I have some older plants that the programming software only runs in Windows XP and I see that as of Oct 1, eCatcher will no longer work in XP. Is there a way to use eCatcher on my host computer so that my VMWare will connect to it? Or is there another workaround?
Yes, you should be able to run eCatcher on a host machine and share the connection with an XP VM running on VMWare.
How would I do that?
Regards,
Lonny Demers
Instrumentation and Controls Technician
Clearford Water Systems Inc.
You would have to refer to the VMWare documentation for the version you’re using. The adapter you would need to share or bridge is the TAP adapter called “Talk2m-eCatcher”. Maybe this link would be helpful: Configuring Bridged Networking Options on a Windows Host
Hi @kyle_HMS, I am using VMWare Pro (Windows XP SP2 32-bit OS).The OS of my host PC is Windows 10 (64-bit). Like others in this thread, I’m trying to access the eCatcher app inside of my Windows XP VM (which is already installed on the host).
Can you further explain how to setup the VPN connection? Am I basically accessing the eCatcher app inside of the WinXP VM via an IP address (via Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, etc)?
Also, I don’t need to use the Ewon itself. I just need access to the eCatcher app. I noticed on the host side that the TAP adapter is displayed as “Network cable unplugged.”
I just don’t know what to do after setting up VMWare’s VM setting as bridged connection (or even custom) to eCatcher’s TAP adapter (“Talk2m-eCatcher”).
Hi @ATeam,
You need to install eCatcher on the host, and log into your T2M account and connect to an Ewon. The host will then share that VPN connection with virtual machine.
This is because you are not connected to an Ewon. You can’t share the VPN Connection if the VPN Connection is not made.
It sounds like you are just missing the step of connecting to an Ewon with the host. That process opens the VPN connection using the TAP adapter.
Can you explain what you mean by this? What exactly are you trying to do? Maybe you don’t need to use this process at all. For example, if you are just trying to access a web server on the remote network, you could use M2Web.
Thank you for your reply @kyle_HMS. I personally only use the eCatcher app (to remotely troubleshoot programming issues in PLC’s/PAC’s/controllers. People local to the PLC’s/PAC’s/controllers physically have Ewons installed, while I use programming software in my VMWare virtual machines along with the eCatcher app (installed on each of these VMs) to support. So I don’t have an Ewon readily available to me locally, but others who I help actually have the Ewons which is remotely away from me.
The OS of these virtual machines where this works for me is Windows 10 and Windows 7 respectively.
I need to do the same for my Windows XP VM, but I can’t install eCatcher on that VM as it’s no longer supported on that OS.
OK, thanks for explaining. So yes, you will need to get eCatcher installed on the host, then connect to eCatcher on the host, and share that connection with the VM. Make sure that you are connected on the host and can ping the PLC.
@kyle_HMS Correct - eCatcher is already installed on the host.
How do I "share that connection with the VM”?
I’m using VMWare Workstation Pro as my VM.
You may need to share the connection in windows first (see attached), then follow instructions for VMWare on how to create a network adapter that is bridged to a network adapter to the host.
Keep in mind, this is not officially supported. We do not support Windows XP.
AM-1010-00 - Share Talk2m VPN Connection.pdf (361.5 KB)
Thanks @kyle_HMS. Just to recap, if this even works (since you mentioned, WinXP is not supported) - do I absolutely need access to a Ewon in order for the connection to my Windows XP VM to work (as described in the PDF you attached)?
I.e. am I required to have access to an Ewon in order for my Windows XP VM to have access (make the connection through the Talk2m-eCatcher adapter) to my host’s installed eCatcher app?
For example, I noticed that my TAP-Windows Adapter V9 is listed as “Network cable unplugged” as displayed on page 7 of your attached PDF.
Lastly, if the answer is yes to my question above - after I make the connection, how do I control the eCatcher app from inside of my Windows XP VM?
Am I doing so via the internet/webpage inside of the Windows XP VM? Or is it through a network drive?
Yes, you need to connect to the Ewon through eCatcher on the host before you can have a connection to it in the VM.
This is because you have not connected to the Ewon in eCatcher.
You aren’t able to control the eCatcher app from inside the VM, only through the host. The host shares the connection with the VM using the VMWare networking settings.
@kyle_HMS Thank you for your assistance. I got it working by bridging my NIC card to the VM. I didn’t try bridging the Talk2m-eCatcher adapter to the VM, but I am confident that it would have worked too.
Thank you again - this ticket can be closed.
1 Like