Wireless Ethernet network help

[hoelscherlj 0]

Hello, Due to a recent success in collecting process data from a PLC, I have been tasked with connecting most of our PLC's on a network to do the same thing. Our company is going through some major changes on our manufacturing floor so we will be moving machines around quite a bit until we get the optimum set up. So at this moment flexibility is the key. I have looked at DH485 network and it's price is nice but the hardwire lines would be a nightmare. My boss and I are leaning toward the ethernet approach but the hardwired lines would also be very bad. We currently would like to put one 5/03 two 5/04's 3 micro 1500's and a few micro 1000's on the network using 1746-NET-ENI's I guess one question is. Can you use off the shelf wireless nework equiptment like linksys to connect them together? Will it be a problem to have two network cards in one PC and be connected to both our companies network and the PLC network at the same time? (my IT department thinks it will be, although that doesn't seem to make any sense) It would be nice considering I'd like to save the data to our company's network drives. One I get the basic plan in place I'm sure I'll have more questions than this. Thanks, Luc Edited 26 Jan 2005 by hoelscherlj

[Snerkel 0]

Shouldn't be a problem. Get something like this http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/in...oduct_uid=52460 to connect at the PLC end. 11Mbps is way fast enough for PLC use. Two ethernet cards in one PC won't cause a problem, just make sure you choose a different subnet for the PLC network. Example:- If the company network has IP address starting 10.x.x.x then use 192.168.1.x or similar for the PLC network. If the company network has IP address starting 192.168.z.x then use 192.168.y.x making sure that y is a different number to z.

[hoelscherlj 0]

Thanks for your reply. I'm going ahead with it soon. Your website is quite helpful as well. Thanks, Luc

[Snerkel 0]

Let us know how you get on

[bjclem 0]

the problem with the 1761-enet module there is a limit for the max nodes that can be on it which is around 6 AB pro

[coolhand 0]

We have 10 lines with around seven 5/04's (DH+) on each line tied back to a ControLogix Gateway. The Gateway also has a processor and our data collection is gathered at this point and is also on our plant Ethernet. It has proved very flexable. We also installed a wireless hub and installed a wireless antana on our laptops so troubleshooting, programing, etc. can occur anyware in the plant at any point on the machine/line. We also back-up our code on the network drive so having the most current copy is not an issue. This has been one of the greatest assets to keeping our systems up and running. Luke

[brucechase 1]

My setup is identical to Luke's (so much so it's scary). I have a gateway on which I attach 14 processors via several different DH+ nodes. I installed several access points in the plant ceiling and my Dell laptop has built in wireless. Since they are on the network, I can look at them via my wireless laptop, or from my desktop, or (with a secureid key) I can see them all from my house via the internet. We also collect a tremendous amount of data on 4-5 PCs via ODE topics. In addition, I also use the PC to write to plcs for synchronizing time and to load recipes and status bits. As you can also see, I am now installing 5/05 directly on the ethernet network and bypassing the gateway completely.