CompaqLogix B1, A1, and A2 ethernet

[rwcanaryParticipantKarma: 25Rank: Padawan]

I’m trying to get my head wrapped around Allen-Bradley’s ethernet schemes.

B1 port

A1 port

A2 port.

I’m wanting one port accessible to the rest of the assembly line PLCs.   10.140.5.50

I’m wanting everything at this location under 10.240.5.xxx

But trying to understand Allen-Bradleys port and ethernet caveats is giving me a major headache and after allot of reading I still don’t have a grasp of the do and don’t.

I have a PanelView, five stratix switches (LSM8), and 28 devices to be connected to ethernet

Currently all the device network is connected on A2 (10.240.5.xxx, 255.255.255.0)

So where does that leave B1, and A1?

If I add a remote PLC do I need to use B1 or A1.

Am I doing this correctly?

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[rwcanaryParticipantKarma: 25Rank: Padawan]

Oh the other thing …

I need to setup 5 shortcuts in the panelview to goto other PLCs on the line and get status info.  How do I get the Panelview to route out to that IP?

[StixoffireParticipantKarma: 172Rank: Jedi]

Here is the thing , on the compact logix – depending on what model the newer 5370 (two ports are separated) or the older 1769 series – the two ports are identical.

So how you place the remote PLC whether directly to your CompactLogix or connected to the Stratix Switch is up to you and the network design.

If the remote PLC is on another network 10.140.5.- then you might want the secondary on your Compact Logix to also be on that network – assuming it is a 5370 version and not the older 1769 version.  If it is the 1769 version connect up to your switch and place the remote plc on the same network or you need to have routing in the switch for the other network.

Again this is not a functionality issue but a network design issue.
The only issue under the Compact Logix is what do you really have ?  A CompactLogix 1769 where the ports are just replicated or a 5370 where you have individual NIC’s ?
That will determine what you can and cannot do physically with the hardware.

[StixoffireParticipantKarma: 172Rank: Jedi]

As for the panel view (in Factory Talk ME ), go to  the settings – in communications tab create the shortcuts there. Save the project and upload to your panel view done.
Remember your HMI will access those tags via [ShortCutName]BlahTag

[rwcanaryParticipantKarma: 25Rank: Padawan]

This is a 5480.

Any configuration I come up with seems to either block the panel view from talking to the PLC or blocks other PLCs from talking.

I understand networks and IP schemes very well, I just can’t figure out how to translate that knowledge into Allen-Bradley speak.  Give me a Linksys router and two switches and this would be a piece of cake.

Dose B1 bridge to A1 or A2?  If not what good id the B1? Why is it even there?

If I use A1 to speak the other PCs (10.240.5.xxx), how do I bridge from A2 (the device network, including the HMI) out through A1 to communicate to the other PLCs?  Normally there would be a routing table to add the route so the traffic knows where to go?

 

[mark88590ParticipantKarma: 20Rank: Padawan]

In Dual IP mode B1 is for enterprise level communication. A1/A2 is for device level communication.

Another thing is what model of Panelview are you using? Certain models can only communicate with 1 shortcut.

[tdamonParticipantKarma: 52Rank: Padawan]

look at 5069-um002_-en-p.pdf and enet-rm002_-en-p.pdf for how to setup B1 and A1/A2, and what they can and cannot do.  The PLC is not a router.

[tdamonParticipantKarma: 52Rank: Padawan]

On page 173 of the 5069-um002_-en-p.pdf manual it brings out these limitations:

Controller Functionality Considerations
Remember the following controller functions when your controller is
connected to an enterprise-level network and at least one device-level network:
• The controller does not support the following functions:
– TCP routing or switching between the enterprise-level network and a
device-level network.
– CIP™ bridging of Class 0 packets between the enterprise-level network
and a device-level network.
– CIP bridging of Class 1 packets between the enterprise-level network
and a device-level network.
• The controller supports the following functions:
– CIP bridging for Class 3 CIP messages between the enterprise-level
network and a device-level network.
– CIP bridging for Unconnected CIP messages between the enterprise-level network and a device-level network.

[Author]

Posts