Trouble setting up NPORT express with SLC 5/04. PLEASE HELP!

[rsdoran]

OK

I am not trying to confuse anyone...I just know that there are issues with using CRC and the 5/04 with a modem (null modem in this case).The Sixnet isnt the only thing I can come up with...it was just the fastest...you have more access to more technotes, please look at them.b

 

[Eric Nelson]

Word of the Day...

Parenthetical? Hmmm, had to look that one up

par·en·thet·i·cal
adj.
1.) Set off within or as if within parentheses; qualifying or explanatory: a parenthetical remark.
2.) Using or containing parentheses.

I'll add 3.) A post written by Eric Nelson (due to the large number of parentheses found within)... lolis

See also "Quotational"...

beerchug

-Eric

 

[krobertson]

Hello Gentlemen,

Have been reading this thread with interest. I have been experiencing the same problem linking to a Mitsubishi FX2N. Carried out most of your comments within the thread with the same result.

I have checked the Nport serial side by hyperlink and shorting out pins 2 and 3 on the Nport and definately see communication.

However when I connect the PLC to the Nport using the Mitsubishi SCO 9 cable, gender benders and DB25 to DB9 adaptor (made up to the pin out described in the MOXA diagram. NO RESULT!! I am still of the opinion that it is a "handshake" problem.

For info I am using GX Developer, Com 3's set up for comms.

Please continue the thread and hopefully this can be resolved.

Regards,

Ken R.

 

[wmcausland]

I have had the same problem using a Moxa 211 (the 25 pin version of the 311) trying to use the virtual com port to connect to a Mitsubishi A1S series PLC using their Medoc PLC programming software. This is a pure dos program (updated to work correctly in a dos window) and has problems with window 2000 com port drivers, so I assumed the problem was that the virtual com port was only a 'windows' com port emulation. I got around the problem by attaching a second Moxa 211 to the physical com port on the back of my laptop. In this case I'm also running Windows 98 in a virtual PC under windows 2000, It actually works!

 

[Jiri Toman]

respectfully disagree

Ken,
I would have to correct you on this one

My understanding of DF1 protocol is that the Destination address in an incoming packet gets discarded anyway by the SLC serial port and it will always appear as Node 1 in RSWho regardless of the setting for "Source ID" (which is 9 when you open up a new SLC-5/0x project).

The DST address on an incoming message packet will become an SRC
address on the outgoing message packet and conversly an SRC will become a DST. All AB PLC's running DF1 protocol simply swap those two addresses internally.


One more thing, I have noticed that the B&B electronics has been re-marketing the Moxa products. Interesting, Lantronix to Moxa to B&B
to end user. Who the hell is making money here? These products
don't appear to have any margin?

 

[Ken Roach]

Jiri, you're right on as regards the DST/SRC bytes. I was over-simplifying by a lot. The controller will correctly do DF1 and swap the DST/SRC in the reply, but RSLinx *I think* still regards the controller as Node 1 no matter what the "Source ID" value is in the DF1 port setup.

I read through Lantronix and MOXA user manuals and the UDS-100 looks different (though I haven't gone through all the manuals for all the Lantronix products).

I hope there's some more news from the field on this device and RSLinx.

 

[wlemst88]

Well, I'm back from a impromtu trip away. Sorry for leaving you guys hanging for so long.

Well, I'm getting confused. Everyone seems to think that I need a null modem cable. But I seem to be able to get it to "talk" when I don't use the null modem converter. Let me explain...

In my telnet session with the nport, there is a line status area (you'll see it in my pictures above, that list dtr, dsr, rts,cts, and dcd. Since you guys told me to turn off rts/cts, I don't ever see them uppercase(uppercase I assume means talking/connected/all good) When I connect my serial cables (straight thru) I see that DSR goes uppercase. when I connect my null modem adapder to the end of the cable, that DSR goes lowercase. So I have been working under the assumption that if I get an uppercase DSR, then I can be assured that I am using the right cable combination. The thing is, I never see DTR or DCD uppercase, no matter what settings I've tried.

It concerns me that wmcausland couldn't get this to work. The 211 is supposed to be virtually identical. And using the laptop's com port is not an option as I need to connect 10 SLC 5/04s to one computer, and I don't have 10 serial ports or the money to buy 2x as many nports. what a PITA.

 

[wlemst88]

Getting a capture of any RS232 traffic at the DE-311 serial port would let us dig into a possible error checking or protocol issue.

Any suggestions on how to do this? I hooked the nport serial end to Com1 on my laptop, and I see the CTS bit go uppercase, but I don't know how to capture the data stream?!?

 

[wlemst88]

I do notice that when I put the handshaking from "no handshaking" to "full duplex modem" in my RSLogix configure box the CTS bit in the nport telnet session goes from lowercase to upper case. Still no joy from the other bits though. Any ideas?

Wes

EDIT: This is without using the null modem adapter.

 

[rsdoran]

Basically, I have the ethernet end of the nport hooked up to my laptop via a crossover cable. I can telnet into the nport over the ehternet so I know that I have that part working right.
I am hooked into the SLC over DH+ so that I can modify the Serial settings in the processor, and am telnetting into the nport device so that I can modify the nport's serial settings.

I wasnt sure about the cables so I took a look at this:
http://www.moxa.com/doc/manual/nport/DE311/HW3/npde311_v2.pdf
Chapter 3 page 4 shows it using a null modem cable and the pinouts for the cable.
Chap. 3 page 1 shows DIP switch settings for setting RS232

I have quickly run thru the software manual and wish I had one of these to attempt to connect to my SLC 500.

http://www.bb-elec.com/bb-elec/literature/manuals/Moxa/Nport_Express_Users_Guide.pdf
I also found this manual and I am curious on this part, Chap 1 page 19.

NPort Express’s new Ethernet Modem operation mode is designed to provide true modem emulation, in which NPort Express emulates a regular serial modem, accepting AT commands for dial-in/out service
and then transparently passing raw data in/out after the user initiates the Ethernet Modem mode.

After a connection is established, NPort Express acts as a gateway between the serial line and Ethernet LAN, making it possible for raw RS-232/422/485 data to travel across a local LAN. After receiving raw
serial data, NPort Express will prefix and postfix a TCP/IP header and trailer, and then send it out to the Ethernet medium. Once the control host receives the TCP/IP data frame, the NOS (Network Operating System) recovers the raw data by decoding the TCP/IP header and trailer. The user can easily capture the raw serial data from the Ethernet medium using Telnet or some customized TCP/IP socket program,
providing an ideal long-distance serial data transmission solution between host and serial device.

Will the AB PLC actually use RS232 raw data in a format that can be captured? I know the mechanical interface is RS232 but doesnt communication with an AB PLC depend on using the DF1 protocol?

 

[wlemst88]

Well I got sick of the conjecture, and pulled out my ohmmeter. I am in fact using a straight thru when I get the DSR bit uppercased. I checked out my null modem, that is doing what it is supposed to do too.

RSdoran yeah, those pages are similar to those in the hard copy manual that came with the device. And yes, I have the dip switches all off for RS232 operation. I telnet into it through the ethernet port.

 

[wlemst88]

The difference between the 1747-CP3 and an "ordinary null-modem cable" is the tieback of the DCD pin. It shouldn't be important in this particular application with the MOXA device.

[attachment]

How sure of this are you. I am currently using a serial cable with a pin 1 wire, and without those loops?

 

[wlemst88]

Ok, status update.

I looked into those delimiter settings you were talking about, Ken, and it turns out that I needed to update the firmware. Now I get those settings. Unfortunatly, I tried the 10 03 thingie you said, and still no joy.

It seems like if I follow the pin-out instructions in the manual, then I need to use the null-modem, even though I don't get that DSR bit in uppercase. Ken, I think you said that I don't need that anyways.

I also installed a new port mapper software package from nport. It has a monitor screen that says that my connection status is "CLOSE". I guess I need a way to "OPEN" it. see screen shot.

 

[wlemst88]

YEEEEEHAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Boy its a good thing no one else was around, cause they would have JUMPED!!!!! I got it to work ladies!!!!!!!

Now I don't know what I did to get it to work, but it must've been a combination of things I had wrong, and I finally got it configured right.

So here's a summary of how I have it

1) USE A STRAIGHT-THRU CABLE!!! I am sure that I am using a straight thru because I used my ohmmeter. Null modem = bad

2) Baud rate doesn't matter so long as it matches

3) CRC, not BCC. Actually, will try it to see if it makes a difference.

4) Station number 03 (RSLinx driver) don't know if this matters or not

5) USE THE NEW FIRMWARE (I used 2.4) and the new windows drivers (ver3.1)

6) COM5 was the first port that I used that worked. (Tried com3 and com4, they didn't work, will test now to see if it was just a fluke)

7) RSLogix channel config
System DF1 Full duplex
Source ID=1 Don't know if this matters
Baud, parity, stop bits must match
No handshaking
Error detection: CRC (don't know yet if this matters)
Embedded Responces: Auto Detect
don't check "Duplicate Packet Detect"

8) NO DELIMETER SETTINGS. I tried putting them in once it was working and it ceased to work

It's actually very quick and responcive. I will have to hook this up to a processor out in the field to see how quick it can pick up data tables

Thanks so much guys for helping. I will keep you updated on my impressions of the product and if it is a viable alternative to buying a 5/05.

 

[Ken Roach]

Way to go, Wes. I'm glad your persistence paid off, and I appreciate you following up with the Forum and describing your results in detail.

Bravo !