L81 MSG to PLC5 over cell modem error 0204

TheWaterboy

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While I'm waiting for the IT dept to wake up and examine the FW logs...

I have a MSG configured to read an N12 register from a PLC5 over a cell modem. This is the first of this particular combination of controllers and I figured it would be problematic, just not like this. The MSG errors with error 16#0001 extended error code 16#0000_0204. Connection Failure

I can also use Logix 5 from my desktop through the cell modem with no issue.

I can't see it's webpage, but even though this PLC is Series E rev J there is no dialog to enable the webpage. I think this might have had a firmware update many years ago and might not be capable of a web page. So its suspicious but may not be related.

My desktop and the Polling PLC are on different vlans so its possible that the FW is blocking MSG protocol on the controller vlan but not on my desktops vlan so when IT wakes up that's my question but until then I need to gather info. However . . .
Using RSlinx over the cell modem I can use data monitor and see all the registers in real time and I can ping the device at will with a 300 to 400 ms return time from both Vlans

So that brings the question: Is there anything different about a MSG instruction and using RSLinx Data Monitor that the Firewall might be blocking? Wouldn't Data monitor use port 2222 as well as the MSG?
 
OK we can ignore this one.

Gotta have the words Ethernet IP printed on the label to talk to Logix PLC over ethernet regardless of the firmware version. I knew that years ago and somehow forgot it.
 
I checked the RA Knowledgebase and it says that your Series E, Rev J PLC-5 should support an incoming EtherNet/IP message on TCP Port 44818:

Series E, revision D.1 and higher
Series D, revision E.1 and higher
Series C, revision N.1 and higher
All Series F

RSLogix 5 should show you the firmware revisions, even if the embedded webpage is disabled. And of course you can use TCPing or Test-NetConnection in Windows PowerShell to verify that TCP Port 44818 is open all the way to that PLC-5. I do not remember that the physical label needed to have a physical "EtherNet/IP" printed on it; I think that was only done in Series F controllers.

>Is there anything different about a MSG instruction and using RSLinx Data Monitor that the Firewall might be blocking? Wouldn't Data monitor use port 2222 as well as the MSG?

Data Monitor will use whichever driver you're using, so it will use 2222 for a PLC-5E using the Ethernet Devices driver, but should use 44818 if you're using the EtherNet/IP driver.

Unfortunately error 0x01 - 0x0204 can indicate a failure to complete the basic TCP Port 44818 connection, or the CIP layer connection.
 
Hey there Ken

This location has been going through cybersecurity reconfiguration so yet another problem in that area was all I was able to think about. After that was investigated and dismissed I had more caffeine on the drive out there and it turns out that looking at it with a clear head, this was a series C Rev J. All was then made clear.

I brought another series E rev J that I knew worked, It has the proper label and all worked right away.

Missed it by *that* much...
 

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