RSLogix 5000, Major rev levels and hardware compatibility.

I want to put a new 1756-ENBT into an existing control logix setup that is running on version 10.xx, just to be able to connect to the processor over an Ethernet connection. Do I have to worry about the firmware on the new hardware being too high to use on my older system? I've looked around on rockwell's website and haven't see anything as of yet.

Also, a contractor one day told us he carried a preconfigured
1756-ENBT around with him and just plugged into a spare slot on the customer's backplane to communicate with the processor. So I'm guessing there is no need to configure the I/O of the processor if you are just using the ENBT to access the processor from the outside?

Hi
I always have a card with me as you were told so I know then that my laptop is not going to have the same ip address as any other item on the network. I have never had any problems and as clx is a hot swap system (chassie is a network itself based on control net i think ken might correct me if I am wrong) you will not fault the processor

Donnchadh

The ENBT bridge must be part of the RSL5K project file in order to be used to communicate with the controller.
A newer revision 1756-ENBT could very well not be compatible with a CPU carrying Rev.10 firmware.
Honestly, in my opinion, using a "personal" EtherNet/IP bridge to interface with customer's controllers constitutes grounds for a very short business relation.
A $75.00 USB-to-Ethernet adapter is a lot more cost efficient and sure looks a lot more professional.
Plug it into your laptop, configure its LAN TCP/IP connection according to the subnet you are intending to patch into, configure an RSLinx EtherNet/IP driver pointing to the USB adapter and browse away.

Despite the previous comment, the enbt does not have to be part of the project.
You are not using it to control IO so it does not have to be in the project.

The ENBT should NOT be in the I/O tree if it's just being used for messaging, like talking to a HMI. It only needs to be in the I/O tree if its controlling I/O or for Producer/Consumer. A USB to Ethernet converter willonly be usefull if there is an existing Ethernet connection to the controller.

Hi dmargineau


"Honestly, in my opinion, using a "personal" EtherNet/IP bridge to interface with customer's controllers constitutes grounds for a very short business relation."

I have to total disagree. If I was to bring down a running machine or plant because of an IP address on my laptop would in my mind "constitutes grounds for a very short business relation"

I would never state what I do is correct or even the best way to do things but I do always try to be safe and always try to leave a machine or plant better than when I was called to it.

Donnchadh

dmargineau said:

The ENBT bridge must be part of the RSL5K project file in order to be used to communicate with the controller.

Click to expand...

Previous posters beat me to this, it's not required pending what you are trying to do with it.

dmargineau said:

Honestly, in my opinion, using a "personal" EtherNet/IP bridge to interface with customer's controllers constitutes grounds for a very short business relation.

Click to expand...

If you are doing what you have to do to support the customer, I don't see how it would be a problem. It would be a complete separate network, with a single client specifically to get online with the controller. I don't see the harm? It's actually the safest way to do things as you don't interrupt the existing network and you can only access the controller. Putting your computer on a large network and you may have access to other systems, servers, clients...etc.

dmargineau said:

A $75.00 USB-to-Ethernet adapter is a lot more cost efficient and sure looks a lot more professional.

Plug it into your laptop, configure its LAN TCP/IP connection according to the subnet you are intending to patch into, configure an RSLinx EtherNet/IP driver pointing to the USB adapter and browse away.

Click to expand...

What if the Controller does not have an Ethernet network? Then what do you do? Say everything is on ControlNet (using ControlNet PanelViews), do you make sure you bring along that expensive PCMCIA ControlNet adapter (which may or may not even work with your laptop) or do you do the smart thing by bringing a 1756-ENBT so you could connect with Ethernet? Of course you might have an option connect to the serial port if you really wanted too...

There will be an EtherNet/IP network after you install a 1756-ENBT and you will be connecting a PC to the network since this is the reason the OP suggests the addition of the bridge!...and this presumes an existing empty slot.
If there are no system EtherNet/IP subnets then Serial/DF-1 is the preferred method to establish communications with the CPU by using an USB-to-Serial adapter.
And I believe a Rev.10 CLX does not have EtherNet/IP communications capabilities anyways.
You just can't add/remove hardware to/from a customer's system just for your convenience; there are other, less intrusive and more efficient/professional ways to achieve communications with a controller; or at least this is my approach.

Well, I'm planning on adding an ENBT to the system just for polling information from the processor to a SCADA system. No I/O, etc.

The reason the contractor brought up the ENBT for communicating is because serial (the method we use) is VERY slow, and when dealing with troubleshooting programs it's annoying to miss changes because RSLogix5000 took too long to update. The contractor said that's why he usually brings an ENBT around and pops it in if the customer has a free slot to connect that way, since an Ethernet connection is Much faster.

I also felt that if the processor wasn't going to use the ENBT then there was no need for me to interrupt a critical 24/7 operation to reconfigure the I/O config if I could just pop it in and program the SCADA to get the tags I wanted.

The main thing I was looking for was hardware rev levels and controllogix firmware level compatibility.
I found this:
https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/176034/
which says Series A Version 1.03

Years ago they tried to upgrade a controllogix firmware in the shop and ran into compatibility issues with some ControlNet and DeviceNet bridges, so they are now worried about new versions of the communications hardware and their older controller firmware.

Hi dmargineau

You just can't add/remove hardware to/from a customer's system just for your convenience; there are other, less intrusive and more efficient/professional ways to achieve communications with a controller; or at least this is my approach.

I dont do this just for my convenience, if I have to use serial it's a lot slower and more time on site will cost more to my customer and if there is something connected to the serial port that means this is also out of action while I am on line. I must be missing something as I can't see what I could be doing wrong by using a card I bring to site and loan it to make the job faster and easier!!

Donnchadh