Plc 5/60

I have a PLC 5/60 tied into my network thru a MVI71-DFNT Module V1.02, but it's listed as a unrecognized device in RSLinx. We can access thru the desktop thru DF-1, but I would like to access it from my laptop thru ethernet if it's possible any suggestions.

Thanks for any help.

The MVI71 module doesn't provide the same functionality as the 1785-ENET.

The Prosoft MVI71 module allows reads and writes of an emulated PLC-5 data table inside the module itself. That data is moved to the real PLC-5's data table using block transfer instructions.

The Allen-Bradley 1785-ENET module adds an actual Ethernet communication port to the controller's operating system and allows full access to all of the real data tables and the controller OS, which allows you to go online, upload/download, edit, etc.

For this particular controller, your options are to replace the MVI71 with a 1785-ENET, use a serial/Ethernet converter like the 1761-NET-ENI on the serial port, or use a DH+/Ethernet bridge like the ControlLogix 1756-DHRIO and 1756-ENBT modules.

The MVI71-DFNT does provide a pass-thru feature that allows for programming over Ethernet. But there's a catch... the DFNT module will need to connect its port2 serial port to the CH0/DF1 port of the PLC.

To use this feature, you would need to add a virtual COM port to your PC (there are many free virtual COM port redirectors). You would configure this virtual COM port to be tied to the IP address of the MVI71-DFNT. Once the virtual COM port is configured, you would setup RSLinx to use this virtual COM port in the DF1 Driver configuration. Next, you would configure the DFNT port2 serial port with the same port settings as your PLC CH0/DF1 port. Connect a null modem cable between the DFNT port2 and the PLC CH0/DF1 port, and you can now program over Ethernet (sort of).