Hi,
The 1761-NET-AIC is an Advanced Interface Converter. Its purpose is merely to convert RS-232 electrical signals to RS-485 electrical signals.
It also provides electrical isolation between all three of its ports.
It does not require a driver, specific to it, to establish communications through it from a controller to a PanelView terminal.
The MicroLogix 1200 port is configured for the DH-485 protocol, as is the PanelView Plus 400's port and they are both connected to the RS-232 (8-pin Mini-DIN) port 2 on their adjacent AICs.
The 1761-NET-AIC, using its port 3 (6-pin phoenix plug), connects all the devices together on an RS-485 network.
The "485 serial driver" that you see under the Runtime tab in FactoryTalk View Studio is a DH-485 protocol driver and would be the correct driver for these two DH-485 configured devices to communicate. There is no need for any other driver to be used where 1761-NET-AICs are used.
If they were successfully communicating, and nothing was changed, or was added, and they just stopped communicating, then...
The first thing I would physically check is the AICs...
Are the LEDs on all AICs active?
If not...
AICs would normally require external 24VDC power to their bottom terminals. Is there wiring on these for all the AICs and where there is wiring, do they have 24VDC power?
Note: Any AIC, who has a MicroLogix controller connected to its 8-pin Mini DIN port 2, does not require the external 24VDC power. The MicroLogix port 0 can power the AIC. So it is possible that the AIC at the MicroLogix in question does not have external power applied. However and optionally, external power can still be used.
If an AIC has external power connected then check the "DC Source" selector switch is set to "External".
If a MicroLogix is connected to an AIC on its 8-pin Mini DIN port 2, and no external power is connected, then make sure the "DC Source" selector switch is set to "Cable".
The baud rate for the DH-485 network may be fixed at something like 19.2kbaud, but I would usually recommend that all AICs have their baud rate switches left set to "Auto".
Each device on the DH-485 network should have a unique node address. Do you know all the node addresses?
Can you go online through your programming computer, using RSLinx Classic, to the DH-485 network and check which node addresses you can or cannot see?
If there are 5 active devices connected to the 5 AICs, then you should be able to see 5 nodes in RSLinx Classic? You may be able to see 4 nodes, for instance, which would indicate which node the problem is specifically with.
If none of the above yields anything, I would also check the physical network in case a network segment between AICs is down or damaged.
Just to be clear, what message does the PanelView Plus currently display?
Regards,
George
