Updating old GPIB-ENET Firmware

[DebbieM]

I'm having problems upgrading the firmware on my old GPIB-ENET device.

I downloaded the utilities (EthernetConfig and FirmwareUpdate) from the website since my driver also needs to be upgraded, but cannot communicate with the device. I need to have the IP Address set, but EthernetConfig doesn't recognize the device...so I tried using the old IPassign program, but I'm getting "cannot access device /dev/le." Any suggestions?!

[ScottieB]

What operating system are you using? The GPIB-ENET was mainly used during the Windows 95/98 era of Windows OS's. The EthernetConfig and FirmwareUpdate utilities that you are referring to might be for the GPIB-ENET/100...Where did you download these? Are you sure that you have a GPIB-ENET (metal case, single-color LED's) and not an ENET/100 (plastic casing, multicolored lights on front)? The utilities for the GPIB-ENET are included in the 1.7 driver.

Also, what firmware are you trying to update to? C.9 is the latest for the GPIB-ENET/100, but A.5 is the latest for the GPIB-ENET.

Scott B.
GPIB Software
National Instruments

[DebbieM]

Sorry, I should have included that information in the beginning!

We are using the old GPIB-ENET devices on Solaris 2.6 machines. This was back in the 1999 time frame. Yes the device is the old GPIB-ENET (not 100), metal casing, single colored LEDs. I believe that we are using the v1.3 driver with the devices.

We are currently upgrading our system to use Solaris 9, but would like to continue using the devices that we already have. It's my understanding that we can no longer get new GPIB-ENET devices, so we want to be able to replace them with GPIB-ENET/100 devices if anyhting goes wrong. I had emailed NI last summer, and was told that the v1.4 driver would work with both devices, and that I could download those utilities from the website (http://digital.ni.com/softlib.nsf/websearch/67f3a445bc3b87c3862569f2005855d9?opendocument).

The utilities I got from the website were the FirmwareUpdate and EthernetConfig utilities, and the A.5 version of the firmware (for the old devices). We have one GPIB-ENET/100 device which seems to be working (with pretty much the v1.3 driver and the EthernetConfig utility). I wanted to plug the old device back in (now connected to a Solaris 9 machine), but am unable to assign it an IPAddress.

In summary, to answer your questions...we're using Solaris 9 with the OLD GPIB-ENET devices, but have downloaded utilities that will allow us to use either the GPIB-ENET or the GPIB-ENET/100 devices. We are trying to update the GPIB-ENET device to the A.5 version of the firmware.

Thanks!!

-Debbie 🙂

[LoganS]

Just a quick question - how long do you plan on continuing to use the GPIB-ENET devices along with the GPIB-ENET/100? Also, do you have any other systems available, like an XP machine?

Logan S.

[ScottieB]

Debbie,

The utilities in the link you provided are for the ENET/100 only. The GPIB-ENET/100 and the GPIB-ENET have different firmware update and IPAssignment utilities. I know that you can download the GPIB-ENET utilities for an old version of Windows for free if that would work for you...v1.7 will work on Windows 95/98/Me and you should be able to update GPIB-ENET firmware using its utilities. Here's the link:

http://digital.ni.com/softlib.nsf/websearch/E10418C4F6CFDCC186256BA600644D77?opendocument&node=132070_US

Hope this helps,

Scott B.
GPIB Software
National Instruments

[DebbieM]

Scott,

Thanks for the link, but I don't think it will help. I'm using Solaris, so I'm guessing the utilities for Windows machines won't work.

I knew that the two utilities at the link from the previous message were for the GPIB-ENET/100, so I tried using the IPassign utility that came with the original devices. I thought for sure that would work, but it didn't. Should I try setting the IPAddress on the old GPIB-ENET from an old Solaris machine, and then try to connect it up to the Solaris 9 machine? I'll see if that makes a difference. I'm just nervous that if the old IPassign utility doesn't work, will the others?!

Since the FirmwareUpdate utility is for the GPIB-ENET/100 devices, I'm guessing that I should use the OLD update utility to load the A.5 version of the firmware onto the GPIB-ENET devices - is this correct? Then, will the EthernetConfig utility work with the GPIB-ENET (with A.5) loaded?

I believe it was Logan who asked how long we'd be using both devices, and whether or not we had an XP machine available...We'll be using both devices as long as the GPIB-ENET's ocntinue working. Unfortunately, we will NOT have a Windows machine available to us.

Thanks for your continued help!!

-Deb

[LoganS]

Q: Should I try setting the IPAddress on the old GPIB-ENET from an old Solaris machine, and then try to connect it up to the Solaris 9 machine?
A: Yes.

Q: I'm guessing that I should use the OLD update utility to load the A.5 version of the firmware onto the GPIB-ENET devices - is this correct?
A: Yes, because the new one doesn't sound like it's working for you.

Q: Then, will the EthernetConfig utility work with the GPIB-ENET (with A.5) loaded?
A: Hopefully.

Our main goals are is updating your firmware and getting your IP assigned for your GPIB-ENET, correct? If you have old systems that allow you to update the firmware and edit the IP address, I would use them to get you up and running, until a better work-around is found. Please let us know what happens.

Logan S.

[vtwaldo21]

did anyone ever figure this out?  we are having the same error "cannot access device /dev/le".  We have the old GPIB - ENET 10 base T, running Solaris 2.6. 

[Robert M]

Same questions:

What version of the driver are you using?
What version of the firmware is on the device?
What have you tried so far?
Are you using the old or new versions of EthernetConfig, FirmwareUpdate and IPassign?

It sounds like you may need to use an older system or a Windows system to update the firmware and assign an IP address, then use it through your Solaris 2.6 machine.

[vtwaldo21]

Same answers really. 

I found out what is happening is the IPAssign utility defaults for some reason to use /dev/le as it's network device, if you just move that link (/dev/le) out of the way and create a new link

/dev/le -> /dev/hme (probably)

then it will work.  Well, by work I mean the IPAssign utility does as it says and the lights flash appropriately on the devie.  However the actually GPIB-ENET doesn't seem (for me) to get the new ip address.  I think the memory in them is a little shotty and maybe you have to perform the test a few dozen times for it to actually set.  I've actually given up on this so don't know for sure. I'll post again if I find an answer.

an older machine than 2.6?  good luck finding at 8086 laying around...