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General Category => Do-more CPUs and Do-more Designer Software => Topic started by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 12:04:36 PM

Title: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 12:04:36 PM

I have a BX-DM1E at a remote site that I've been accessing for about two years.    There is a PC embedded in the remote site running Windows with VPN software adapter installed and routing enabled.

My symptoms today are this:   If I turn on the VPN and make the appropriate entry in my local route table, I can ping the remote PLC, with about a 70ms response time, which is pretty typical for this VPN.  If I run a local (to me) instance of DMD it can't connect to the PLC, even though I can ping it.   I can connect to the PLC with DMD running on the router PC.   It seems weird that if I can ping it with reasonable response times, I can't connect with DMD, especially when I've always been able to.   I've attached a Wireshark capture.  I have the connection timeouts in the link set for several seconds (and the ping is like 70ms).

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: franji1 on February 15, 2021, 12:09:15 PM

What's the firmware version in the PLC, along with the GA version?

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 12:15:40 PM

OS:       2.8.0 (prerelease)
Booter:   1.0.7
FPGA:     1.12

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 12:22:55 PM

You asking for the versions reminded me that we physically replaced this PLC in September for some feature upgrades and also to cut over to DM version 2.8 with the adjustable TLS time slice for emails.   I believe I've been able to access it since then, but maybe not, I've slept since then, so who knows.    Perhaps all the successful remote accesses were to the old PLC with the original firmware (late 2019).

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: franji1 on February 15, 2021, 01:30:10 PM

Definitely update the O/S and GA/Booter via the remote PC.  Someone will need to power-cycle the PLC remotely to get the GA/Booter to "take affect".

EDIT: Do LIVE UPDATE to ensure you have the latest/greatest on the remote PC

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 02:31:10 PM

Oh heck.   I doubt if the site people can spell PLC.

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 02:32:07 PM

I should add a relay to these sites so the PLC can reboot itself.

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Bolt on February 15, 2021, 06:40:17 PM

Quote from: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 02:32:07 PM

I should add a relay to these sites so the PLC can reboot itself.

That thought crossed my mind as I read franj's reply.  How would that work, execute some logic to trigger an external time delay relay, then use that time to preform your necessary updates?

Title: Re: Difficulty accessing BRX via Routed Connection
Post by: Controls Guy on February 15, 2021, 11:43:39 PM

Possibly.   Or, is it possible to switch back to run mode after loading the new booter to ROM long enough to fire a NC relay controlling the PLC power?   I hate to do anything irreversible while doing a booter update, cause you can brick the thing.   Also there is another PLC acting as a firewall for job requests from the site (currently without i/o).  You could have that one reboot the flashed one.