Hi folks,

I have got the following issue this week. End User actually have a SLC-500 connected to it's Intranet using the IP 10.98.5.x. We want to create a separate network called Automation Network using IP 192.168.171.X using a D-LINK router DI-524. We are doing that to preserve remote access to the PLC and eliminating all the heavy traffic that current exists over the customer Intranet.

This is a simple router and therefore with a limited configuration steps. The only way we found to put it work was using it's Virtual Server capability. Going through over the setup we were asked to provide a PRIVATE PORT & PUBLIC PORT. Making a searching over the internet we have found that RSLINX use port 44818 and that is what we did. Unfortunately, my customer could not connect to the PLC. Any idea or hint will be appreciated. Regards.

 

First, use the TCPing utility (from elifulkerson.com) to make sure that you can ping Port 44818 from the enterprise side of the network.

The RSLinx Classic "EtherNet/IP" driver uses broadcast packets to perform device discovery, which are very unlikely to be forwarded across this router.

The RSLinx Classic "Ethernet Devices" driver works with both the older CSPv4 protocol for PLC-5 and PLC-5/250 controllers on TCP Port 2222, and with modern SLC-5/05, MicroLogix 1100/1400, and ControlLogix family controllers on TCP Port 44818.

That driver first probes Port 2222 and needs to see a "port closed" response three times before it will try Port 44818. Many VPNs and routers prevent this specific response from happening.

The workaround is to add the suffix ":EIP" to the end of the IP address entry in the Ethernet Devices driver's host list. The entry will look like "192.168.171.40:EIP". This will tell RSLinx to skip the Port 2222 probe and make its connection only with Port 44818.

 

Helpful advice, and nice screen name! Don't let yourself get stranded next to a broken-down train.