Peerlink

[DLTimmons]

Is there a way to make peerlink reject data from PLC out side of it subnet? I am working the first of 10 groups of 3-4 PLC's that need to talk with each other in that group but not direct with the other groups and the group need to communicate with a server over the shop network. Would be nice to have the address of each group set so that I can take a laptop and connect locally with any group and not have to hunt for IP address so I can connect. Of course you to make this connection with some thing when it's down and you have half of management there wanting to know when your going to have it running

Right now it looks like Modbus is the only way and keep the link to the server.

Donnie

[BobO]

Unfortunately, no. PEERLINK uses straight broadcasts to make it simple and foolproof. We made an active decision to leave out the configurablility and addressibility to keep it that way. DLRX/DLWX would probably be the best choice.

[ADC Product Engineer]

If this were me, I would put in managed switches and separate the PLC groups on VLAN's.

[DLTimmons]

If this were me, I would put in managed switches and separate the PLC groups on VLAN's.

Our IT group does not understand a machine environment and they want to control the network.

[DLTimmons]

Unfortunately, no. PEERLINK uses straight broadcasts to make it simple and foolproof. We made an active decision to leave out the configurablility and addressibility to keep it that way. DLRX/DLWX would probably be the best choice.

I will use the Modbus TCP as that's the way the server will communicating with the PLC any way.

[BobO]

Our IT group does not understand a machine environment and they want to control the network.

This conjurs memories of Mordac the Preventer of Information Services.

[DLTimmons]

This conjurs memories of Mordac the Preventer of Information Services.

Controlling data is one thing controlling a machine that can crash and damage it's self another

[BobO]

This conjurs memories of Mordac the Preventer of Information Services.

Controlling data is one thing controlling a machine that can crash and damage it's self another

Indeed!

[PLCGuy]

DLTimmons, check with your IT and see if they will give you a block of IP addresses. Out IT set up a machine network and gave us a block of addresses we control. We give them the info and they log it. The machine network has its own xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx. IT then gives us access to that network from any other work network. I can be at my office or on my notebook or in China and access that network. If the machine network goes down, it will not crash anything else. Works great. Sometimes IT departments can be hard heads and not willing to do this for you.

[DLTimmons]

DLTimmons, check with your IT and see if they will give you a block of IP addresses. Out IT set up a machine network and gave us a block of addresses we control. We give them the info and they log it. The machine network has its own xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx. IT then gives us access to that network from any other work network. I can be at my office or on my notebook or in China and access that network. If the machine network goes down, it will not crash anything else. Works great. Sometimes IT departments can be hard heads and not willing to do this for you.

Years ago they gave us a block in the lower 100 address of 192.168.4.X then a about four years ago had us change to 10.1.0.X still the same lower 100 address. then two years ago had us change to 20.1.0.X and set it up on a v-lan. about 6 months ago they finally gave me a port in my office that I could connect to the 20.1.0 subnet with so I had to have a second Ethernet port on my desk top for that connection. Now we used the 100 address up and need more the problem is they have radios and switches on the up 150 address all over it and we have no ideal what address they have used. Part of the problem is we have had 4 different network admin's in the last 8 years each want to do things differently. We have close to 30 WinPLC's with about 12 on the network the rest are stand along. Now we are adding Do-mores with remote I/o and multiply PLC in groups.