Rades RS232/Ethernet

[JPmcsw00]

I have a request to design a communications system:

1. Allows dial in access for monitoring and control of a 2 boiler system.
2. Allows ethernet access to a micrologix 1500
(through an ENI module)
3. Allows access to a SLC 505,
4. Access all off the above from a local computer without needing to dial in.

Boiler system is a AutoFlame /DTI. The DTI circuit board provides an RS232 port, which I have been able to talk to with a standard RS232 serial port cable from my laptop/docking port plus autoflame software.
SLC 505:
Ethernet port is already being used and I cannot break into it with this 2nd communications system.
I could use the RS232 port if I change out panelview 550 to a panelview + and go ethernet, Plus an ethernet switch. (Same communications system just adding a drop.)

How can I bridge the (9300-Radkit dial in modem modem) from RS232 to ethernet gap? One style 9300-Radkit allows only dial in to RS232, while the other 9300-Rades provides dial in to 4 ethernet port modem switch.
I am not finding a clear path here.
I Want to be able to dial in on 1 phone line not 2.

It is assumed I would need to build an HMI to display the data on the local PC.
A second twist is that this ethernet system needs to be seperate from an already existing plant wide system.

Can a PC have more than one ethernet system? I would think so.
2nd network card?
Or will this cause problems?
John

 

[cntrlfrk]

Yes, you can have more than one ethernet card.

If you need a local computer with capabilities to do 'all of the above' why not just dial in to it, and do what you need to do over GoToMyPC or something similar?

 

[DanYost]

I did some searching and found that the DTI supports Modbus, if that is the case our Data Station Plus (DSP) http://www.redlion.net/Products/HumanMachineInterface/DataStationPlus/DataStationPlus.html or a G3 HMI http://www.redlion.net/g3features/ would be able to fit the bill.

I am not familiar with the 9300-Radkit, but a standard external modem such as a SixNet or US Robotics modem could be connected one of the RS232 ports. Using the PPP Server driver, you could dial in to view/control the web server and remote data. You could also use the program through and IP routing capabilities to program the PLCs that are connected to the DSP/G3 via serial or Ethernet.

We can communicate to the ENI module and possibly the SLC505 via Ethernet.

We could also connect the SLC via 232 and use DF1.

Finally the DTI could be connected to the RS485/422 port. A 232-485 converter could be used if needed/desired as well.

 

[danw]

SLC 505:
Ethernet port is already being used and I cannot break into it with this 2nd communications system.

Can I ask why? If the SLC were ethernet it would very clean to do connect to the Rades multiport switch model.

How can I bridge the (9300-Radkit dial in modem modem) from RS232 to ethernet gap?

Presumably a "serial server" converts from serial to ethernet. It's been reported however, that not all serial servers do the reverse, ethernet back to serial. I used a Lantronix that worked both ways, but it's been discontinued.

One style 9300-Radkit allows only dial in to RS232, while the other 9300-Rades provides dial in to 4 ethernet port modem switch.

I've used the later very successfully to connect from dial-in to all ethernet devices on the other side.

A second twist is that this ethernet system needs to be seperate from an already existing plant wide system. Can a PC have more than one ethernet system? I would think so.

Cntrlfrk is correct, PCs can handle a 2nd network card.

Dan

 

[monkeyhead]

http://www.dcbnet.com/datasheet/ip6600ds.html

We use the IP6690 detailed in the link above to provide dial in access to our network for outside vendors. It has a modem built in that allows a dial up PPP connection to your network. It is similar to what an ISP uses to give internet access to dial up clients, but instead of the internet the dial in user gets access to your network. You can also set it up so the dial in user only has access to specific IP addresses and ports. It's basically a dial in firewall.

It is industrial rated, and thus somewhat expensive (betwen $500 and $800 if I remember correctly). But well worth it for the security features and peace of mind if it has to live in a dirty industrial environment.

To bridge your serial to ethernet gap, there are plenty of products. Do a google search on 'serial IP server', and you'll get a ton of hits. Moxa, B&B Electronics, and Lantronix are all decent vendors with comparable products that allow access to RS-232/422/485 devices via ethernet.

I don't understand why you have to 'break' the connection for remote monitoring. I regularly connect to my SLC 5/05's via ethernet while they are running. This includes one that is using it's ethernet port to communicate with other Micrologix and SLC controllers and an RSView32 project. The serial port on this 5/05 is used to connect to a Cutler-Hammer HMI. Connecting via ethernet does not affect any of this communication.

 

[elevmike]

Why dialup? It's increadably slow and unreliable for realtime control. IOW about 50% of the jobs we install dialup access to have problems with the phone lines or other problems associated with noise etc. It's a real ****-shoot. I would tend to dig a little deeper into the "whys" for dialup request to see if you can suggest a better alternative.

 

[danw]

IOW about 50% of the jobs we install dialup access to have problems with the phone lines or other problems associated with noise etc. It's a real ****-shoot.

Agree 100%. If you can VPM through their firewall, do it. Messing with someone else's phone system is a challenge and Mike's experience with 50% of them having problems up front is right on.

Dan

 

[monkeyhead]

I also agree that VPN is the better solution.

My company uses a hardware based VPN solution and the lords of I.T. deemed it too expensive, and too big of a security risk to give out to outside vendors, but we managed to get them to allow the dial in router on a very isolated VLAN.

I only brought up the dial up router that I did because the o.p. had it listed in his specs for the project.

 

[DeviceMaster-UP]

Serial to Ethernet

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Regards,