wireless connection to Micrologix 1100 and 1400

Hello,

I am considering setting up wireless laptops to interface with the micrologix PLCs. I have Comcast internet in the classroom with a WIFI hot spot. What is the best wireless adapter to use with the PLCs. Can I simply just use the wireless adapter and rout it though my Comcast router?

Thanks in advance

You can hardwire all of your plcs and wireless device to a switch. Probably cheaper than giving each plc it's own wireless device. This is assuming all of the PLCs have unique static IP addresses.

I'd leave your internet router alone as you'd have to give it an ip configuration that plays nice with the PLCs. Once you do that you'll probably mess up the internet portion of it and noboby likes being on the phone with the cable companies!

Do the laptops have to access the internet and the plcs at the same time? If so then I don't know what to tell ya as that's past my networking knowledge

BlueAltezza said:

I'd leave your internet router alone as you'd have to give it an ip configuration that plays nice with the PLCs. Once you do that you'll probably mess up the internet portion of it and noboby likes being on the phone with the cable companies!

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Most WiFi radios don’t have to match the IP subnet of the PLC’s. The device (laptop in this case) does need to have the same subnet address but that (usually) doesn’t have to be the same as the WiFi radios. You can do this through your local AP as long as it allows for client to client communications I.E. the laptop can communicate to the PLC’s even though they are both connected via client radios. As far as the radio connected to the PLC’s you need one that can be configured as a client (also known as a Station Adaptor). Some of the off the shelf ones you find at the electronics store (Best Buy, Staples, etc…) will only operate as an Access Point.

I can't say that it's the best but I have a Almond wireless router from Securifi that I use for those situations you've described (multiple plcs accessible on a WiFi router). Less than $70 at Amazon, easy to set up.