Remote node discovery difference comparing bewteen netbiter and COSY131

Ewon Support eWON Cosy
#1

hello,
we have been using COSY and netbiter to do the remote programming, so far so good.
recently I noticed a difference of the ability of discovering node address remotely:

  1. with netbiter (quickconnect), I can do everything in siemens TIA: below are the photos:
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  2. with eCatcher, I am still good to do the downloading and changes, however I can not scan the nodes which means I can not check and change the IP mapping. below are the photos:
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something I must missed, but what?
hope your guys could give me some leads for this… thank you.

#2

Hi,

If you are doing PLC discover you will need to make sure your ewon has the latest firmware.

#4

hi,
the one actually I am playing with is Flexy205, it has latest 13.2s1. still can not discover the node in siemens simatic manager or TIA.
I noticed that when using eCatcher, it always show a red cross on its adaptor while it is working for program downloading; when using the netbiter, the quickconnect adaptor shows no red cross.

#5

From the picture I believe you are using the wrong adapter. Please try your ethernet card like in the following instructions.
https://websupport.ewon.biz/support/product/cosy-141-plc-area-siemens/siemens-0#tia

#6

if using Talk2m-eCatcher, I have to select TAP-windows adaptor V9… as the path. I don’t think I can use network card anymore. it never worked that way. If there is a way to select network card as path while you are using COSY/Flexy, show me how to do it please. the links you refer with doesn’t help, either old file or don’t work.

#8

Please follow this document on enabling Broadcast forwarding.

#9

hi Zach, thanks for following up with my question.
I did what you suggested, Bro forward was set to 1. so I set the firewall to high and define PLC and HMI IP prior. I can ping those IPs as usual, but still can not discover it in siemens TIA. I feel setting firewall to high is doing opposite than what we need.
we need to discover all nodes connected in the subnet, in order to help those people remotely on the commissioning site. lots of time, the field device has the default factory address and name. if I can not discover them, I can not make their IP and Name changed. this is very important. is there any other setting may help you can think of?
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#10

Hi Charles,

Make sure you reboot the eWON after changing the BroadcastForwarder setting.

Also, I noticed that you have multiple TAP adapters installed on your PC which could definitely be causing problems. You may want to delete all of them except the Talk2m-eCatcher one if possible.

Kyle

#11

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hi Kyle,
I disabled all other TAP adaptor and only leave eCatcher enabled. it seems the same result.
should I totally remove TAP?
we have many netbiter and COSY, one Flexy 205, this problem are crossed all cosy/flexy unit. netbiters have no such issue at all.
at some locations of our system, netbiter VPN is banned. so we rely on cosy/flexy. this issue gives us problem.
any further follow up would be appreciated,

#12

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here is route print, just for you to take a look if anything wrong. I am not a IT guy :slight_smile:
the subnet in the remote cosy is 10.10.1.xxx

thank you,

#13

Charles,

You need to update eCatcher to at least 6.3.7.

Kyle

#14

hi Kyle,
it made some differences.
now I can see the remote local sub nodes for one site, but other sites remain the same. also my another laptop shows no difference after the update. it doesn see the nodes which I can see from the first laptop.
what is making these differences?

#15

You will need to make sure that BroadcastForwarder is set to 1 on all of the eWONs.
Charles,

Make sure both computers are running the latest version of eCatcher 6.3.7 and that PLC discovery is Enabled on both as well:
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If you still can’t see them from that eWON or computer than restart it and make sure you can ping the devices on the eWON’s LAN.

Kyle

#16

hi, Kyle,
all my commission laptop have been updated to V6.3.7 for eCatcher.
for my understanding, Firewall set to standard is default, and it is one to reach all devices on the subnet.
Yes I can ping the subnet nodes.
for those nodes which don’t show up on the search, I always can download the PLC program or HMI file to them. the devices giving me problem are VFD, starters and etc. because these items, sometime, they are added in the field with factory default. standing remotely, I am totally blind if they don’t show up on the search.

#17

It sounds like you have the Cosys configured correctly. There are many other reasons why devices wouldn’t show up on a search. Many PLCs are designed to be searched for an found and it sounds liek that is working, but other devices may not show up on a basic scan. Are these all Siemens devices?

#18

hi, Kyle,
we mostly use siemens PLC and its VFD, some customers require Allan Bradley PLC and powerflex VFD. so they are all big brand. we haven’t extended our ethernet controlled device to other brand yet, but it will.
so what has happened is, as long as we build the MCC panel in our shop in Canada, I will configure all devices locally, then no issue. however, sometime, technician on site need to exchange a device, for example, a faulty VFD/PLC/HMI, that gives me a problem, if that technician doesn’t know how to set the name/IP for the new device. More often, it requires a laptop to search up and set them. that is my problem. I need to remotely carry out the setup.
basically, with cosy/flexy, if IP addresses of the field devices are known, I can perform downloading. if not knowing, nothing I can do remotely.

#19

Well, at least the devices are pretty standard. We should be able to figure out what’s going on.

So which different programs do you use to discover the devices? Just TIA and RSLinx or Logix or something else?

Do you ever use an IP scanner like Advanced IP Scanner?

Kyle

#20

hi, Kyle,
thanks for following up still. TIA and RSLinx are the only ones.
I haven’t pay attention to RSLinx yet, because there is no live connection. TIA is the most, it would be a great help if eWON can discover the nodes through TIA every time. right now, it is kind of by luck.

#23

Topic closed due to inactivity.