wireless comms to PLC with DLink pocket router/ access point

realolman

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I want to communicate with a dlink pocket router / access point to an allen bradley 1756-L61 ControlLogix 5561 controller through an ethernet card in the controller's rack controller 192.168.200.1

I have not been able to get the d link to work. At one point I had the dlink available to me in the wireless networks, but now I don't even have that. I am not at all sure what I'm doing here and I would appreciate some help.... thanks.

I have tried the wizards... It doesn't even get through that. It wants me to press the button on the dlink but it doesn't seem to recognize it.

I am accessing the internet and this forum through a wireless network.
 
Things to check:
1) Is the PLC tied to one of the LAN ports on the router, or do you have it plugged into the WAN port? It needs to be plugged into the LAN side so it can see the local network.

2) Do you have your laptop set up with a static IP address for the wireless adapter? Set it to DHCP and let your pocket router give the laptop an IP address.

3) What do you have the gateway address set to in the router? It needs to be set to 192.168.200.xxx

They usually default to 192.168.1.xxx

If your laptop is getting a 192.168.1.xxx address from the router via DHCP and the PLC has a static IP address of 192.168.200.1 they'll never communicate. Based on the IP address of the PLC you've given, set your router to have a gateway address of 192.168.200.10 (anything but .200.1).

4) Have you configured the router to use other-than-stock settings? I'd suggest that you should, otherwise there is probably no security turned on (WPA or WPA2 are necessary. WEP is broken as a security standard). Also, rename the router to something other than dlink.

5) If you've hosed the router setup, you can always reset it to factory defaults be holding the Reset button (probably though a power cycle; check the manual).

6) Don't rely on their "easy-sync" procedures. They're almost universally cr*p and don't work. I actually disable that option in the router's setup if I can.


-rpoet
 
Hey thank you for your reply.

I have the d link and the computer set for DHCP on wireless.

I am using the computer to connect to this forum through a wireless router. So the computer must be set right. I know it is set to specific IP address on the cord connected port so I can talk to the d link and the plc with a cable

If I have nothing connected to the Dlink ( where I want to connect the PLC ), shouldn't I see it on my wireless networks on my computer. I don't understand why I don't see it. At one time I could. And it actually exists on a list of networks in my computer.

If I did nothing but reset the d link to defaults, and then made sure it was set on DHCP, shouldn't I be able to see it on my list of wireless networks available on my computer?

I can see neighborhood wireless networks come and go . DO you know if wireless client is the correct choice on the D-link?

Again thanks for your post. I will try your suggestions and I am sure I will find them useful.
 
All bets are off when you use a consumer grade product in an industrial grade application. I’m sure that you can make it work somehow but how long will it last?
 
realolman,
I think your choice of "wireless client" is the problem. That setting allows the "router" to act as a "WiFi card" for a device that has an Ethernet port but no wireless connectivity. It won't show up in your list of networks the same way that another laptop wouldn't when configured like this.

I reiterate: I assume that your PLC has a static IP address of 192.168.200.1 based on your first post. Your router - set to ROUTER - must have a gateway address in the 192.168.200.xxx range (with xxx being between 1 - 255, with 1 not able to be used because that's the address of your PLC), or your laptop will not receive an IP address in the correct range.

Plug the router into the PLC with an Ethernet cable. The cable needs to go to the LAN port on the router.

Connect to the router wirelessly with your laptop. If you've set the gateway address correctly, and hopefully implemented security and changed the router's name as I described earlier, you should be good to go.

Perform a factory reset on the router, and then connect to it with a cabled connection for setup purposes. It's usually easier to connect with a cable than re-connect via WiFi during the setup and configuration of the router.


-rpoet
 
All bets are off when you use a consumer grade product in an industrial grade application. I’m sure that you can make it work somehow but how long will it last?

I agree, but if this is simply for programming, it should work fine. I've done this before with no problems. From the sounds of it, the OP would be having the same problems with an industrially rated piece of gear too.

realolman, were you able to get this setup on its feet?


-rpoet
 
realolman,
This is an important note I forgot in my earlier posts: each network adapter has its own IP address settings. EACH adapter - WiFi, wired, etc... can have it's own settings for DHCP, static IP, etc... Your computer does not have just one IP address. Each individual network adapter does.


-rpoet
 
thank you very much for your help. I thought from the description "
I think your choice of "wireless client" is the problem. That setting allows the "router" to act as a "WiFi card" for a device that has an Ethernet port but no wireless connectivity. It won't show up in your list of networks the same way that another laptop wouldn't when configured like this
.that wireless client was what I wanted.
The PLC has an internet connection but not wireless capability.

This is in a large machine and I want to be able to take the computer all around it without a cable while being online with ControlLogix 5000.

I am at home so I didn't do anything yet. I hope I will get to it today. what setting SHOULD I use if not wireless client?

Again... thanks for your help
 
Let's discuss the application again.

Are you trying to create an "Access Point" that will allow your computer to get onto the automation network, or create a "bridge" that allows the automation network to join another wireless network ?
 
I have a machine that contains a PLC that I can communicate with using a cat 5 ethernet cord.

I want to unplug my computer from the PLC and connect the wireless router in the computer's place so that I can go to the other end of the the machine and operate switches etc. and see them on the computer using ControlLogix 5000.

The guy who installed the machine suggested I get this pocket router instead of dragging a VERY long cable around. It is what he used.

In a nutshell: I want the D Link to replace the ethernet cable while online with COntrolLogix 5000.
 
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Okay, what you're describing is "Access Point" mode.

There will be a way to default the D-Link device so that you can reconfigure it; post the exact part number and folks can look over your shoulder.

The next decision you will need to make is whether your computer is going to let the D-Link device give you an IP address (via DHCP), or if you're going to have a static IP address. I think it's likely that you'll have a static address.

I had a D-Link pocket router a few years ago and carried the quickstart manual rubber-banded around the case, as it wasn't exactly intuitive. It was good for about 20-30 feet.
 
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I have exactly this setup for my ControlLogix training rig.

It enables the laptops to connect to the ENBT module wirelessly.

The laptops are setup for DHCP, and I go into the network connections to choose whether the laptop connects to my home router (for internet access), or to the DLink DSL-G604T router I butchered and built into my training rig (see pics).

I have the D-Link router set to 192.168.1.100, (only so that it doesn't conflict with the home router at 192.168.1.1), but there's no reason why it couldn't be 192.168.200.1 as it dishes out IP addresses to the laptops.

I also see no reason why you couldn't fix your laptop at 192.168.200.xx (where xx<>1)


PS : I haven't finished the job yet : it needs a lick of paint and a bit of filling needed where I overdid the cutting out, lol

2012-07-20 22.15.20.jpg 2012-07-20 22.15.32.jpg
 
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just assume that the PLC is 200.200.200.1

DLink is a DAP-1350

If I set the D Link to DHCP and plug the PLC into the LAN port on the DLink does it matter what the DLink IP address is or do I have to set the DLink to 200.200.200.xxx(not 1 ) and then set the dLink to DHCP ?

If I'm understanding this, I set the Dlink to access point, DHCP, and My laptop to DHCP, and plug the PLC into the ethernet port on the DLink and I should be able to access the PLC with Control LOgix... Is that right?

In the RSLinx driver config I set the Ethernet driver to what??? 200.200.200.xxx(not 1)
 
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Use the EtherNet/IP driver in RSLinx.

It will browse the local subnet (255.255.255.0) and show you all the (A-B) devices connected on that subnet, if you get yellow question marks, then you need to install the EDS files for the devices. Most modern A-B hardware you can upload and install the EDS file from the device itself.
 

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