DNet Scanlist Issue

Hello all,

Hopefully someone has seen this before.............

I've got 4 machines that have exactly the same config, save for the DeviceNET addresses. Each machine is comprised of a 1756-DNB (Node base 10), an 842D absolute encoder (base 20), an 1791D I/O block (base 30), and an Ultra 300i servo drive (base 40). On the 3 working units, all boot up with all devices being recognized. On the problem unit, on boot, all devices are recognized in the scanlist except the ABS encoder. After unplugging the yellow AB DNet cable from the encoder, and subsequently re-connecting, the encoder is recognized by the DNB. Strange................

I've replaced the wire (yellow cable), as well as substituting an encoder with the same DIP switch settings, only to have the same results. Obviously, the encoder(s) have the same settings, the cable change has no effect, and the scanlist has not changed.

Any ideas why the DNB won't boot successfully recognizing the devices that are coded into the scanlist, but only after disconnecting and reconnecting the encoder?

All 4 devices have the same scanlist, plc program, and wiring.

Please help...................

Thanks,

Bryan

Are all your DNB modules at the same firmware revision?

I have only ever used about 6 of the 842D encoders and have not seen that before (all but one was used with CLX, one was used with a PLC5).

Have you gone online using RSnetworx to see what it may complain about?

Darren

The problem is that the equipment is now in LA, and I'm in PA. I had outside help write the code, flash the firmware, etc. I'm trying to get the latest files from him so I can check on this. I'll be sure to check on the firmware for the DNBs; they were series D out of the box, and I'm not sure that they were all at the same rev, as they weren't purchased at the same time. Thanks for the idea.

I have seen from some of your other posts that this may be a common occurrence (you and your equipment being far apart). We have recently done a project with a complex piece of mobile equipment. We mounted a SonicWall TZ190 firewall with a Verizon Cellular network card in the control cab. From that we can go online with the equipment (ControlLogix, 56SAM embedded PC slot module, another vendors PXI chassis and our touch-screen PC) and diagnose almost any problem. We have been pleasently supprised with how well this works. Also the SonicWall VPN software is very easy to setup. You may want to look into something like this for remote diagnostics.

Also, we use DynDNS.org to provide the dynamic host name resolution so that we can always find the equipment on the internet. It is only $11 per year for the full support for dynamic dns host registration.

Then to increase the range of the cellular network we added an external marine antenna and a 3 watt amplifier.

Darren

You are correct in that my equipment is usually far away. It is in fact touring the world in a concert atmosphere. All of the venues usually have wireless; is your solution set up to handle this? Sometimes it can be a real pain stringing 500' of ethernet line throughout an arena. I'm definitely interested.

Yes, the main issue would be that you would need someone technically inclined with the equipment. They would need to set the firewall Ethernet WiFi up as a bridge to the access point in the arena. I would assume that the arena WiFi would require the entry of a pre-shared key to allow the firewall on the arenas network. The advantage of the cellular network would be that there would not be any configuration required (as long as the cellular vendor has coverage for that area).

This isn't too bad, since the management interface is web-based. You should be able to write a very clear set of instructions for someone to follow when they setup your equipment at the arena.

Hopefully that made sense.

Darren