ML 1100 Easy question

New PLC, set up Linx (Lite) and downloaded a program using ethernet, communicates fine tested code OK. Want to try communicating with this plc using DF1, and / or downloading a new program using DF1, but having no luck.

Gotta be something simple.
No, haven't had to do much playing around with Logix and Linx, been a newbie for years. Google not much help.

Any advice appreciated.

Youn have to configure DF1 driver using RSLinx

shame on me for not being in front of it, but I tried configuring the driver, adding another and configuring, deleting the ethernet driver, but no matter what I do, Linx doesn't see the PLC,or says unable to do that, unless I go back to ethernet and it picks it up fine. Maybe I'm making the mistake of trying to do these things while the PLC is connected, vs. setting up drivers and then hooking up? I figure it has to be something that simple, that experienced programmers using AB do without even thinking. Maybe when I'm fresh it will just happen.

What cable are you using to connect between PC and DF1 port on the ML1100?

rguimond said:

What cable are you using to connect between PC and DF1 port on the ML1100?

Click to expand...

I don't know the numberby memory, but it is the same style I have used to program micrologix before. Although it never ocurred to me that the cable may look the same, but be different. I will be sure to compare part numbers tomorrow.

Cable is probably OK. Are you sure you're using the correct COM port on your PC/Laptop? Did you try Autoconfigure?

The 1761-CBL-PM02 cable has been used to connect to MicroLogix family Channel 0 serial ports since 1995 or so. It works with every model of MicroLogix controller (1000, 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500).

For ordinary DF1 Full Duplex communications you do not have to worry about the Series letter of the cable; that's only for DF1 Half Duplex handshaking purposes.

The most common issues with the DF1 Full Duplex driver are choosing the COM port number and relying on the Autoconfigure feature.

Both are made more complex by USB/RS232 converters.

Use the Windows Control Panel -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> Ports (COM & LPT) to see exactly which COM port numbers are available on your computer.

In RSLinx Classic, of course, select the one that corresponds to the port you plugged the cable into.

The Autoconfigure feature is nice, but it's not necessary. The default serial settings (19200 baud, 8/N/1 framing, CRC error checking, Full Duplex, SLC/MicroLogix device type) for the DF1 driver are also the default serial settings for the MicroLogix Channel 0 serial port.

Figured it out : Basically trying to autoconfigure when another driver was already running. Started from scratch, cleaned the configure driver screen more or less, and boom... there it was. Thank you for your replies. It helped me sort my brain out quite a bit. It's amazing what even a lousy nights sleep can do, as well. Don't know why it didn't work before, probably a sequence of actions type of thing.