Weird Issue with ABB-CI873 and Control Logix

[Jmeadows7676]

I currently have a weird issue involving Ethernet IP communication between a ABB CI873 (EthernetIP Module) and a 1756-L83ES. The Layout is as follows:
ABB CI873 --->
Stratix 5700 --->
1756-EN2TR with 1756-L83Es in Slot 0 of Backplane.
Just for background the ABB CI873 is a Master only configuration. It only Gets information from the CLX via Produced Tags and Writes to the CLX via Class 3 explicate MSG. The Stratix 5700 had a very minimal config in it. Just an IP, Name, and smartports on Automation Device for both used ports.
With this configuration the CI873 would error out with Connection timeout on the Class 1 Produced Command (handled Cyclically)ever 2 Minutes exactly then start back working for other 2 minutes.

We got the system to work perfectly at first by going straight from ABB Module to EN2TR card (No Switch). As soon as we went back to the Switch, the problem returned at the same interval.
I then Defaulted the Switch, plugged it in and it ran perfect. As soon as i Configured the Switch in anyway the problem returned. Anyone have any idea what this could be??

 

[Ken Roach]

Interesting !

Today I learned that the CI873 is the part number for the interface module between an ABB xA distributed control system and EtherNet/IP networks and Rockwell Automation controllers.

Do you know what the RPI is that the CI873 is requesting for the Produced Tags from the ControlLogix ?

Do they have an option for doing that connection with Unicast or Multicast ?

The Smart Port configuration seems to be an obvious suspect, but I don't think it's conclusive. Maybe it's not seeing two-way traffic for Produced/Consumed and it is removing the port from the multicast domain every two minutes.

One of the notable features of the "Automation Device" SmartPort is that it only allows one MAC ID on that port. You can't plug in a downstream switch and piggyback on access through the switch when you make that setting.

Is there any chance the CI873 uses a second or virtual MAC ID, or that you're using a redundant pair of CI873 units on that link ?

Can you configure a mirror port and get Wireshark on there to see which device stops communicating and if there's a connection termination message sent ?

 

[Jmeadows7676]

Do you know what the RPI is that the CI873 is requesting for the Produced Tags from the ControlLogix ? 100 msec

Do they have an option for doing that connection with Unicast or Multicast ? No multicast only


Is there any chance the CI873 uses a second or virtual MAC ID, or that you're using a redundant pair of CI873 units on that link ? we do have a pair of CI873 but they aren't connected in any way and reside on different switch and also experience the same problem

Can you configure a mirror port and get Wireshark on there to see which device stops communicating and if there's a connection termination message sent ?

I didn't have internet access at the time to download Wireshark, I normally use Frontline Netdecoder but left the adapter in Alabama. We were testing in Milwaukee

Just to clarify the issue started as soon as i put an IP address in, I tried leaving the smart ports at none. I also tried not enabling CIP. Didn't make a difference. In my opinion it seems to be related to the Management VLAN that gets created when you configure. I went into VLAN setup when it wasn't working and deleted the IP address from the VLAN 1 and it started working. I'm sure you know this, but it seems to create VLAN 1 when you first configure. (Please correct me if i'm wrong)
I plan on getting a similar setup in my lab to try to replicate the situation. I should be able to get you some NetDecoder files when this happens.

 

[Jmeadows7676]

Interesting !

Today I learned that the CI873 is the part number for the interface module between an ABB xA distributed control system and EtherNet/IP networks and Rockwell Automation controllers.

Do you know what the RPI is that the CI873 is requesting for the Produced Tags from the ControlLogix ?

Do they have an option for doing that connection with Unicast or Multicast ?

The Smart Port configuration seems to be an obvious suspect, but I don't think it's conclusive. Maybe it's not seeing two-way traffic for Produced/Consumed and it is removing the port from the multicast domain every two minutes.

One of the notable features of the "Automation Device" SmartPort is that it only allows one MAC ID on that port. You can't plug in a downstream switch and piggyback on access through the switch when you make that setting.

Is there any chance the CI873 uses a second or virtual MAC ID, or that you're using a redundant pair of CI873 units on that link ?

Can you configure a mirror port and get Wireshark on there to see which device stops communicating and if there's a connection termination message sent ?

Ken,
I was able to get a working system going and replicate the Problem with a Stratix 5400. I have access to Wireshark or Frontline NetDecoder. If you are still willing to look at it I can provide you with which ever you like. Thanks

 

[Jmeadows7676]

Just to Follow up in ended up un-checking IGMP Querier (This comes checked by default with the IGMP Querier Address blank). The Communications would then work perfectly. I done a small amount of research as to what IGMP Snooping is doing and it seems it tries to route Multicast/Broadcast messages to a certain port instead of everywhere??? I certainly could be wrong but it did fix the problem.

 

[Ken Roach]

Thank you so much for the followup !

In general in a system that has just one managed switch, the IGMP Snooping and Querier feature work together to constrain multicast traffic to just the ports that are members of that multicast domain.

It's less important than it used to be because most devices these days use Unicast instead of Multicast for their EtherNet/IP cyclic I/O connections.

You could examine the connection type in Studio 5000, or connect Wireshark to a mirror port and look for multicast traffic to see how the Logix and the ABB-CI873 were exchanging their cyclic data.

Or connect to an ordinary port and look for multicast data there.

My *guess* is that you had more than one IGMP Querier on the network and they were not properly set up for priority; there's something called an IGMP Querier Election that happens every few minutes, and might have resulted in an abrupt reconfiguration and re-initialization of that feature.

I'm not an expert on the topic, but boy do I know enough to get in trouble.

 

[Jmeadows7676]

Thank you so much for the followup !

In general in a system that has just one managed switch, the IGMP Snooping and Querier feature work together to constrain multicast traffic to just the ports that are members of that multicast domain.

It's less important than it used to be because most devices these days use Unicast instead of Multicast for their EtherNet/IP cyclic I/O connections.

You could examine the connection type in Studio 5000, or connect Wireshark to a mirror port and look for multicast traffic to see how the Logix and the ABB-CI873 were exchanging their cyclic data.

Or connect to an ordinary port and look for multicast data there.

My *guess* is that you had more than one IGMP Querier on the network and they were not properly set up for priority; there's something called an IGMP Querier Election that happens every few minutes, and might have resulted in an abrupt reconfiguration and re-initialization of that feature.

I'm not an expert on the topic, but boy do I know enough to get in trouble.

That makes perfect sense now that someone smart explained it to me. If you care to look at the Wireshark files I have one with IGMP Querier Off and One with it ON.
***Seems the Files are to big even when compressed***
Ill try to attach a different way
It seems ABB Module only supports Multicast

 

[Ken Roach]

I am definitely interested in seeing those files; if you're not eager to put them on the Internet for everybody, drop me a Private Message with a Dropbox or OneDrive or Google Drive link.

This week is "figure out Stratix stuff" week for me.

Maybe I'll post a new thread on that challenge; I have a history of figuring stuff out while composing a thread-starting question !

 

[gobinath]

Hello Gents,
can i get some help here. im working on ABB CI873 interface with Control Logix L73 through EN2TXT module. EN2TXT is supervisory module and works as slave. i would like to know how to setup CI873 address mapping to poll data from L73. CI873 is belong to my counterpart as im working on EN2T.
any help will be appreciated.