virtual machine to access Rockwell plc online

[Kataeb]

we are trying to go online, with RSLogix5000 v17, to access a Rockwell plc ControlLogix.
All the softwares are running on a Virtual Machine Windows XP.
But RSWho is not detecting anything.
What special considerations should be done for a virtual machine to access the plc?
(when we try on the laptop itself, outside the virtual machine, it is working.)

 

[BachPhi]

If you are accessing it with ethernet, then check your ethernet adapter settings in VM.

 

[Kataeb]

we are able to ping all the devices connected. so the VM is seeing them. but RSLinx is not detecting anything!

 

[rdrast]

Using the ETHERNET driver? That is much more reliable than the Ethernet/IP driver.

 

[Operaghost]

You didn't mention what VM software you are using but I will give you an example assuming you are using VMware Workstation.

In VMware, go to VM Settings and look for the setting for Network Adapter. I am assuming you are set to NAT. On my PC when I use that setting, my Ethernet adapter gets set to 192.168.200.xx. Now that is an issue because my PLC is using 192.168.1.xx. So my computer is on one network and my PLC is on a separate network. However, my PC acts as a sort of router allowing me to ping the devices on the other subnet.

In RSLinx, when you select the EtherNet/IP driver, by default it browses the network your computer is on. So while you would be able to ping the device, the EtherNet/IP driver would not be able to see it. Because it is on the wrong network. So to fix that open the EtherNet/IP driver settings and select Browse Remote Subnet. Then specify the first IP address in the range you want and the mask. So for me I entered 192.168.1.1 and 255.255.255.0. Now RSLinx EtherNet/IP driver can discover the devices on that network.

The alternative, as mentioned, would be the RSLinx Ethernet Devices driver where you type in the specific IP address you want to work with. That driver will not discover devices. It only identifies the ones you manually entered.

Hope that helps,

OG

 

[JaxGTO]

Using the ETHERNET driver? That is much more reliable than the Ethernet/IP driver.

That's correct, the EthernetIP driver will only scan IP addresses in the adapters subnet. So if your VM adapter is getting an address from the VM software it likely gave the VM an address not in the PLC subnet. So yes you can ping it but RSLinx EthernetIP driver will only be looking in the subnet for the adapter.

If you use the plain Ethernet driver and setup the IP address of the PLC it should see it. I use that all the time myself.

 

[Kataeb]

second option worked ok.
but i wonder why first option did not work.
please check attached file.

 

[Kataeb]

all worked ok by putting the VM network adapter settings as follows:
 Bridged: Connected directly to the physical network
 Replicate physical network connection state