Host Engineering Forum

General Category => Do-more CPUs and Do-more Designer Software => Topic started by: Andrew S on May 02, 2019, 08:55:25 PM

Title: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 02, 2019, 08:55:25 PM
Hi. I'm developing a solution for a customer. They have a PC with a serial-port that connects to the device I need to use so I have the Simulator installed on that PC. I'd like to use my own PC which is on a different subnet for the design work. I can find the simulator on the design-pc in NetEdit but I can't seem to link to it. I have the firewall set up to allow all inbound ports from the design-pc so I don't think that's getting in the way. Is there something I'm missing?

Andrew.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 06, 2019, 09:35:18 AM
I'm still having this issue. Advice, anyone?
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: BobO on May 06, 2019, 09:39:30 AM
You are trying to link to the Sim from a different PC?
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 06, 2019, 11:00:42 AM
Yes. The sim is at my customer's site hooked to one of their transducers.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: BobO on May 06, 2019, 11:13:43 AM
Yes. The sim is at my customer's site hooked to one of their transducers.

Normal method of resolving a connection (a al NetEdit) is broadcast. Different subnet suggests routing, and routing generally isn't broadcast tolerant. You can connect to a specific IP address in either NetEdit or DmD (rather than scanning via broadcast to "find"). If the network provides the required routing, it should work fine. From DmD you'll need to go into the old link editor, select IP as the address mode, and manually enter the IP address of the target. In the case of the Sim, that should be the primary IP address of the PC it is running on.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: ADC Product Engineer on May 06, 2019, 03:16:49 PM
Gateway addresses would also need to be set correctly on each end.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 07, 2019, 08:03:44 AM
Thanks for the responses. As I mentioned, I can see the sim in NetEdit (I add the sim using "Connect Single" and it shows the MAC address and various stats about the sim) but I can't link to it. It's not a networking/routing issue. I can save the link but when I attempt to connect to it I get "ERROR! The defined link failed to communicate!".

Andrew.

Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: BobO on May 07, 2019, 08:11:36 AM
Thanks for the responses. As I mentioned, I can see the sim in NetEdit (I add the sim using "Connect Single" and it shows the MAC address and various stats about the sim) but I can't link to it. It's not a networking/routing issue. I can save the link but when I attempt to connect to it I get "ERROR! The defined link failed to communicate!".

Andrew.

So you manually created a link, set IP Address as the address mode, entered the Sim's IP address, and that doesn't talk?
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: franji1 on May 07, 2019, 09:06:43 AM
Double the timeout value on that link.  Make sure it's high enough.  Default is 100ms, so try 200ms (or more).  Not sure what routing/vpn/internet delays there might be.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 07, 2019, 11:45:38 AM
So you manually created a link, set IP Address as the address mode, entered the Sim's IP address, and that doesn't talk?

Yes, that's correct. NetEdit doesn't appear to have a problem seeing it since it retrieves the settings from the sim, but if I click "Accept" I get the message mentioned previously.

Andrew.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 07, 2019, 11:46:48 AM
Double the timeout value on that link.  Make sure it's high enough.  Default is 100ms, so try 200ms (or more).  Not sure what routing/vpn/internet delays there might be.

I've tried it on a different VLAN at the same site with the same result. I don't think it's a timeout issue. Thanks for the suggestion.

Andrew.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: BobO on May 07, 2019, 12:10:48 PM
So you manually created a link, set IP Address as the address mode, entered the Sim's IP address, and that doesn't talk?

Yes, that's correct. NetEdit doesn't appear to have a problem seeing it since it retrieves the settings from the sim, but if I click "Accept" I get the message mentioned previously.

Andrew.

I have nor further guidance. Next step would be to get some network traces.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 07, 2019, 01:31:43 PM
I'll get on that.

Can you confirm that there are no restrictions in either the Designer or the Sim that would require them to be in the same subnet?

Andrew.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: BobO on May 07, 2019, 01:40:42 PM
I'll get on that.

Can you confirm that there are no restrictions in either the Designer or the Sim that would require them to be in the same subnet?

Andrew.

No. People routinely connect across the Internet.

The key point is routing. When an IP host attempts to connect to another host outside its subnet, the packet gets forwarded to the gateway, who generally also contains a routing function. The fact that NetEdit can see the Sim suggests that routing is fine, but DmD isn't doing anything different. Although DmD does more comms, the interface code is essentially the same.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Controls Guy on May 07, 2019, 03:50:37 PM
Double the timeout value on that link.  Make sure it's high enough.  Default is 100ms, so try 200ms (or more).  Not sure what routing/vpn/internet delays there might be.

This.  Remote access, even if everything is configured correctly, needs more timeout tolerance.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: BobO on May 07, 2019, 03:53:55 PM
And major point...the timeout here isn't the 100ms timeout on the Protocol page, it's the timeout on the Port page hiding under the "Advanced..." button. I think it actually defaults to 250ms, but I would try higher.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Controls Guy on May 07, 2019, 03:54:16 PM
As an interim workaround, could you install DmD on the remote machine and use Team Viewer, Remote Desktop or other remote access to run it there?

In fact, just for giggles, try using the Team Viewer built-in VPN in lieu of their VLAN to run DmD from your end.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: ADC Product Engineer on May 08, 2019, 09:03:39 AM
And don't forget that Windows Firewall or other security software may still be blocking the access.
Title: Re: Simulator in different subnet than Designer
Post by: Andrew S on May 08, 2019, 11:37:01 AM
I was able to get the (local) inter-VLAN option working by changing the firewall rule on the PC with the Sim. I'd opened only UDP/28784 but instead I changed it to all ports and then I was able to access the Sim.

I've not had a chance to attempt the remote connection yet - hopefully later today I'll be able to give that a go, and I'll report back on my results.

Thanks very much everyone for your feedback - it was really helpful.

Regards, Andrew.