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Author Topic: netedit  (Read 8032 times)

amos

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netedit
« on: January 16, 2011, 11:18:43 PM »
Hi
   Is it possible in netedit to get a ecomm100 to show up through a router. On our network we different vlans for the control and data networks. If they are on the same vlan it's ok but as soon as we go through the router they don't show up. I can still make a link to them in direct soft. I would be nice to be able to update the ecomms from different vlans. Or am I missing something? 

MikeS

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Re: netedit
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2011, 08:40:57 AM »
You're not missing anything; the problem is that NetEdit uses IP and IPX broadcasts to do all of it's work, and typically, routers don't allow broadcasts packets to pass through.
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BobO

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Re: netedit
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2011, 08:11:04 PM »
As a matter of clarification:

NetEdit uses broadcasts due to what its function is...a utility to configure unconfigured devices. It is impossible to route to a device that doesn't have an IP address...hence...you either connect to the device through different means...serial port, for instance, or use broadcasts and a bit of magic. We chose the latter. Had we chosen the serial port, however, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work very well over a router either. ;)
« Last Edit: January 17, 2011, 10:58:14 PM by BobO »
"It has recently come to our attention that users spend 95% of their time using 5% of the available features. That might be relevant." -BobO

amos

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Re: netedit
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2011, 10:56:10 PM »
Thank you for the explanation. Also on a ecom "not ecom100" I cant quite see how I can make a link the it from different vlans, yet it works without a gateway to the router. I'm not that Ethernet savvy.

BobO

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Re: netedit
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2011, 11:07:47 PM »
Not completely sure I understand the question, but I can elaborate on the differences between the modules and maybe that will answer it.

The original ECOM did not ever generate its own traffic...like sending an email...it simply responded to requests from clients. As such, it did not need a gateway address...it simply responded to whatever address sent in the request. In a routed environment, the gateway is always the guy on the local network that is forwarding the request, consequently, by answering him you are always answering the right node.

With the ECOM100, it implements a full TCP/IP stack and is capable of initiating traffic, consequently it needs to know the address of the gateway to be able to send requests outside the local network. Since the ECOM100 stack has gateway awareness, it needs a valid gateway to function correctly.

Not sure if that helped...but if not, I can try again. ;D
"It has recently come to our attention that users spend 95% of their time using 5% of the available features. That might be relevant." -BobO

b_carlton

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Re: netedit
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2011, 11:21:14 PM »
Let me try on a low level.

'Ethernet' defines electrical specifications and the basic format for sending a message.

But various 'messages' can be transferred over the 'Ethernet' format.

Some can provide a very specific address which is targeted to only one unit. These may be the MAC address which is burned into the Ethernet chip (think of the VIN for a car) and 'should be' unique. Another level may be the IP address which is assigned on a system level (think the license plate number for a car).

Others are of the 'hello anybody!' type of message to which there may be a number of units which may reply. These are more commonly referred to as 'broadcast' messages.

Many intelligent switches are set up to specifically NOT transfer these 'broadcast' messages even if they're of the type of 'hello anybody made by AutomationDirect!'. (Which is essentially (though possibly limited to Host Automation) the type of message that Netedit originally sends out to see if anyone is there.)

Obviously I know very little about this. It will take a lot of studying to understand the different levels of messages. But, the message sent to a specific target is more likely to get through the layers of switching. BobO was referring to these more sophisticated level of addressing messages.
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amos

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Re: netedit
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2011, 08:43:10 PM »
   Thank You for the replies. Yes that did answer my question.