DL240 Comms issues

[bradk]

I have a brand new Koyo 205 PLC with DL240 CPU which i cannot connect to. Laptop is a Dell Latitude E550 with a serial port running Windows 7. I have verified that i am using the correct cable & have "belled out" the cable to prove there are no breaks in it.

I firstly tried installing DirectSOFT 4 on a VMware virtual machine but could not connect to the PLC. I have numerous other PLC software packages using serial ports running on other virtual machines without issue.

To eliminate the VM as an issue, i installed DirectSOFT on the host PC.....still no connection. I have been right though the troubleshooting guide, but still have not had success. DirectSOFT is the only software package on the host PC which requires a serial port so i don't believe the port is being used by anything else.

Error message is "Error connecting to PLC!" and "No response from PLC!"

I have taken a comms dump using DBWin32 Logger which is attached.

Can anyone help me out here??

[Greg]

The error messages you are getting mean DirectSOFT found the COM port on your PC OK, but it still had trouble connecting to the PLC port. Normally, I would say you need to check cabling or other physical things outside the PC like grounding and radiated electrical noise or possibly a bad communication port on your DL240. Are you connecting via a modem?

Your best bet is probably to talk to Automation Direct tech service. They are very experienced at resolving these things over the phone:

Automation Direct Contact Info:
Main website: http://www.automationdirect.com
Worldwide sales: http://web2.automationdirect.com/adc/ContactUs/ContactUs
Tech help website: http://support.automationdirect.com
Forum: http://forum.automationdirect.com
Telephone (USA): 770-844-4200 (from 9am to 6pm EST, Monday-Friday)
FAX (USA): 770-886-3199
E-mail: http://support.automationdirect.com/techinquiry.html

3505 Hutchinson Road
Cumming, GA 30040

[bradk]

Problem turned out to be the cable.

Even though continuity for each core was OK, it must have been too noisy. I constructed a cable using CAT5E twisted pair and went straight online.

The cable in question was part of a kit by FACTS Engineering. It appears to be phone cable.....no twisted pairs....