Do More CPU with Ecom 100 and target IP

[Henryp]

When using an Ecom 100 and a Do more CPU it appears that the ability to exchange data by using a target IP address is limited to only the Do More’s Ethernet port. When I try to setup a Modbus read or write command using the ECOM 100 card, under device options, the Ecom 100 is not a choice. When I try to setup a Direct logic read or write the IP address is grayed out. Have I missed something in my configuration?

BTW
Thanks for the PING command!

[MikeS]

You're observations are correct. In most respects, the ECOM100 is treated as a legacy device, so ...

Both the MRX and MWX instructions are limited using the onboard serial and Ethernet ports, and DLRX and DLWX instructions can target an ECOM100 but they can only use the module ID.

We do have plans to change this behavior and allow the ECOM100 to perform most of the functions that the onboard port can.

Can I ask why you need to run Modbus comm (or DL comm) through the ECOM100 module and not the onboard Ethernet port? If you are trying to segregate traffic between HMIs, C-More panels and such, can you use the ECOM100 for DmDesigner programming and HMI access and use the onboard port for Modbus comm.

[Henryp]

We have 50 field sites reporting to a DL PLC that acts as frontend data collector. It holds about 900 signals. The existing system uses two serial ports for redundancy and an Ecom100 to talk with my SCADA software.  With the existing system if the radios got hacked, the hacker would have no direct connection to my main SCADA system. I want to replace the DL PLC with a Do-more so I can read the tags a little faster and I still want the isolation of separate communication ports.  Also, I have more than one Ethernet radio path into the plant.

Thanks

[Greg]

Henryp: "...an Ecom100 to talk with my SCADA software."

Since in your OP you are trying to get the ECOM100 to be a Modbus TCP master, I take it that your SCADA system is not polling the ECOM100, but rather the ECOM100 is supposed to send data to the SCADA system? Or is this not true?

[Henryp]

The Do-more is polling the remote PLCs using the internal Ethernet port and the SCADA software is polling the local Do-more PLC using the Ecom 100 port.

[Greg]

So, everything is working the way you want now?

[Henryp]

The direct logic controller that I want to replace collects data out of two separate ECOM communication ports. Data collection is alternated and this avoids a single point of failure The Do-more can’t currently  match this functionality using two ECOMs but it is working using the built in port.

[BobO]

The direct logic controller that I want to replace collects data out of two separate ECOM communication ports. Data collection is alternated and this avoids a single point of failure The Do-more can’t currently  match this functionality using two ECOMs but it is working using the built in port.

With the exception of some of the setup IBoxes that are not supported, Do-more should be able to do any of the peer comms through ECOM100 that can be done in DL. We can't directly use an IP address through an ECOM100, but neither can a DL controller. If I recall, IP addresses are done through the peer configuration, and I'm way out in a limb here, but I thought Modbus commands were issued to ECOM100 through RX/WX. All of that same behavior should be supported in Do-more. It certainly isn't as easy to use as MRX/MWX through the internal port, but I don't think it is any worse through ECOM100 than under DL.

Please correct my if I'm making stuff up...I've been do Do-more for so long now, my DL-Fu is weak...

[rlp122]

With the exception of some of the setup IBoxes that are not supported, Do-more should be able to do any of the peer comms through ECOM100 that can be done in DL. We can't directly use an IP address through an ECOM100, but neither can a DL controller. If I recall, IP addresses are done through the peer configuration, and I'm way out in a limb here, but I thought Modbus commands were issued to ECOM100 through RX/WX. All of that same behavior should be supported in Do-more. It certainly isn't as easy to use as MRX/MWX through the internal port, but I don't think it is any worse through ECOM100 than under DL.

Please correct my if I'm making stuff up...I've been do Do-more for so long now, my DL-Fu is weak...

That sounds correct to me.