Proficy ME will not connect to Ethernet Targets

[weavermj54]

Working with Proficy ME 8.6 on Windows 7 Pro 64Bit. I can PING both the PLC and the HMI from the PC, but I cannot connect to either the PLC or HMI with Proficy. It all worked a week ago, but now has stopped.

PC IP: 172.16.3.19 / 255.255.252.0 / 172.16.3.1

HMI IP: 172.16.3.45 / 255.255.252.0 / 172.16.3.1

PLC IP: 172.16.3.35 / 255.255.252.0 / 172.16.3.1

PC Firewall turned off. ARP has been flushed.

Currently through an Ethernet Switch (worked last week) and I have also tried a Crossover Cable direct.

With PME View, I get Error 6104 / With PME Logic Developer, it spins until it times out.

PC (Laptop) is NOT connected to the Internet. Wireless adapter is disabled.

Since it is not connected to the internet, it does not do any automatic updates. I do not think the PC has been updated for several years. Like I said, it worked fine last week... HELP!!!

 

[weavermj54]

Also - PLC and HMI communicate fine...

 

[Steve Bailey]

It sounds to me like there isn't a valid IP address entered for the PLC or HMI.
Select either target and look at its properties. Next to "Physical Port" you should have selected "Ethernet" and next to "IP Address" you should have entered the IP address of the device you want Proficy to communicate with.

 

[weavermj54]

Target Properties are set correctly. For HMI, it is the same program I used a week ago that communicated fine. For the PLC, I took an existing program I had and changed the IP address to this PLCs address.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Are you sure you don't have the IP addresses for the PLC and HMI mixed up. You would get that behavior if Proficy was trying to connect to the PLC but the IP address actually belonged to the HMI.
If you have the equipment to do it, try connecting serially and upload just the hardware configuration from the PLC to double check that it is set up the way you think it is.

 

[weavermj54]

Steve,
I actually have been programming the PLC with VersaPro on a WXP machine via serial, so I am 100% positive I have the address correct in the PLC and Of course, I can check the address live on the HMI. Also, the PLC and HMI talk. If the addresses were reversed, the HMI would not talk to the PLC.

The download to the HMI worked numerous times last week, with no errors. i did not change anything in the network setup in PME or in the Quickpanel View HMI.

The reason I tried connecting to the PLC with PME was to prove it was a PME problem. Since I cannot connect PME to either the HMI or the PLC, it must be something with the PME or the PC itself.

Like I said, I can PING both addresses from the PC.

I cannot use Ethernet with the VersaPro, as that machine is XPMode inside Win7 Virtual PC and there is a network issue with that getting out past the host. Same PC, so maybe that is where the trouble is. But, PME worked last week when the XPMode did not.

 

[Steve Bailey]

I'm a long way from being a networking guru, so all I can offer are the things that have tripped me up in the past. I have seen cases where the simple act of checking settings in Windows defender reverts to a default state where PME communications was blocked, but that was under Windows 10, not Windows 7.

 

[weavermj54]

Just turned off Windows Defender in Win 7. No change...

 

[dYoast]

What is the model of the CPU and/or Ethernet module?

At some point, there was a CPU that would only allow 4 connections and had problems ending the connection.

Have you tried either pushing the Ethernet Restart button or power cycling?

 

[weavermj54]

The PLC is a GE 90-30 CPU374. The connection I am trying to make is to a CMM321 in slot 2 of the main rack. I am not overly concerned with connecting to the PLC. I tried it to see if PME could talk to the PLC on the same network as the HMI. I can PING both the HMI and PLC, but PME will not connect to either one. For the actual programming of the PLC, I am using VersaPro 2.04 thru a serial connection and that works fine. Also, as I have said previously, the PLC thru the CMM321 talks to the HMI fine.

The real issue is that I need to be able to download program updates to the HMI. This is very frustrating and the first time I have run into a problem where I can PING a device but the software will not connect.

Thanks to all for your kind suggestions...

 

[weavermj54]

Folks,

The HMI issue was the HMI. Something in it crashes and does not allow the download. I tried a re-boot and when I applied power again, I got the Black Screen of Death.

I had to use the Factory Reset procedure involving Serial Communications and Hyperterminal. Once I did that, the panel came back, and I could start again from scratch, including downloading the project from PME.

I have not had time to work through the PLC comms issue, but since I am using VersaPro and serial for that, not a big deal at the moment.

Thanks to all that tried their best to help me out...