and second converter using a second protocol with a game controller computer located in the server area Ethernet network, and
• wherein a game board of the gaming device is located in the gaming area, and arranged to communicate via the first and second converter using Ethernet with a server.