turbo

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About turbo

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  1. Sorry, I haven't gotten back to this forum sooner but a lot has been happening lately and I didn't have a free second. I finally returned to my second problem of trying to communicate with my spare PLC. I changed the IP address that I was setting in the ethernet module to the one that was set in the work machines ethernet module and I was able to establish communication and see the backplane. There must have been a conflict that I wasn't aware of with the first IP address I selected. Once I was able to communicate with the PLC I was able to flash the firmware and transfer my program. I can now continue with my goal of using the spare PLC to help me to learn to program Allen Bradley PLC's. My previous experience has been with Modicon and Square D exclusively and so far I see significant differences, so it should be interesting. One thing is for sure! I wouldn't have gotten this far with installing the A-B software correctly and communicating with the PLC without all of you help. I hope that some day I can know enough to be of as much assistance to someone else on this forum. So to all that helped... Thank you very much!
  2. You guys are terrific! I can't believe all of the help (and encouragement) that you have provided over the past 3 days. I tried connecting to the work PLC today on the inoperative machine and was succesful in communicating with it through my PC so everything is working correctly on it. I was able to solve the software problem and get the machine operational so all of the work (and your help) over the weekend paid off. And I want to thank each of you again. I still have the issue of communicating with the spare PLC that I was working with at home over the weekend, though. Since the software communication on my PC seem to be working (based on my results at work) and since I am able to ping theIP address I am guessing that the problem lies in recognizing the ethernet module. I want to take another look at the EDS files that I loaded and make sure that they are right. I will try to use a web browser to get the exact revision number of the ethernet module. In looking at the sticker on the module I wasn't sure of it. Panic_Mode mentioned about disabling bootp... I did manually assign the IP address but don't recall disabling bootp. I'll look at that and double check the addresses. The second issue that I'll have to deal with once I establish communication again with the spare PLC is the issue of incompatible firmware versions. But I'll take it one step at a time. The past 3 days have been pretty exhausting so I'll probably wait till tomorrow evening to try these things and let you know what I find out. Thanks again for all of the help!
  3. I'm not sure what else to try but maybe I'll have better luck connecting to the machine at work tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how I make out. Right now I am fried and need to get some sleep. Good night and thanks for all your help. Talk to you all tomorrow.
  4. I tried what you recommended and the EDS installed OK but still no success. A point of interest is that when the serial connection was working RSLinx found the PLC and knew what it is. Is there a chance that the Ethernet module isn't communicating with the PLC or needs to be cinfigured somehow?
  5. It's a yellow ? with a red X through it. The model # is 1756-L61 Contrologix 5561
  6. Yes I can ping the PLC address from DOS. I just tried using the AB-ETH-1, ethernet driver. When it asked for a Host name I entered the PLC address. After a short time it found it and listed it as an unrecognized device with a red X through it. It The config allowed me to enter a second station Host name so next I entered the PC address. It then found it also and displayed it as RSLinx Server. But the red X and Unrecognized device still are listed for the PLC address.
  7. I can't tell you how much I really appreciate your patience and help. I followed your instructions (which were very clear and well written) and everything seemed to go ok however I cannot see the PLC under the AB-ETHIP-1, ethernet driver I now have the IP address that I assigned to the PLC through the DHCP-Bootp server (192.168.1.102 w/192.168.1.1 gateway and 255.255.255.0 subnet mask). with the "link and net" lights flashing. My PC is at 192.168.1.100, 255.255.255.0, 192.168.1.1 The status of the PC connection is " and connected" and the activity shows sending and reveiving bytes. It looks like it should work!? When I open the driver configuration in RSLinx there are two options to select "Browse local subnet" in which the IP address and subnet are grayed out and the second is "Browse remote subnet" which allows for setting the IP address and subnet. I tried both and tried the PC IP address and the PLC IP address in the Browse remote option without success. Any other ideas of what I may have missed?
  8. In reply to Ken and BobLfoot: The controller that I am working with now is one that we just purchased as a spare. My plan was to use it as a breadboard to learn programming and communicating while at home. I figured that if I could communicate with it and load the machine software on to it I'd be able to do the same with the PLC on the machine at work. I wanted to be ready for Monday morning with everything operational on my computer to be able to connect to the machine that is down and diagnose the problem. Well, today has not been a good day. While I was connected to the PLC I needed to do some rerouting of extension cords so I unplugged the power adaptor to my laptop (so that I was running on the battery) and unplugged and re-plugged in the PLC. After that RSLInx would not see the PLC anymore. I suspect that something may have happened to my serial port on my computer because I cannot get any other serial devices to work off it. So now I have to start from scratch and try to connect through the ethernet port, which from what I understand is not going to be as easy as connecting through the serial port. This probably isn't such a bad thing as you mention that the ethernet port is a lot faster. I already installed the driver for it in RSLinx but have no clue as to what to do from there. The module is flashing a 'bootp' number which is strange since the module on the machine at work flashes the IP address. I connected a hub between the computer and the PLC module and was able to establish a link according to the light on the ethernet module but RSLinx doesn't see the PLC. I am pretty frazzled at this point!
  9. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I checked through my CDs again and found one for RSLinx Classic (the reason I passed over it to start with because I thought the RSLinx Professional I had already installed was better) in smaller letters below it said Professional version 2.50 (CPR 7). I installed it and I was able to install a driver and connect. My problem now is that it says that I need to update the controller firmware to ver. 1.4. Where would I find that file? Do I need to download it or is it on the computer or CD somewhere?
  10. It's version 2.43.22 I just purchased it within the past month. I just uninstalled it and re-installed it without any change. Any other ideas? I can't believe that this should be that difficult!
  11. Yes, the activation has been installed and RSLinx doesn't ask for it. When I go into Communications, Configure Drivers, everything is grayed out and when I use the pull down for "Available Driver Types" there are none listed. Again, the title bar says that it is RSLinx Professional and I am being told that I need to run RSLinx Classic!?
  12. Yes I do. When it opens the title bar says RSLinx Professional and most options are grayed out and I can't install any drivers. What I am hearing is that I need RSLinx classic with RSLogix 5000. Any idea how I start it instead? As I mentioned... I'm almost certain it is installed.
  13. First, let me say thanks for the quick help. You guys are great! I hope as I become more familiar with A-B PLC products that I can repay the favor. Based on jstolaruk's information on using RSLinx Classic I tried to install it last night. I found it on my RSView CD and tried to install it. However, I can't help but think that maybe I did install it already since the menu options that I received were to modify the installation, repair it, or uninstall it. I selected the option to repair it just in case there was a problem with the installation. (I have had problems during the past week with getting RSView to run and have tried a number of things based on Rockwell support, but that's another story) Any way, at this point I'm a little confused on how to get RSLinx classic to run. It seems that the RSLinx driver starts automatically when I start my computer (based on what I see in my computer services) but is it RSLinx classic or professional, I can't tell. Also, when I go into "All Programs" - under the START menu, Rockwell Software, RSLINX, I don't see any option to start RSLinx classic or professional. There is only one option! When I select it, RSLINX professional starts. How do I start RSLinx classic instead???????? Also, I don't believe that I installed the security server as I am the only one using the software and have no need for it. I feel the same way... that it will probably only cause more headaches.
  14. Thanks for the quick response. I am using Windows XP Pro and have administrator rights on this computer.
  15. Hi, I am new to this forum and to Allen Bradley products. I have a recently purchased machine at work that is down and I need to connect to the controller to examine the logic. I have all of the software (Factory Talk, Rs linx Enterprise, Control Logix 500 installed on my computer. I am having problems adding a driver in RSLinx to allow for serial communication between my PC and the Control Logix controller. It appears that all menus and options are grayed out and I cannot add a serial driver. If I go into security access rights the "current security server is blank", the "current security user" is blank my computer is listed as a resource but for all actions are "denied". I configured a Factory Talk Local and network directory and thought that that was all that I needed to do. Can someone tell me what I need to do establish rights in RSLinx and allow me access to adding drivers. I am at a loss and need to try to get this machine running before Monday morning?