EthernetI/P and PLC5/40E's

[bof 1]

We are trying to connect all PLCs in a plant to an Ethernet Network and having problems with two old PLC5/40E's. To date we can ping both processors but can't see them from RSLinx. One is Series D Revision B, the second Series E Revision D.1 Now AB tech note ID 9842 says the first is not EthernetI/P compatible, but the second one should be. So would at least expect to see the second one in the EthernetI/P tree for Linx. Same tech note says that the Ethernet Device Driver (AB_ETH_1) can be used as a workround - but this driver requires to connect to a station number and there is no facility to declare a station number for channel 2 in RSLogix5! Anybody any thoughts or experience with these older revisions? Can anyone confirm series and revisions of PLC5/40E that do communicate with Linx?

[Ken Moore 23]

When you use the AB_ETH_1 driver you have to build the station numbers from within Rslinx by manually typing in the IP addresses, not plc. Go to the help portion of Rslinx, and read up on the driver.

[BobLfoot 302]

A Screeen Shot Illustrating what Ken Refers to. NOTE : STATION NUMBER AND LAST OCTET NEED NOT AGREE, But I personally like them to.

[JeffKiper 9]

BobLfoot How are you creating these screen shots?

[bof 1]

Thnks for that - I had no idea that the IP address had to be entered into the station mapping screen. My help file - Linx Classic 2.51.00.21 - is next to useless regarding the AB_ETH-1 driver Will try this when I get back on site. Still confused by the second PLC5/40E, as the tech note states that Series E Revision D is EthernetI/P incompatible. Anyone able to confirm this?

[BobLfoot 302]

GADWIN PRINT SCREEN -- it is freeware and produces jpg's and other image files.

[Contr_Conn 4]

You can also use Alt+PrtScn on your keyboard. This will put active window image to the clipboard and you can paste them to you favorite picture editor

[Contr_Conn 4]

I think you are confused with terminology and functionality: - Any PLC5/E can be accessed using RSlinx Ethernet Devices driver. No matter what firmware it has. It uses PCCC or CSP protocol (language) over TCP/IP transport to communicate with RSlinx or another PLC5. - Ethernet/IP is a different newer protocol based on Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) that allows PLC5/E communicate with CIP enabled devices like ControlLogix. To use it (send message to ControlLogix) PLC5 needs to meet minimum requirements listed in the post above. - Any PLC5/E firmware can be upgraded to support Ethernet/IP (CIP) Edited 22 Sep 2007 by Contr_Conn

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No Contr_Conn, fully aware of the differences between connectivity e.g. ethernet, and the protocol in use. I realise that I can use the AB_ETH driver to communicate with either of the PLC5/E's (once I sorted out how to configure the driver) just confused by the inability to see the second one using the AB_ETHIP driver when tech note ID 9842 says it's EthernetI/P compatible. Enquiring to see if anyone else has had problems with early 'EthernetI/P compatible' revisions of PLC5 firmware?

[Nathan 7]

Can't argue with free, but SnagIt's really cool too. It's easy to use and you can create nice effects. I used it extensively for documentation screenshots.

[Ken Roach 194]

The way the RSLinx EtherNet/IP driver's browse works is that it sends out a broadcast message to address 255.255.255.255 with the CIP command "list identity". Every device that understands that command replies, and the list of browsed devices appears. I don't think support of the List Identity Service is required to be considered "EtherNet/IP compatible". The 1756-ENET doesn't support it, but new SLC-5/05 controllers and MicroLogix 1100 controllers do. All of those devices are definitely "EtherNet/IP compatible". You can configure the subnet that the browse sends the broadcast to, but I don't have much experience with that. I do know that because the browse uses a broadcast address that it won't pass through most routers or gateways. If your automation gear is on separate IP subnets, you're probably going to be better served by the manually-configured Ethernet Devices driver.

[Contr_Conn 4]

Again, supporting Ethernet/IP (CIP) messaging is different from supporting Ethenet/IP driver in RSlinx. Supporting Ethernet/IP means that PLC5E can talk to ControlLogix based controllers via Message instruction. As far as I remember only New series F controllers support RSlinx Ethernet/IP driver requests.

[bof 1]

Thanks, some really useful info since: 1. These particular processors are indeed on a separate subnet of the process control network. I was trying to sort out basic connectivity (on the same subnet) before delving into why we can't see them from other subnets. 2. We are looking at firmware upgrades, but if the series D and E won't respond to the list identity request at any firmware revision - there is little point in doing it. May be why the local AB rep won't guarantee that the upgrades will work. Now have enough knowledge to ask some 'tricky' questions! Other alternative is to rip them out and replace with Control Logix. AB make this sound easy, but often the devil is in the detail, and I can't have two major parts of the mill down while we try and make the conversion work. Anyone got any experience of this - i.e. replacing a PLC5 processor with Control Logix while keeping the PLC5 I/O structure? Or should this be a new thread?

[Contr_Conn 4]

It is very common to replace PLC5 with controllogix keeping PLC5 I/O but it is high price to pay for just convinience of Ethernet/IP driver. It makes absolutely no sense to me. If you are looking to spend some company $$$ - sure you can do it Even with ControlLogix you will need setup your routers and RSlinx to browse remote subnet with Ethernet/IP driver. What you trying to do can be easily done without spending any money using Ethernet Devices driver. Ethernet Devices driver will work with your PLC5 without any problems. You just need to forward TCP port 44818 in your router setup and specify geteway addresses for PLC5s. If at this point you ask "how do I set router?" then stop and hire an IT guy. Personnaly I prefer Ethernet Devices driver over IP driver, because it is more reliable driver and specifying IP table is just a minor inconvinience. And again, you need PLC5 FW upgrade ONLY if you want communicate with ControlLogix. It has nothing to do with RSlinx. If you want to spend some $$$ for new FW, then your local distributor can arrange this. FW is not cheap. You don't have to ask distributor tricky questions, it is straight forward and you already got the answer here. Edited 23 Sep 2007 by Contr_Conn

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It always comes down to $$$. This whole exercise started with the IT guys installing RSMACC to control PLC changes, without first sorting out the connectivity. So now we have half an implementation that works and half that doesn't. Hence lots of $$$ spent without the benefits. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the concept of RSMACC - but only if it works on the whole plant. By 'works' I mean that any electrician can get on line and fault find without having to be a network guru. If this costs $$$, so be it, downtime costs a hell of a lot more.