Determine a cRIO IP address when MAX cannot find the target. NI 9072/9073/9074, NI 9075/9076, NI 9148

[Ryan01]

ALREADY SOLVED BUT I THOUGHT I'D SHARE.

I've spent countless hours troubleshooting network issues with cRIOs. MAX cannot find the target whether my computer has a static IP set to what cRIOs boot to (169.254.103.162), or my computer is set to automatically obtain an IP address. i ensure i have all the correct drivers installed on my computer, specifically the latest NI-RIO device drivers, and MAX will still smetimes not work. A friend of mine showed me this useful trick.

I'm usually dealing with: NI 9072/9073/9074, NI 9075/9076, NI 9148. The 9072/9073/9074 must have the console out rocker switch enabled. THE NI 9075/9076 AND NI 9148 MUST HAVE ENABLE CONSOLE OUT CHECKBOX CHECKED IN MAX, SYSTEM SETTINGS TAB DURING A PREVIOUS CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CRIO AND COMPUTER. Note the default login for cRIOs is user: admin & leave the password blank.

If you still cannot find the cRIO in MAX, do the following.

1. Plug a null modem serial cable such as Startech, part # ICUSB232FTN, cable into the cRIO and into the computer.
2. Install the startech software using the cd that came with the cable. Within the cd, navigate to the this folder. The last folder could be different if you have a different operating system. E:\USB_to_IO\USB_to_Serial\(32_64bit)Win7_8_XP_Vista_2008_2003_2000_98_ME
3. Right click my computer>manage>device manager>ports and see what COM port the usb cable is on.
4. Download PuTTY at the following link chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html
5. With Session selected at left hand side in PuTTY, enter the COM from the device manager in the serial line field and select connection type: Serial. See the Referenced article below “How Do I Enable the Console Out on CompactRIO, Single-Board RIO, CompactFieldPoint Controllers?” for details.
6. A black window will come up.
7. Unplug the cRIO and plug it back in. Upon boot, it will populate the black window with a lot of diagnostic information on the cRIO. Within this you’ll see something like Device 1 - MAC addr: 00:80:2F:19:75:19 - 192.168.0.101 /24 (primary - static).
8. Solved! You now have the IP Address of the cRIO.

References and Notes

How Do I Enable the Console Out on CompactRIO, Single-Board RIO, CompactFieldPoint Controllers?

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/354A5124E6A667988625701B004A77CD

Configure CompactRIO With a Static IP Address

http://www.ni.com/getting-started/set-up-hardware/compactrio/static-ip

To change the computer IP address: start>control panel, network and internet>network and sharing center>change adapter settings>right click properties on network connection>double click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)> then enter the desired IP address.

[Ryan01]

For structural, mechanical, & controls projects, contact me.

Ryan Moore, PE, CLD

ryan.moore@aiken-engineering.com

Aiken Engineering Company

Office: 281-580-8468

[RobH_DA]

Hello @Ryan01

Reviving a rather old thread, but hopefully there is still someone around to reply.

I have a cRIO9072 that I try to get working. I have connected it directly with an Ethernet cable to the network card in my PC, but I cannot find the IP address. I also tried a cross-over cable, starting in safe mode, updating drivers, disabling firewall, etc. All to no avail.

I have also tried the method described in your answer via the null-modem / serial option you described and get a reply from the cRIO. It however replies with:
Device 1 - MAC address: 00:80:2F:10:F1:30 - 0.0.0.0 (primary)
System state: Unconfigured
ERR [KERN] in_arpinput:1232: arp: d8:47:32:a3:a2:2d is using my IP address 0.0.0.0!

So an empty IP address basically. I still can't connect to it. What can be going wrong and how can I solve it?

[RavensFan]

Do you have the NI-RIO drivers installed on the PC that has MAX installed?  I know without those drivers, MAX won't find cRIO's.

[RobH_DA]

Hello RavensFan

I have what I believe to be the correct drivers installed. I for example also have a cRio 9035 connected to the same PC (not at the same time with the one I'm trying right now though), and that works like a charm.

Further info (progress of the last few minutes): In MAX I can find the cRIO device with the correct "MAX system identification name" on the 0.0.0.0 IP address under "Remote Systems" via the "Troubleshoot Remote Systems Discovery". It then creates and lists the device under "Remote Systems", but says its status is Disconnected, and I can't change any of the settings. IP reset (the DIP switch method) does not work.

[RavensFan]

Okay.  That sounds like it should be working.

Have you tried connected though both of the ethernet ports or just one?  In case there is a settings issue or a physical hardware issue with one particular port.

[RobH_DA]

I have indeed tried both ethernet ports, but that did not help.

Some more progress: I have multiple NI9072 devices. So I tried a second one. This one did respond with a 'normal' IP address and I was able to find it as a remote system. I then proceeded with the steps to configure dhcp as via here: https://www.ni.com/getting-started/set-up-hardware/compactrio/dhcp
The device rebooted, but now gave an error over the serial:
Initializing network...

Ethernet initialization timed out.

dhcpcBind failed, errno=0x31

initializeDHCP FAILED!

Unable to configure the primary network device

Loading LVRT...
Time sync source: rct now active
NI-RIO Server 2.4 started succesfully.

NI-VISA Server 4.3 started succesfully.

Welcome to LabVIEW Real-Time 8.5.1

NI Variable Engine: Error: Failed to initialize PSP XT Server


I then proceeded with restarting the cRIO, but with the "Reset IP" DIP switch to ON. I reset it, and now it gives the exact same error as the first module (IP = 0.0.0.0)! The status LED is blinking with 2s interval.
What to do?

[rolfk]

You should only enable DHCP if there is actually a DHCP server available on your network! That is usually the case if you connect it to your office network and even your ADSL modem or similar at home should provide a DHCP service. But if you do a direct crossover connection to your computer's TCP/IP port, there won't be any DHCP server available to serve the request from the cRIO system. Windows, except the Server versions, has no DHCP server enabled normally as that would potentially conflict if you connect your computer to a network that does have a DHCP server already.

Did you reset the "Reset TCP/IP address" switch to off and restarted again?

[RobH_DA]

Hello Rolf.

My bad about the DHCP. That was indeed not so smart. Thanks for your explanation, that does make it clear.

Unfortunately the 9072 now seems to be locked in this state (similar to the one I tried yesterday). Toggling the "IP reset" switch and resetting the module does not seem to have any effect. It keeps on responding with IP 0.0.0.0. How can I get it out of this state again?

What I have tried:
- "IP reset" switch to on -> reset cRIO (still 0.0.0.0) -> switch to off -> reset cRIO (still 0.0.0.0)
- Toggle switch to on and back to off while it is on -> reset cRIO (still 0.0.0.0)
- The two above procedures both with and without the module connected to the PC with the ethernet cable.