FBUS Probe Node

[9845567540]

Is it possible to continuously send Probe Nodes to the Field Device and monitor the probe response to check if any packet is missed out?

I would like to program the NI-FBUS configurator to programatically send PNs.

[9845567540]

The intention is to send 60,000 PNs and analyze the failure of probe response i my field device. Any help in this regards will be very valuable.

[Vince Shen]

To analyze the data packet on the network, you need to purchase NI-FBUS Monitor software. Here is the information of NI-FBUS Monitor.

https://www.ni.com/en/support/downloads/software-products/download.ni-fbus-monitor-software.html

NI-FBUS Monitor can capture all the packets in the network and display them in decoded format. You can easily analyze the PN response from the capturing result.

Only the LAS device in the network continuously sends PN packets.  So the field device you use must has link master capability. NI-FBUS interface device (USB-8486, PCI-FBUS and PCMCIA-FBUS) will always become the LAS. What you need to do is simply connect your link master field device into the network and disconnect the interface device.  Your field device take over the LAS role automatically.  

[9845567540]

Thank you. I understand that only link master can send PNs. Here's what i would like to do.

 1) connect NI interface device and my field device in to the network. NI interface device would act as link master.

2) programtically send 60,000 PNs to the connected field device using NI-FBUS configurator software.

3) Monitor with NI-FBUS monitor if all 60,000 PNs are responded by the field device.

Is this possible with your PCI/PCMCIA NI cards?

[Vince Shen · Accepted solution]

1. NI-FBUS interface device always acts as the link master and LAS.

2. The stack (firmware) of the NI-FBUS interface card (PCI/PCMCIA-FBUS/USB-8486) is responsible for sending PNs. The stack is running on the interface device. It can not be controlled external. Actually, there is no need to programatically send PNs. NI-FBUS interface card will send PNs automatically and continuously as long as Communications Manager is running. You do not need to run Configurator.

3. Communications Manager or Configurator can not monitor FF data packets in protocol level. Configurator is a configuration tool without data packet monitoring functionality. To do this, you must use NI-FBUS Monitor software. Monitor is a tool for protocol-level data packet capturing and analysis.