Net-Eni (MicroLogix 1200) Communication loss over time with Third-Party scada

[TimWilborne]

We were dropping packets in communications. The timeout I'm speaking of isn't adjustable. I always felt it was a firmware flaw inside the ENI. Seems I even had a thread about it when I was trying to figure it out but that was over 5 years ago so who knows

I'd try the firmware upgrade first, maybe it was fixed.

You definitely want to test this first, I would help but I don't have any ENIs laying around. I know all communications will cease for about 10 seconds or so with a series C so you need to think about the consequences of doing the reset. This is a sample I wrote that includes the save changes code
http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=580

The machine I was working on was already using messaging to read some data, so we probably just based the reset off of the times the message failed

 

[shawn_75]

Firmware is 03.21, i'll have it updated next week.

Was your setup exactly the same as me, or was it a bit different?

Thank you

I'm using Wonderware, OPC Linx and RSLinx to talk to mine. I have quite a few ENIs with most being series B and about 15 or so series D. I was continually having loss of comms with the series Ds until I did the firmware update. I also forgot to add that even if you are not using an external power supply, the ground connection on the external power supply terminal strip still must be grounded. Adding the ground wires fixed all of my series B ENIs.

Shawn

 

[OkiePC]

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/67886/kw/net-eni%203.21/r_id/113025

I thought RA might have more detail on this, but they at least confirm what Shawn said, and whadya know, it's available to everyone.

Sidenote: the last week or so I have found more and more technotes accessible without techconnect...I think Rockwell is getting the message...

 

[diat150]

I would be definitely interested in how you are doing the reset of the ENI. How are you monitoring the comm. with the ENI so you know when to reset it? We have installed several ENIs for our customers along with cell modems. There are times when we cannot get data but we can pull up the web pages. In our case we are pulling data into Excel on a periodic basis, usually 2 times a day. We also use the ENIs for sending emails when alarms are activated. If I had my choice I would never use these things because they are very erractic in operation. We recently installed one in a panel that has a SLC 5/05. We could have gotten web pages from the 5/05 but it doesn't do email so we went with the ENI. Would be nice to have a better solution.

digi one iap.

 

[JPS_BPR]

Hi all,

I've been doing some changes today:

1. I checked voltage for card and it is 24.2VDC, as someone suggested to check. (NET-ENI range is from 20.4 to 26.4VDC)
2. Tried to unplug/plug serial and ethernet cable on NET-ENI, both of them did not returned communication.
3. Tried to reboot Router and Modem, no communication.
4. Looked for NET-ENI config, it is a "D" series.
5. Updated NET-ENI firmware from 3.21 to 3.22 (and that automaticaly rebooted NET-ENI)
6. Modified Router to restrict port forwarding to a maximum (let only TCP port 44818, 80 and range from 2100 to 2250) (range from 2100 to 2250 was supposed to be only 2222, but that could not work, as I saw with Wireshark that it seemed to jump from one port to the other, couldn't exactly get the exact port in that range needed) (And if i only let 44818, it did not work)
7. Plugged back NET-ENI serial and ethernet cable
8. Communication went back on.
9. Tried to reboot router, and communication went back on.

That was all.

Will now see if that does make any changes, but i'm not very positive.

I'm actually looking to replace with a ML1100.

 

[JPS_BPR]

http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/67886/kw/net-eni 3.21/r_id/113025

I thought RA might have more detail on this, but they at least confirm what Shawn said, and whadya know, it's available to everyone.

Sidenote: the last week or so I have found more and more technotes accessible without techconnect...I think Rockwell is getting the message...

Rockwell is not very explicit on what was the exact loss of communication problem tho...

 

[JPS_BPR]

I'm using Wonderware, OPC Linx and RSLinx to talk to mine. I have quite a few ENIs with most being series B and about 15 or so series D. I was continually having loss of comms with the series Ds until I did the firmware update. I also forgot to add that even if you are not using an external power supply, the ground connection on the external power supply terminal strip still must be grounded. Adding the ground wires fixed all of my series B ENIs.

Shawn

I'm using an external power supply, with 24.2VDC, grounded correctly.

Did the upgrade today, as posted before, we'll see.

Thanks

 

[widelto]

One of the most common problems with net-eni is that they appeared on rslinx screen but the plc that is behind them do not appear. In that case I have to erase plc from rslinx and create a new one (same ip adress), this happens almost every week, so i decided to get rid of all of them.

 

[shawn_75]

When I got where I am now, it was a regular and accepted practice to run around and reset ENIs as they dropped out. With a network of around 200 of them you can guess how busy I was. Ensuring that all of the ENIs had a ground wire, all of the Ds were updated to 3.22 and some housecleaning in RSLinx has SIGNIFICANTLY reduced my ENI problems. I think it has been a month since the last loss of comms with an ENI. The RSLinx housecleaning I am referring to is periodically (about monthly) deleting the harmony files and also immediately after I make any kind of hardware change.

Shawn

 

[rta53]

digi one iap.

We need a solution that will do email as the ENI does. Will the digi one do this?

 

[nwboson]

Your initial comment about setting up a VPN should be strongly considered. When I check my firewall logs my Internet ports are constantly hammered (every few seconds) by port scans: the script kiddies just can't seem to resist trying to find open ports and get through them. Hundreds of attempts per hour.

So I would never consider putting a PLC up on the Internet: port forwarding is nowhere near secure enough. And all that random traffic connecting to your ports would explain why the ENI is intermittently dying.

IMHO.... A PLC networked through the Internet should use a VPN - its just too chancy to take any other approach.

 

[JPS_BPR]

Hi,

FYI, i have upgraded firmware, secured firewalls and communication way. Done everything i could.

We do have problems (that may occur from couple of days to couple of weeks, randomly). The project owner has decided to stay that way.

We suggested him to wire a pushbutton on his control panel that would reset NET-ENI. That way the operator could easily reset NETENI when communication down occur, or even reset it everytime he was near site...

Moral of the story, i'll never use this %?$%? again.

Thanks all for your support.
JP

 

[JPS_BPR]

kinda stupid, but can't i close the thread?