RSLogix 500 Going Offline

When I connect to a SLC 5/05 via ethernet. It will go offline after a few minutes. And, will not stay connected. I am using RSLogix 500 V12.00 with RSLinx Classic Gateway 4.11 installed on a Windows 7 laptop.



I know the issue is with this particular laptop. Because when I use an older WinXP laptop with RSLogix V8.3 It stays online.



Any ideas as to why it is dropping offline?


Also, I am using a directly connected cable from the PLC to my laptop. There is no network or ethernet switch.

WAG but give these RSLinx settings a try...and IPs are different?

http://www.plctalk.com/qanda/showthread.php?p=402689

What driver are you using, have you tried the other?

What other driver?


Also, I was using 1,1,4 for my CIP options. I will try 1,1,2.

If you are using the 'Ethernet/IP Driver' instead try using the 'Ethernet Devices' driver, manually entering the PLC IP as a host name.

plvlce said:

If you are using the 'Ethernet/IP Driver' instead try using the 'Ethernet Devices' driver, manually entering the PLC IP as a host name.

Click to expand...

I have had SLC's that connect but give problems on one driver, but work fine on the other.

And, it's not the Ethernet/IP always is the one that fails and Ethernet Devices is good, I have had this go both ways.

Perhaps I should have added 'or vice-versa' … I was assuming that if only one driver was known about, it was probably Ethernet/IP. I've met several people who only knew about that one, but have yet to run into someone who only knew the other.

Another multi-driver issue is with NET-ENI adapters for 5/03 & 5/04's

I have had some of them that would only connect to one driver while the other driver showed status OK, and another that would only connect to the other driver.

This was on a waste water treatment system for a customer that had 3) 5/03's, 1) 5/04 and a ML1100.

3 NET-ENI's in the system would each only connect to 1 of the drivers and the customer had a list in the area of which one needed which driver, the 4th NET-ENI would connect to both drivers and the ML to both also.

My first thought is bad network adapter on the laptop. Is it going to sleep maybe? Does this only happen when you are running on the laptop battery? Check for power management turned on in the adapter properties. Although you'd think being online with a controller would keep the connection awake.

I've tried everything mentioned above and I am still having issues. It's not power management. The IP addresses are correct. Not sure.

A USB to ethernet adapter is a cheap tool that I never leave home without. Even if your onboard ethernet port is working, it's sometimes nice to be connected to multiple networks simultaneously. Anyway, using one would be a quick way to rule out your laptop's ethernet connection being the issue.

Several things to consider.


how old is the laptop?
does this occur with other plc's?
if this is a direct connection from the pc to the plc, it this a cross over cable?
does tis occur with other laptops?
do you have the rslinx service stating up when you log in? you may want to use the rslinx manager to start the program after the system boots.
reboot the pc, open a dos shell, ping the device type ping xxx.xxx.xxx /t where xxx is the plc ip address. it is a continuous command. let it run for 10 minutes, scroll the dos display to see if it happens here without any of the ab software running, then you have a laptop issue.
hope this helps,
james

OK. I learned a few things.



This PLC is in a control cabinet on top of a press. So, we have an ethernet cable running down to the HMI panel on the floor.


Where I have a Mencom jack.


When I connect to a different PLC, or when I connect directly to this PLC with a short 3 foot cable when I'm at the PLC, it works fine.


There is a problem with my long cable. It is at least 50 feet long. It is CAT 5E. And, I guess there is some issue with it.


I put new ends on it and it did not help. And, we have another press next to it with the same configuration that is working fine.



I guess I need to run a new cable.



Maybe I should use shielded CAT6.


Anyone have any opinions on that?


On a side note. When I'm connected to this PLC with the bad cable the spinning animation in RSLogix 500 stops every few seconds. When I am connected properly. It spins away, very fast with no stopping.


I guess the difference between my two PCs, is that my old WinXP laptop handles this issue better than my Win7 laptop with newer software.