Host Engineering Forum

General Category => Do-more CPUs and Do-more Designer Software => Topic started by: Controls Guy on June 04, 2021, 03:12:14 PM

Title: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 04, 2021, 03:12:14 PM
I'm on-site commissioning a system with two BX-DM1E-M-D's, one of which has a ECOMEX (MACID 80:30:3d).   When I was unable to ping the POM (which has a fixed IP from the program), I tried unsuccessfully to set via NetEdit and IPConfig.   Connect to the BRX internal port and the POM shows as a blank cover in Dashboard.  Can still see broadcasts from it's MAC at IP 0.0.0.0.  Conclude it's a bad POM.

Fortunately my partner has an ECOMLT in his bag (MACID 10:02:56), which is OK for this application as the POM only has to act as a Modbus/TCP server.   Since this could possibly be a POM that we purchased a long time ago as a programming tool, it might be pre-Modbus.   So I have two questions: Is that MAC new enough to support Modbus? and: If not, is it possible to flash POM firmware to the current generation LT?
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 04, 2021, 05:26:31 PM
Update:  Managed to find a cable long enough to get to the Modbus/TCP client, and the LT is late enough to support Modbus/TCP.

Still would like to know the MACID cutoff for MTCP support and also if it's possible to flash to current version.

Thanks!
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 04, 2021, 08:43:07 PM
They are fully upgradable.

The ECOMEX needs latest OS and GA. Are both up to date?
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 04, 2021, 09:05:32 PM
Dunno, will check tomorrow, and also see if it works after any upgrade.  Thx!
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 01:02:22 AM
1. What's the process for updating firmware in a POM that I can't convince to have an IP address?

2. I can't find any ECOMEX firmware in the firmware page, only ECOMLT
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 05, 2021, 08:41:21 AM
1. What's the process for updating firmware in a POM that I can't convince to have an IP address?

2. I can't find any ECOMEX firmware in the firmware page, only ECOMLT

There is no firmware in the ECOMEX.  I'm talking about the PLC OS and GA. Set its IP address up in the POM config. I think the SETUPIP instruction was broken for ECOMEX, but should be fixed in the latest OS.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 09:49:24 AM
The EX wouldn't set when installed in either PLC.  Both PLCs were at 2.8.6 / 1.0.10.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 05, 2021, 10:08:13 AM
The EX wouldn't set when installed in either PLC.  Both PLCs were at 2.8.6 / 1.0.10.

Did you set it with the POM config? That is primary. The instruction should work, but is secondary.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 10:16:54 AM
That was the issue.   It was set in the POM option setup dialog, but as an LT rather than an EX.  I probably thought it was going to be an LT when I originally set up the PLC.  [hangs head in shame].

Installed the EX in the other PLC with no POM option setup and it shows up in Dashboard just fine.  Haven't tried NetEdit or IPConfig as yet, but I'm sure that must have been the problem.  Sorry for the wild goose chase!
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 05, 2021, 10:24:23 AM
That was the issue.   It was set in the POM option setup dialog, but as an LT rather than an EX.  I probably thought it was going to be an LT when I originally set up the PLC.  [hangs head in shame].

Installed the EX in the other PLC with no POM option setup and it shows up in Dashboard just fine.  Haven't tried NetEdit or IPConfig as yet, but I'm sure that must have been the problem.  Sorry for the wild goose chase!

There are configurations for both EX and LT, and they can be different. POM configs have to be supersets, since they are hot swappable.

Key difference between EX and LT. LT is a copro. EX is a secondary NIC. EX has no config of its own, ever. LT can have its own IP config, or be overridden by the POM config.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 10:27:23 AM
OK, that makes sense, and that's why the device for the EX can be @IntEthernet.   It's not a conflict because both it and the internal port are handled the same place with IP routing determined in real time.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 10:32:35 AM
Oh, so that means an EX can never have a permanent IP address once unplugged from the PLC?   So it can't work with NetEdit or IPConfig?   Or it can, but the config is actually in the BRX, so it will lose it once unplugged from the PLC?

I was thinking that the EX was like an LT with mastering added, but in reality they both do some things the other will not. [light comes on] That explains why the LT is still available!  Sometimes ya gotta hit me with a stick before I get it.   ;D
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 05, 2021, 10:33:16 AM
OK, that makes sense, and that's why the device for the EX can be @IntEthernet.   It's not a conflict because both it and the internal port are handled the same place with IP routing determined in real time.

Precisely correct.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 05, 2021, 10:33:41 AM
Oh, so that means an EX can never have a permanent IP address once unplugged from the PLC?   So it can't work with NetEdit or IPConfig?

I was thinking that the EX was like an LT with mastering added, but in reality they both do some things the other will not. [light comes on] That explains why the LT is still available!  Sometimes ya gotta hit me with a stick before I get it.   ;D

And again, precisely correct.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 10:34:51 AM
And again, precisely correct.

You're probably talking about the stick comment here!    ;)
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: BobO on June 05, 2021, 02:02:18 PM
You're probably talking about the stick comment here!    ;)

Lol. I think that stick part is assumed for us old guys.  ;)
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 05, 2021, 03:06:31 PM
Right, because we were there for the introduction of sticks!
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: franji1 on June 06, 2021, 08:25:49 AM
Oh, you had sticks!?!  You young whipper snappers.
Title: Re: POM Issues / Questions
Post by: Controls Guy on June 06, 2021, 10:13:14 AM
Not at first.  There was a long wait with a lot of meetings and so forth, prototypes, big PR campaign, write a manual,  etc.