CANlink® GSM 2001 serves to exchange data between a CAN bus system and a receiver using GSM and GPRS infrastructures. In connection with the innovative Proemion communication management system, CANlink® GSM 2001 devices enable the worldwide control and monitoring of mobile and stationary CAN bus systems, thereby providing inexpensive possibilities for fleet management and remote diagnosis. An authenticated and encrypted protocol ensures the secure data transfer between the CANlink® GSM 2001 device and the Proemion Internet professional server. GPRS billing provides an additional advantage, as only data packets that are actually transmitted are subject to charges. By connecting a CANlink® GSM 2001 device to an existing CANopen network, messages can be sent directly from the CAN network by SMS, e-mail, or fax. CAN messages can also be transmitted in a transparent manner over a direct data connection via CSD. If a CANlink® GSM 2001 device is used to receive data, legacy professional software directly connected to the CAN bus system of a vehicle can be used for remote maintenance. An integrated TCP/IP stack enables the communication with the connected CAN bus system over Internet services and protocols such as e-mail and basic TCP/IP client/server.