Rockwell BOOTP/DHCP Server on Windows 7

baldone said:

In my experience if you have more than one listed ethernet interface then BootP server will not work with W7.

And this includes vmware or virtualbox virtual NICs.

Anything listed other than the built in NIC and BootP will probably not work.

XP running in a VM will work though if setup correctly.

Click to expand...

I dislike having to disable all NICs but one just to assign an IP-address to a PLC.

Sounds like the BOOTP server utility only binds to the first network card it finds. Nowadays there are lots of interfaces (including virtual network adapters).
I wonder why this BOOTP server utility does not bind to all interfaces then.

Come to think of it, I have tried disabling all the interfaces.
Except one hidden virtual interface that is visible with IPCONFIG but not in the control panel settings.
That, and I am indeed running a (corporate) virusscanner.

I have given up on configuring the A-B PLC over ethernet.

Only the USB cable connection works without hassle.
Hopefully the person that installs your Rockwell software has opted to install the USB device drivers.

It would be nice if Allen-Bradley adopted this technique where the PLC simply assumes the IP-address of the first ICMP PING message addressed to it.

1. PLC is not configured (has IP of 0.0.0.0)
2. Lookup the MAC-addres of the PLC in question (MM-MM-MM-MM-MM-MM)
3. Add ARP entry to windows, run the following command:
arp -s III.III.III.III MM-MM-MM-MM-MM-MM
4. PING III.III.III.III

Where III.III.III.III is the desired IP-address and MM-...MM the MAC-address of your PLC.

Upon receiving the first ICMP message, the PLC will find
it is addressed to its own MAC-address, it then copies the destination IP-address from the ICMP message into its configuration.

kdcui said:

Anyone having issues with getting the BOOTP.DHCP Server working properly in Windows 7?

I can't seem to detect DHCP requests from devices.

It works fine when I load it up in an XP VM.

Click to expand...

One thing that I have seen is that, for whatever reason, BOOTP has issues when my VM networking is set to NAT.
So, when I need to do BOOTP, I set the VM to a dedicated IP address, and do not use NAT.

ASF said:

Excellent advice George - the only other thing I'd add to it is to disable any other network interfaces (like wifi).

Everything I do happens in a VM, so when I'm setting up IP addresses, I actually remove all network interfaces from the PC except the one I'm connected to the DHCP device with. Firewalls turned off, UAC turned off, works like a charm every time

Click to expand...

Oh yes, good man ASF!

I forgot the "other" bits I meant to add...

I posted this here on the forum some time back...

Geospark said:

...Do you have more than one NIC (Network Interface Card)? Even a virtual one? If so, it's possible that the requests from the module are coming in on the NIC it's connected to, but BOOTP/DHCP is sending the replies to the wrong NIC. Unless you have more than one, I won't explain how to get around that.

Other possibilities beyond that are...

Windows Firewall - Allow BootP.exe through Windows Firewall
Antivirus software - Turn off all Antivirus software
VPN software - Disable VPN
Incorrectly set Subnet and/or Gateway address...

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, that Forum member never came back and that "get around" advice was never dispensed and has since been gathering dust. I don't think I've ever posted it here?

So, for what it's worth...

edw1983 said:

I dislike having to disable all NICs but one just to assign an IP-address to a PLC.

Sounds like the BOOTP server utility only binds to the first network card it finds. Nowadays there are lots of interfaces (including virtual network adapters)...

Click to expand...

When a computer has multiple Network Interface Cards (NIC), including Local Area Connections, Wireless Network Connections and virtual VMware Network Adapters, it is quite possible for BOOTP/DHCP Server to receive requests on one adapter and then incorrectly attempt to service those requests on another adapter.

So, besides disabling all other interfaces, what can we do to try to ensure that the interface we want the Server to use is the priority device?

A particular advanced setting is available on all TCP/IP adapters known as "Interface metric". This setting is normally set to "Automatic metric" by default but can be changed to modify the IP Routing priority across multiple interfaces on the same machine. The simplest way to explain it is that the interface with the lowest metric value will be assigned the highest priority...

Automatic metric - specifies whether TCP/IP automatically calculates a value for an interface metric that is based on the speed of the interface. The highest-speed interface has the lowest interface metric value.

Interface metric - provides a location for you to type a value for the interface metric for this network connection. A lower value for the interface metric indicates a higher priority for use of this interface.

The Automatic metric setting is usually OK where interfaces are of differing speeds; the fastest having higher priority, but when two interfaces are of the same speed, then the automatically assigned metric priority can be equal and the "first-come, first-served" rule applies. This is where the BOOTP/DHCP Server can get hung up.

To set the priority for the given interface adapter to the highest, set the metric value manually by applying it a lower metric value than all of the other interfaces.

Set the adapter interface you are using BOOTP/DHCP Server with to a metric value of "10". Set the other interfaces to "11", "12", and so on in increasing values. This will set the BOOTP/DHCP Server interface to the highest IP Routing priority and so it should always attempt to us this interface first.

Windows XP:

Go to...

Start > Control Panel > Network Connections...

Right-click on the priority adapter interface (Usually "Local Area Connection")...

Double-click on "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" to open Properties...

At the bottom click on "Advanced"...

At the bottom uncheck "Automatic metric"...

In the "Interface metric field type "10"...

Click "OK", "OK", & "Close" to exit back out.

Repeat for the other adapters with incrementing metric values.

Windows 7...

Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center...

On left-hand side pane select "Change adapter settings"...

Right-click on the priority adapter interface...

Double-click on "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP)" to open Properties...

At the bottom click on "Advanced"...

At the bottom uncheck "Automatic metric"...

In the "Interface metric field type "10"...

Click "OK", "OK", & "OK" to exit back out.

Repeat for the other adapters with incrementing metric values.

You must Reboot the computer for the changes to take effect.

If that still doesn't work for some of you, then I might have to perform an Exorcism on yere accursed machines!

Regards,
Fr. Merrin

Geospark said:

Oh yes, good man ASF!

A particular advanced setting is available on all TCP/IP adapters known as "Interface metric". This setting is normally set to "Automatic metric" by default but can be changed to modify the IP Routing priority across multiple interfaces on the same machine. The simplest way to explain it is that the interface with the lowest metric value will be assigned the highest priority...

<snip>

If that still doesn't work for some of you, then I might have to perform an Exorcism on yere accursed machines!

Click to expand...

Thanks! I completely forgot about the interface metric. Perhaps it would just be easier if Rockwell adds an interface selection drop down list in the BOOTP-server GUI. Siemens has this similar setting in its "Set PG/PC-interface" screen.

Computer exorcism? Hmm
Probably involves a forceful deinstallation of Ghost.

Bootp remembering gateway

We tried all the above here, but it ended up being bootp program was "remembering" our normal network gateway under tools->network settings. Setting this to 0.0.0.0 fixed it here. Hope it helps!