8/23/13 Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server for Windows NT
Tech Note 120
Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server for Windows NT
All Tech Notes and KBCD documents and software are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. See the
Terms of Use for more information. Topic#: 000743
Created: October 1998
This Tech Note shows how to configure the Wonderware® GE Fanuc Host Communications (GEHCS) I/O Server under Microsoft® Windows NT™ 4.0. Although your system may not be set up exactly as shown here, this Tech Note is a good starting point for a configuration that will work.
If you are running Windows for Workgroups, see Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server Using MS TCP/IP 3.11.
Installing the TCP/IP Network Protocol
The TCP/IP network protocol must be installed before the GEHCS I/O Server can communicate with a PLC. Follow the steps below to install the TCP/IP network protocol. Or, if you have already installed the TCP/IP network protocol, then go to Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server.
Note This Tech Note describes how to set up a simple TCP/IP network consisting of a single node and PLC. Depending on your network topology, the configuration of the TCP/IP protocol may slightly differ from what’s shown here.
Step 1
FIGURE 1. TCP/IP NETWORK PROTOCOL
Step 2
Highlight the TCP/IP protocol as shown in figure 1 and click the Properties button. The
Microsoft TCP/IP Properties dialog box should appear as shown in figure 2.
8/23/13 Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server for Windows NT
FIGURE 2. CONFIGURING IP ADDRESSFORTHE TCP/IP NETWORK PROTOCOL
Step 3
FIGURE 3. ADDINGTHE HOST NAMEFORTHE TCP/IP NETWORK PROTOCOL
Step 4
Click the OK button in the Microsoft TCP/IP Properties dialog box. Then, click the OK button in the Network dialog box. The TCP/IP network protocol is now configured on your computer.
Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server
Follow these steps to configure the GEHCS I/O server:
Step 1
8/23/13 Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server for Windows NT Option 2: Enter the PLC’s IP Address in the Hosts File
Use a text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad, and create a new text file called Hosts.txt in the directory C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\Etc . Enter the IP address for each PLC that you wish to connect to, followed by the node name of the PLC, as shown in figure 4. (Example,
204.31.209.128 for the PLC "GEPLC".) Each IP address should be entered on a separate line. Save the file and exit the text editor.
FIGURE 4. EXAMPLE HOSTS FILE WITHTHE PLC’S IP ADDRESS
Rename the Hosts.txt file to Hosts without the .txt extension by opening a Command Prompt window and entering this at the prompt:
RENAME HOSTS.TXT HOSTS.
Note Do not use the Windows Explorer window to rename the file to Hosts because Explorer will automatically add the file extension .txt to the file name.
Option 3: Enter the PLC’s IP Address in the Gef_cfg.ini File
Use this option if you would like to use the Gef_cfg.ini file to resolve the PLC name. Use a text editor and edit the file Gef_cfg.ini under the directory C:\Winnt. For each PLC that the I/O Server connects to, enter a device definition. For example, here is a Gef_cfg.ini file that contains the IP address for the PLC host name "GEPLC":
[GEPLC]
IP_ADDR = 204.31.209.128
Step 2
FIGURE 5. ADDINGA NEW TOPICINTHE GEHCS I/O SERVER
Step 3
Enter the Topic Name as shown in figure 5 (example, PLC9070). If you used Option1 in step 1 by entering the PLC’s IP address directly in the I/O Server, enter the same IP address in the PLC Address listbox. If you instead used Option 2 or 3 in step 1 by referencing the PLC’s IP address in the Hosts file or the Gef_cfg.ini file, then enter the PLC’s host name in the PLC Address listbox.
Complete the configuration by entering the appropriate values in the remaining listboxes in the
GEHCS Topic Definition dialog box. (See the Wonderware GEHCS I/O Server User’s Guide for
further information.) Then click the OK button, then click the Done button on the Topic
Definition dialog box.
Testing the Configuration
After you configure the TCP/IP network protocol and the GEHCS I/O Server, you should test the communication between the PLC(s) and the I/O Server. To do this, open a Command prompt window and enter a Ping command to "ping" the PLC either by its IP address (if you used option 1 or 3 in step 1), or by its host name (if you used option 2 in step 1).
Here are some example Ping operations and their outcomes.
Example 1
8/23/13 Configuring the GEHCS I/O Server for Windows NT command may vary, depending on the Ping utility that you use.
Example 2
This example shows an unsuccessful Ping operation:
> PING <Node_Name>
Bad IP Address nodename
If you used option 2 in step 1, this error is usually caused by one of the following situations: The PLC’s <Node_Name> is not defined in the Hosts file.
The Hosts file is missing.
The Hosts file is named something other than "Hosts." (Remember that it cannot be named Hosts.txt.)
Example 3
This example shows another unsuccessful PING operation:
> PING <Node_Name> Request Timed Out
This error usually means there is a network problem. You should check for problems in the network cabling, the computer, the PLC, the network terminations and the network card.
Completing the Test
To complete the test, find a suitable client, such as Microsoft® Excel, Wonderware® InTouch™ or the Knowledge Base ’s WWClient utility, and see if you can advise one of the registers in the PLC (examples, "TIME" or "R1" ).
Gary Alldredge
The Tech Note is published occasionally by Wonderware Technical Support. Editors: Sabrina Abercromby and Kelly Hauser; Publisher: Wonderware Corporation, 100 Technology Drive, Irvine CA 92618. There is also technical information on our software products at Wonderware Technical Support, our WonderFax fax-on-demand system at (949) 450-5050, and the Comprehensive Support Knowledge Base.
For technical support questions, send an e-mail to [email protected].
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