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Can a Real-Time Controller with Dual Ethernet Ports Communicate with a FieldPoint Network Module?

Primary Software: LabVIEW Development Systems>>LabVIEW Full Development System
Primary Software Version: 1.0
Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A
Secondary Software: N/A
Hardware: Compact FieldPoint>>Controllers>>cFP-2220

Problem:
I want to communicate with a network module via the second ethernet port on my Real-Time Controller. Most examples focus on communicating with another controller via shared variables. Is it possible to communicate directly with a network module?

Solution:
A Real-Time controller with dual Ethernet ports can communicate with a network module (180x) via a crossover cable or straight-through cable to a hub or switch. Communication in this manner uses the NI-FieldPoint driver. This technique does not require MODBUS, serial or shared variables to read or write data to the 180x channels.

The second Ethernet port and the network module must be on the same subnet as each other, but on a different subnet from the host computer and real-time controller. Before the connection can be established, there are a number of steps that must be carried out to configure the network module for communication directly with the controller.
  1. Configure both the Real-Time controller and the network module to be on the same subnet as the host computer.
  2. Within MAX, set up channel and scaling configurations for both targets.
  3. Configure the second port of the Real-Time controller to communicate on a different subnet. For more detailed information on how to do this, follow the steps outlined in the Configure Port 2 section of the KnowledgeBase article on Configuring the Dual Ethernet Ports on Real-Time Controllers.



  4. Add both targets to a new project in LabVIEW.


  5. Select the network module in MAX and manually change the IP address, under the Network Settings tab, to one on the same subnet as the second Ethernet port on the controller. After the new address has been applied, communication to the target is no longer possible from MAX, since it is now on a different subnet than the host computer.


  6. Select the network module in the LabVIEW project and manually change it to match the IP address set in MAX. This can be done by right-clicking on the target, selecting Properties, and modifying the IP address located in the General tab. Select File»Save All in the project in order to save the settings and create an associated IAK file.


  7. Remove the network module from the network and connect it to the second Ethernet port on the FieldPoint controller.  This can be done directly with a cross over cable or through a hub or switch with a straight-through cable. 
  8. Create and deploy a program on the target controller that communicates with channels on the network module.


Related Links:
KnowledgeBase 4E0DGASK: Configuring the Dual Ethernet Port on Real-Time Controllers
KnowledgeBase 4CDENRCY: How To Network Fieldpoint to a Host Computer Via Ethernet
Developer Zone Tutorial: Getting Started with Dual Ethernet Port Real-Time Controllers
Developer Zone Tutorial: Introduction to Dual Ethernet Architectures

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Report Date: 07/29/2008
Last Updated: 09/05/2008
Document ID: 4NSFIBMT

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