Why Am I Getting Intermittent Communication Loss With My FieldPoint Controller?

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Hardware: Compact FieldPoint

Problem:
I am getting intermittent communication loss with my FieldPoint controller. What might be causing this and how can I fix it?

Solution:
The following bullets list the first troubleshooting steps that should be taken when experiencing intermittent communication loss.

If using a statically assigned IP address, make sure that the IP address assigned to the controller is not assigned to another device.
Ensure that there is sufficient memory on the controller. The Real-Time System Manager is a valuable tool to help determine how much RAM is being used by the application.
Check all threads and make sure that communication is not being starved by a loop with no wait. Communication loops should almost always be low priority, but if there is a higher priority loop that has no wait and is running continuously, it will not allow the lower priority communication loop to run.
Make sure the FieldPoint backplane is properly grounded. The ethernet port on the controller is grounded to the backplane. If the backplane is resting on a metallic surface in which even a very small amount of noise is introduced, this will affect the ethernet communication. The FieldPoint backplane should be isolated or grounded to earth for optimum performance.

It is almost NEVER necessary to format a controller when experiencing intermittent communication. Make sure that you have exhausted all other steps before attempting to format the controller.

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Report Date: 08/23/2007
Last Updated: 08/27/2007
Document ID: 4CMBOTLC

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