can measurement and automation work outside the local subnet?

[Fuels]

Does anyone have experience working with compact FP outside the local subnet?  Are there specific ports needed for this communication?

[StefanK]

Hi AEL,

if it's that you just cannot find the remote system in MAX (Measurement and Automation Explorer), try to add the system manually in MAX following this link: http://www.ni.com/support/fieldpoint/fpenet.htm
(here is an excerpt)

Verify that your FieldPoint System is detected by expanding the Remote Systems tree (click the [+] beside Remote Systems). Your device will show up as 0.0.0.0 if it has not been assigned an IP address. If your device is not listed, refresh the list by pressing <F5>. Devices which have not been configured with an IP address must be on the same local subnet as the host in order to configure the IP address. If your device is already configured with an IP address but is not on the local subnet, you may add it to remote systems by right-clicking on Remote Systems and selecting "Create New". Then complete the wizard to add your system.

Select the remote system by clicking on it once and then select the Network Settings tab at the bottom of the window on the right-hand side.

Be sure, that you can reach your remote system by e.g. "pinging" it and that your firewall settings are right for communication with other devices.

If this doesn't answer your question, please let me know.

Best Regards,

Stefan

[Fuels]

Stefan-

I should better describe the set up.  I have a fpc2020 behind a router on a local subnet.  It will connect for about 15 seconds... then disconnect and grey out all options. Once disconnected, there is no opportunity to change or modify any settings. .

The greyed out sections show the correct IP, mac address, name, model #, serial #, and subnet mask.

I have also tried changing speeds to every possible combination..from 100 full duplex to 10 half duplex, on both sides. (from control panel, hardware settings) Measurement and automation will not allow anything below 100 full duplex. I can change the settings but they revert back to 100 full duplex once the unit reboots. It will also not allow polling changes. (in other words they won't "stick")

Your idea to ping the unit may be on the right track.  It will ping on the same subnet, by IP, but will not ping by name, I think this is related to DNS mapping, but don't have an idea of how to set this or proceed.   Any suggestions?    Thanks

[StefanK]

AEL,

the problem indeed seems to be more difficile as I thought.

You said, that you're using a FP-2020 and that you loose the connection. Additionally interesting would be the fact, if it behaves the same way, if the system is peer to peer connected to your host machine ... Anyway, I think that the problem is a Startup.exe, that uses all the system resources, so that the communication process is blocked by a higher priority task. In this case the ping is also impossible.

You could check that by activating the "Disable Startup VI" switch (dip switch on your cFP-2020 module). If you set this switch to true, the system should boot and the communication process should have enough resources to run properly. To permanently deactivate your application, ftp the controller and delete the startup.exe file from the "startup folder" (to the c:\ni-rt\startup). After that you could alter the "Disable Startup VI" switch again and the system should work normally.

I think this should resolve your problem, if not, I suggest to contact our technical support.

Please keep me up to date

Good luck, Stefan

Additional Links:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/FC8EB163DA4D4FB286256F10005B0418

[Fuels]

Stephan-

I tried both the disable vi switch, as well as the manual delete vi method.  The same problems remain: It will detect the 2020, IP, subnet mask, etc, but dissconnect in about 20 secs and grey out all options in measurement and automation.  I have contacted tech support for help with this.