Ethernet card

Gentlemen & Ladies: A bit long winded here, but I need some help. I am trying to install an 1756 Ethernet card in a 4 card rack.The last slot is open (3), and I want to install it there to read comms from another PLC that is being added to the network. This rack does not have a processor in it or anything, it simply has 3 communication cards in it, first slot, DH1, second slot, an Ethernet card, and third a DH485 card. So, I cannot click on the backplane to select it. I went to the address of the Ethernet card that is in that rack, and see the other 3 cards. I finally saw that card come up that I put in, and I opened properties and put an address in there, one above the last one used. I fumbled around in it, don't know if I should do just a static, or dynamic, boot, or what. I am displaying the address I put in there on it now, however I have a 'link lost' before it. I have never put a card in this type of rack without a processor, etc. Hope this makes sense. If anyone can step me through the procedure, then also explain why I am getting the link lost, would sure be appreciative.

Hi

First I would go with the static address as you have an IP address to assign to the card. Link lost means that either there is no cable connected or if you have a cable connected it is not connected to a network. Try plugging the cable from the card into your laptop and see what happens

Donnchadh

Thank you for the reply. I did try to go directly into the card, but I get a [?]. I thought that was due to EDS files, but upon trying to upload them it says I have the latest already. So, this is where confusion comes in with me also. I know in a rack that has a processor and I/O, you tell it what slot, then go offline, put in an address, download and then go online and put in your dynamic address. But this is totally new to me, never ran into this before. This rack has comms with a PLC5, a SLC5/04, and an HMI. Now what they are trying to do, is we installed a Controllogix PLC, using logix5000, and I have done all my loop checks, all good. They want to tie that new PLC into their network with this Ethernet card I am installing in the 4 slot rack. So, first things first.....the Ethernet card I guess. I guess what I don't know is do you just put in the address under the configuration, there is no 'download'. I then see a tab that has under it a radio button for static or dynamic, and a choice between BootIp(don't remember and another choice). What to choose, and where do you get the gateway address that becomes able to fill in with one of the choices? I know I am convoluting this post, but trying to put in it everything I saw today.

Network

Donnchadh said:

Hi

First I would go with the static address as you have an IP address to assign to the card. Link lost means that either there is no cable connected or if you have a cable connected it is not connected to a network. Try plugging the cable from the card into your laptop and see what happens

Donnchadh

Click to expand...

This is what makes me think even though that address is scrolling across the card now, it is still somehow not connected to the network, even though it is plugged directly into the backplane of course of that 4 position rack. The address of the last Ethernet card in that rack is 192.168.1.74. I made this one 192.168.1.75, and that is scrolling across the card along with lost link.

bb1fit said:

This is what makes me think even though that address is scrolling across the card now, it is still somehow not connected to the network, even though it is plugged directly into the backplane of course of that 4 position rack. The address of the last Ethernet card in that rack is 192.168.1.74. I made this one 192.168.1.75, and that is scrolling across the card along with lost link.

Click to expand...

Backplane connections have no bearing on the "link lost" error scrolling across the display. "Like Lost" is simply telling you the Ethernet connection from the Ethernet card to a connecting device (...switch, router, other device) does not exist. Either an Ethernet cable is missing, a bad cable exists or something else is not functioning correctly.

Do you have an Ethernet cable plugged into this card, which is plugged into another device?

bb1fit, as a trainer, I reckon I have configured more 1756 Ethernet cards than most people, and I can state that the processor has no relationship to configuring the card.

Most times you do not even have to put it into the configuration of the processor's project, you only need to do this for remote I/O connections, and for consuming tags from a remote producer.

I regularly configure cards by plugging them into a chassis with a spare slot, to which I already have a working connection, whether that is through an Ethernet moduloe, a ControlNet module, or via a Controller's Serial port (or USB port for L7x series). All you need is access to the backplane to get to the module you want to configure. Once into the "Port Configuration" tab, you will almost certainly want a Static IP address, and you seem to have done this successfully.

Also set the ENxT for "Auto-Negotiation".

The yellow question-mark you see in RSLinx browser is definitely an indication that the correct EDS file for the module is not installed. You haven't said what module it is, but all later models (ENBT, EN2T, EN3T) have the EDS file embedded in them, and it can be uploaded from the device and installed.

daba said:

bb1fit, as a trainer, I reckon I have configured more 1756 Ethernet cards than most people, and I can state that the processor has no relationship to configuring the card.

Most times you do not even have to put it into the configuration of the processor's project, you only need to do this for remote I/O connections, and for consuming tags from a remote producer.

I regularly configure cards by plugging them into a chassis with a spare slot, to which I already have a working connection, whether that is through an Ethernet moduloe, a ControlNet module, or via a Controller's Serial port (or USB port for L7x series). All you need is access to the backplane to get to the module you want to configure. Once into the "Port Configuration" tab, you will almost certainly want a Static IP address, and you seem to have done this successfully.

Also set the ENxT for "Auto-Negotiation".

The yellow question-mark you see in RSLinx browser is definitely an indication that the correct EDS file for the module is not installed. You haven't said what module it is, but all later models (ENBT, EN2T, EN3T) have the EDS file embedded in them, and it can be uploaded from the device and installed.

Click to expand...

Many kind thanks to you sir. So,I guess I did everything right. I am now just left wondering why when I plug directly into the card I get a [?], however, when I look at the modules from the main address I see ENBT and the address I put in there. It says I have the latest EDS files now. Again, many thanks for all replies. (there is no cable plugged into that card yet, we are still wating for the armored cable to arrive, so I guess that is 'lost link').

The next trick will be to try to get messaging to their HMI. I know with Logix5000, it is not to hard to use produce/consume tags, but not sure if that is viable with their setup. The SLC they have is Logix500.

Produce/Consume is not available with SLC processors.