Issue Details

I am following the instructions to install the GPIB-ENET/1000 using the GPIB Hardware Wizard in NI MAX. When it prompts me to select my device I do not see my GPIB Ethernet device listed. Why can't I see my device?

Solution

There are several potential reasons the GPIB Ethernet Wizard is unable to discover your device.
 

The GPIB Ethernet Interface is Not Properly Connected

Make sure the device is plugged in, connected to the network, and switched on. 

For GPIB-ENET/100 devices, the both the PWR/RDY and LINK 10/100 lights on the front of the GPIB-ENET/100 must be lit before the device can be discovered. The LINK 10/100 light will not turn on if the Ethernet cable is damaged or the wrong type.

For GPIB-ENET/1000 devices, the PWR, RDY, and ACT/LINK lights on the front of the GPIB-ENET/1000 all must be lit before the device can be discovered. The PWR and RDY lights should be solid green and the ACT/LINK light should be flashing green when the device can be discovered. The ACT/LINK light will not turn on if the Ethernet cable is damaged or the wrong type.

Verify that a local area connection exists and is enabled.
 

The IP Address is Incorrect or Unspecified

Verify the IP address or hostname of the interface using the GPIB Ethernet Wizard. Your GPIB Ethernet interface must be on the same subnet as the computer running the utility for the Wizard to discover it.

1. Start the GPIB Ethernet Wizard and click Next until you see the Choose an available GPIB Ethernet device dialog.
2. Look for the GPIB Ethernet device you want to configure in the list of networking devices, matching it either to its serial number of the Ethernet address printed on the device label.
3. Record the IP address or hostname of the device from the Name or IP Address field.

Verify that the GPIB Ethernet device is reachable on your network.

1. Open NI MAX.
2. Expand Device and Interfaces and then Network Devices. Locate the GPIB-ENET device and click it view its properties.
3. Verify that the IP Address field matched the IP address or hostname in the Wizard.

Verify that the GPIB Ethernet interface is reachable on your network using the ping network command.

1. Open up a command prompt window and enter the command ping <IPaddress> or ping <hostname> where <IPaddress> or <hostname> is the IP address or hostname for the device found in the Wizard.
2. If the ping utility is unable to communicate with the GPIB Ethernet interface, verify your IP address/hostname with your network administrator.

Verify that your computer is on the same subnet as the GPIB Ethernet device. 

1. Configure your computer's IP address via DHCP server. 
2. If the GPIB-ENET/1000 cannot access the DHCP server, it will revert to Auto IP addressing and assign itself an IP address in the range of 169.254.x.x. Check to see if your computer's IP address matches the subnet above, and change the IP address accordingly. 

 

Windows Cannot Resolve Link-Local Connections

1. Connect your GPIB Ethernet device to your system. It may be connected over a switch or directly.
2. Make sure you can ping your device using the <hostname.local> suffix, i.e. NIENET17E6719.local
3. Modify the GPIB.INI file and modify the "URL" field to use your ".local" syntax.
   File location: C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\NI-488.2
   Sample old value:
      URL = "NIENET17E6719"
   Change to:
      URL = "NIENET17E6719.local"
4. Run a self-test in MAX on the GPIB Ethernet device (it should list .local as the hostname now)
5. Use GPIB Interactive Control to make sure "ibfind gpib0" works successfully.

 

The GPIB Ethernet Interface is Outside the Subnet Boundary

NI-488.2 uses broadcast packets to discover GPIB Ethernet interfaces, but most routers do not propagate these packets across subnet boundaries, so NI-488.2 cannot discover GPIB Ethernet interfaces that are not connected to the computer's subnet. Connect both the computer running NI-488.2 and the GPIB Ethernet interface to the same Ethernet hub to ensure they are on the same subnet.

Although only a computer on the same subnet can discover the GPIB Ethernet interface or change its network settings, any computer can use it as a GPIB interface. To add a GPIB Ethernet interface that is outside the computer's local subnet, specify the hostname or IP address in the GPIB Ethernet Wizard.

You can check if a port is on the same subnet by plugging a computer into that port and comparing its subnet to the subnet the computer that is attempting the discovery. 

A Firewall is Blocking Communication

Firewalls can block traffic that needs to pass between NI-488.2 and a GPIB Ethernet interface. The following ports should be open for proper communication:
 

For GPIB-ENET/100 devices:

• TCP 80, 5000, 5003, 5005, 5015, and 44516
• UDP 1024 through 5000 and 44515

For GPIB-ENET/1000 devices:

• TCP 80, 5000, 5003, 5005, 5015, and 5354
• UDP 1024 through 5000 and 5353

Computer is Running an Outdated Version of the NI-488.2 Drivers

An out-of-date version of the NI-488.2 driver installed on your computer could cause communication issues with your device. Check to ensure that you are using the latest driver for the ENET/1000 and your operating system. 

1. Check which version of the NI-488.2 driver you have installed by expanding the Software drop-down in NI MAX.
2. Check the operating system compatibility charts to ensure the version of NI-488.2 you're using is compatible with your operating system as well as your device. Also check your device manual to ensure it is also compatible with your specific GPIB Ethernet interface.
3. If your current version is incompatible, uninstall your old 488.2 driver version from Control Panel » Add/Remove Programs » National Instruments Software.
4. Physically remove your GPIB card from your computer
5. Install the version of NI-488.2 that came with the GPIB-ENET/1000 or that you've downloaded from the NI downloads page.
6. Reinsert your GPIB card into your computer. Upon the next Windows startup, it should be detected by Windows.
7. Setup your GPIB-ENET/1000. It should at this point appear within the GPIB Ethernet Wizard.

Update Device Firmware

1. Install the newer version of NI-488.2 that came with the GPIB-ENET/1000 or that you've downloaded from the Drivers and Updates support page.

Force Reset the Device

Most GPIB-ENET devices have reset buttons on the back.

1. Turn off the device.
2. Hold down the reset button.
3. While the reset button is being held down, turn on the device.
4. Continue holding down the button until the RDY LED blinks yellow. 
5. The interface with then reset to its default network characteristics and resume the boot process. 

Additional Information

For some futher information, run the GPIB Ethernet Wizard, click Next until you reach the Choose an available GPIB Ethernet device screen. Click "Why isn't my GPIB Ethernet device listed?" beneath the Refresh List button to open NI-488.2 Help.