AB 1761-NET_ENI to FactoryTalk ME problems

Hello all, this is my first time posting on this website. I'm working on my first full control project, and I think I've made a dire mistake in my PLC selection. Maybe someone here can help bail me out:

I am developing the controls for a very simple high pressure pump monitoring process. I (mistakenly) purchased the AB 1769-L31 instead of the L31E. I thought I'd be ok if I bought the 1761-NET-ENI SER D but given my troubles I'm not so sure.

My ethernet network consists of the 1769-L31 via NET-ENI, a Dell XP Pro SP2 computer running FactoryTalk View ME Station , and an AB 1794-AENT Flex IO node with 6 IO modules.

I originally configured the NET ENI and was able to connect to my controller both through RSLinx Classic to work on my program using RSLogix5000, and through RSLinx Enterprise to go online to select tags from my controller in FT View ME Studio. However when I went online and ran FT View ME Station, I'd get a CIP Error (8000) and (1130101).

I thought that perhaps I couldn't use both Linx Classic and Enterprise at the same time through the Net ENI, so then I ran a serial conection for Classic. I also ran a very simple test FT View program with one button - this seemed to work. When I then tried to load my actual FT View program, I started getting the CIP errors again when I tried to use any of my buttons.

1st, will this network work, or will I overload the NET ENI?

2nd, I have not configured the ENI Message Routing for anything - I didn't think I needed to for this network since there's only one PLC. Do I need to configure that with my AENT and HMI computer IP addresses?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I want to know for sure that this set-up will not work before I tell my boss I need $2500 for a different controller.

The L32E only lists for $1343 more then the L31, before discount. Won't your distributor allow you to swap them?
The NET-ENI is a possibility, but it is very very very easy to simply swamp it. Linx Enterprise will be extremely annoying with timeouts and such on anything but the simplest of applications when used over Ethernet.

Unfortunately I've taken the controller out of the box and used it, and so it's highly unlikely that they will take it back and exchange it for the L31E + $1343.

I take it you would recommend giving up on this path and just buying the L31E if I can't get a swap?

You mentioned timeouts - since I got this setup to work with a very simple HMI program but not with the actual program, do you think that is all that I'm experiencing? Is it unlikely that I have a configuration issue somewhere?

CHC: Do you have a techconnect contract? If so, then you should search the knowledgebase at ab.com for NET-ENI. There are several notes regarding the module when used with FactoryTalk ME and Logix processors.

See Answer ID: 25451
and 26696

okie - unfortunately no. Management let it expire and I'm not sure when they're going to re-up it. I tried searching the little bit of free information that's left on that site with little luck.

How many tags are in your project? The NET-ENI has a limitation on the number and types of tags it can handle efficiently.

CHC -

Will RSLinx Classic remain on the PC? If so I would forgo the enterprise connection in ME and setup a data server that uses the RSLinx Classic OPC server instead. Create a topic in RSLinx that points to your processor.

Once the data server is setup, you should be able to browse to the the topic and into your PLC.

It may be finiky, so you may have to delete your .cac and cache file and folder before setting up the data sever.

I use this method when I am testing using a PLC emulator and ME's Test Application option.