S7 300 using Step 7 Lite

I'm having problems connecting to the S7 300 with the Step 7 Lite Siemens software. I have the adapter with a seiral cable and I don't have RSLinx open. What am I missing?

Hi,
Rslinx is software for use with Allen bradley PLC's, so thats not your problem. Can you detail more where you are having problems?

Regards

I was just saying that rslinx is shutdown. RSLInx runs automatically when I start my computer and I shutdown to remove it as a problem.

You didn't say what equipment you have, so I'll guess that you have an RS-232 serial cable (like the Siemens 6ES7 901-1BF00-0XA0) connecting your PC's serial port to the PC Adapter (6ES7 972-0CA23-0XA0) which is connected to your S7-300. You probably have it connect to the MPI port of the S7-300. So did you open the "Set PG/PC Interface program" and select the PC Adapter (MPI)? You need to have the adapter selected.

You should also look at the properties for this interface. Does the Local Connection tab settings match the PC com port and is the rate set to the same as the PC Adapter? There is a little switch on the side of the PC Adapter to select 19.2 or 38.4.

How about the two status lights (Power and Active) on the side of the PC adapter? Are they on?

What equipment do you have and what exactly is your problem connecting?

In addition to Imi'ikes good advices, there is the possibility that the RSlinx PIC driver hooks the serial port, even if RSLinx is not running.
If you have the PIC driver enabled in RSLinx, then I believe that it has to be removed in RSLinx, and the PC must be rebooted for the serial port to be released again.

Ignore this if you dont use the PIC driver.

solution

detrick warner said:

I'm having problems connecting to the S7 300 with the Step 7 Lite Siemens software. I have the adapter with a seiral cable and I don't have RSLinx open. What am I missing?

Click to expand...

Go to Setting->Control Panel -> Click on Set PG/PC interface ->
In that you have Interfaces option and besides that you can see a button Select, click that button and it will you show what all cards are present
select the PC Adapter in that list and click on Install, if it shows any dialog box, just say yes.
then say ok and come back to previous screen.
then select on the MPI Adapter and click on properties
PG/PC is the only master on the bus - (click this option, put a tick mark next to it)
Transmission rate should be 187.5 kbps
say ok and it should work

I have the RS232 serial cable connecting to the PC Adapter (6ES7 972-0CA21-0XA0) which is connected to the S7-300. I'm not sure if the PC Adapter was selected, but 19.2 was selected on the switch and only the power light was on. The active light never came on.
I'm trying to backup the program with SIMATIC S7, STEP 7 Lite V3.0 software.

The power light on the PC Adapter means you have plugged it into a MPI or DP port on the S7-300. You can remove the serial cable to your PC and the power light should still be on.

I am not familiar with your part number (I have 0CA23 not 0CA21) but does your adapter have one end labeled MPI/DP and the other RS232?

You can use the PC Adapter with either MPI or DP (Profibus). But for the sake of this, plug the PC Adapter into the MPI port of your S7. Then use the serial cable to connect the PC Adapter to the serial port of your PC. The pin out of the cable should be:
pin 2 to 3
pin 3 to 2
pin 4 to 6
pin 5 to 5
pin 6 to 4
pin 7 to 8
pin 8 to 7
Is this what you have?

Does your PC have a serial port, or do you have a USB to serial adapter?

Now, open "Control Panel" on your PC. Find the "Set PG/PC Interface" icon and start that program. From the "Interface Parameter Assignment Used:" window, select "PC Adapter(MPI)".

Click the "Properties" button. On the MPI tab, just click the "Default" button. You can set the MPI transmission rate to something other than 187.5 Kbps if you know what it is.

On the Local Connection tab, make sure the transmission rate matches the rate selected on the PC Adapter. In your case, this should read 19200. Make sure the Connection to is set to the com port of your PC, typically 1.

Do you have a function or VAT that you can go online with and see if you are at least communicating? Try it. What happens?

If you can go online, then maybe there is something wrong with the way you are trying to back up the program.

I have my parameters set the way you have instructed. I'm not sure what the difference is between the two PC adapters if any. I'm going to try this again today. Thanks for your help and hopefully I'll be done today.

Tags and links

link from siemens ad support:

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/skm/frameset.asp?url=%2FWW%2Fllisapi%2Edll%2F10420976%3Ffunc%3Dll%26objId%3D10420976%26objaction%3Dcsopen%26skm%3D1%26siteid%3Dcseus%26lang%3Den&Query=6ES7+901%2D1BF00%2D0XA0++++&SearchArea=alle&id=10420976&F11Marker=true&siteid=cseus&query2=&modelled=&lang=en

tags for future searchers ( me too ) :

MPI COM adapter 6ES7 972-0CA2x-0XA0 6ES7 972-0CA21-0XA0 6ES7 972-0CA22-0XA0 6ES7 972-0CA23-0XA0

COM null modem cable 6ES7 901-1BF00-0XA0