PLC Software on Virtual Machine?

Has anyone been able to connect their PLC to their software on Virtual Machine? For some reason on my regular host machine the PLC connection works but when I try to connect it to the software on the Virtual Machine it doesn't work. Could it be the COM port configuration is wrong?

Yes. A great many of us on here use virtual machines.

Perhaps give us some details.

What are you using for your virtual machines?
How are you trying to connect to the PLC? Ethernet, USB, Serial?
What PLC are you connecting to? What software, and version?

OG

For example...I use VMware Workstation v12 to connect via Ethernet to my ControlLogix system. Using RSLinx 3.80 I can create an EtherNet/IP driver and in Studio 5000 v21 I am able to go online with my controller.

Hi Operaghost,

Right now I'm using VMware Workstation 11 and I'm using ProWORX 32 for the PLC software and I'm connecting Modbus 1 of my Compact 984 PLC to my computer by Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port. Cable works perfectly, as I already checked through DOS computer. As for trying to make the PLC communicate to the software located on the Virtual Machine, it always says "access denied" or "failed to attach to PLC." The light beside the Modbus 1 label on the PLC is not turning on so I know it isn't communicating yet.

beddyteary said:

Has anyone been able to connect their PLC to their software on Virtual Machine? For some reason on my regular host machine the PLC connection works but when I try to connect it to the software on the Virtual Machine it doesn't work. Could it be the COM port configuration is wrong?

Click to expand...

I suppose this question is related to your other post.

Did you try testing the COM port using Hyperterminal and other PC? Probably the host is keeping busy the COM port when VMware needs to use it.

Hi nhatsen,

I haven't yet tested the COM port but I will install it right now and try to see. In the event that it does turn out to be the case, how would I be able to fix it? Would I need to switch to a different COM port instead of COM port 1? My Virtual Machine currently detects COM 1. Thanks.

I recently ran into a very similar problem, mine was related to the USB driver for my cable was not the correct one for my virtual machine.
In Device Manager of the Host machine I could see the PLC connection but not in my virtual machine Device Manager. (Windows8.1 vs. Windows7)
Check in the virtual machine Device Manager to ensure you are seeing the PLC connected to the Comm port where you are expecting it.

Generally need to select COM2 in the VM

Not sure if this is your issue, but be aware that VM generally uses COM1 for printer redirects by default, so depending on how you are mapping your port into the VM, you may need to select COM2 in the VM.

When it comes to serial comms and VM's, I've generally have better luck using a physical serial port...most laptops don't have them, but you might want to check if the laptop brand you are using has a legacy port adapter. I use Dell E-series Latitude and the legacy port adapter Dell sells for those is a fairly slim module that connects to the docking port slot and has a 9 pin serial and 25 pin parallel port on it. No need for USB to serial, which I know can give issues. When using that, you add a Serial Port into the VM's hardware config and tell it to use the physical port...this is where it gets mapped as COM2 into the host (You'll notice when you add the hardware it shows up as Serial Port 2 in the VM hardware config dialog).

Normally the vmware virtual machine has com1 provisioned for the use of printing back to host machine. Other devices normally come in on higher com ports Make sure you have the adapter attached to the virtual machine and not the host. You should be able to see it in the device manager of the VM.

You can pass through a serial port from the host to the vm but I would not recommend it.
Just put the usb device in the vm and install the drivers for it there. This works much better.

Geoff White said:

Normally the vmware virtual machine has com1 provisioned for the use of printing back to host machine. Other devices normally come in on higher com ports Make sure you have the adapter attached to the virtual machine and not the host. You should be able to see it in the device manager of the VM.

You can pass through a serial port from the host to the vm but I would not recommend it.
Just put the usb device in the vm and install the drivers for it there. This works much better.

Click to expand...

+1 for this. Attach the USB to serial adaptor to your VM, and go the the VM's hardware configuration. If you can see it show up as a serial port, make note of it's number and use that one in ProWorx to try to get online. If you can't see it, you'll have to download and install drivers for it on the VM. Then rinse and repeat

You can attach the USB->serial to the VM

I prefer to just directly feed the COM port to the VM though and keep those drivers on the host machine side.

Also, if you are running the software to connect to your PLC on the host machine the COM port may already be in use by the host.