NetLink Configuration Utility

© 2016 PTC Inc. All Rights Reserved.

NetLink Configuration Utility 2

Table of Contents
NetLink Configuration Utility 1

Table of Contents 2

NetLink Configuration Utility 3

Overview 3

Getting Started 4

Refresh List 5

Set Temporary IP Address 6

Parameter Settings 7
Parameter Download 9
Advanced Profibus Parameter Descriptions 10
Firmware 12

Troubleshooting 16

Error Codes 16

Index 17

www. kepware.com
3 NetLink Configuration Utility

NetLink Configuration Utility

Help version 5.002

CONTENTS

Overview
What is the NetLink Configuration Utility?

Getting Started
How do I use the NetLink Configuration Utility?

Troubleshooting
What if something isn't what I expect?

Error Codes
What are the messages generated by the utility?

Overview
The NetLink device is a gateway from Ethernet to S7 MPI, in bus connector format. The NetLink
Configuration Utilityy application provides:

l Identification of NetLink devices on the local network

l Temporary IP address download
l Ethernet parameter (including permanent IP address) and bus parameter download
l Firmware download

Navigation
The following Device menu items are available in the NetLink Configuration Utility.

Operation Description Link

Refresh List Scan local network for NetLink devices Refresh List

Set Set temporary IP address for subsequent downloads of Parameter Set Temporary IP
Temporary IP Settings and Firmware. Address

Parameter Download NetLink Parameter Settings (i.e. Permanent IP Address, Parameter

Settings MPI Baud Rate) Settings

Firmware Update NetLink firmware Firmware

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 4

Getting Started

Quick Start Tutorial

This tutorial assumes an standard third-party NetLink device with factory default settings. It also assumes
the NetLink is loaded with the latest firmware. To upgrade firmware, see Firmware.

This tutorial provides instructions for scanning the network for NetLink devices, setting a temporary IP
address, and downloading parameter settings to the device (including a permanent IP address).

1. Select Device | Refresh List. This cause a scans of the local network for NetLink devices.

2. In the main window, review the list of NetLink devices detected. The view contains four columns: MAC
Address (hardware address), Serial Number (factory assigned), IP Address (configurable), Firmware
string containing device type, firmware revision, and firmware date. (configurable) (see Refresh List
for details).

3. Select Device | Set Temporary IP. Standard NetLink uses 0.0.0.0 for a default IP address. Before
parameter settings, including a permanent IP address, can be downloaded to the NetLink, a
temporary IP address must be assigned.

Note: There is a three-minute window for setting a temporary IP address after power on. If it is not
set in that time, NetLink responds with error code -1.

4. In the next dialog, enter a temporary IP address and click Set.

Tip: Use the same IP address that will be permanently saved later for the temporary IP address (see
Set Temporary IP Address).

5. Select Device | Parameter Settings to define how communications take place from the PC to the
NetLink and from the NetLink to the PLC.

6. In the Parameter Settings dialog, enter the permanent IP Address, subnet mask, and gateway (if
applicable; if not, leave the field empty). If the Profibus Parameters need to be altered, click
Advanced....

www. kepware.com
5 NetLink Configuration Utility

7. Click Download to start the transfer.

8. When the download process completes, a dialog appears prompting to disconnect and reconnect the
NetLink from the PLC. Click Yes when the NetLink is reconnected.

9. The parameter settings have successfully downloaded to the NetLink

See Also Parameter Settings

Refresh List
To scan for NetLink devices on the local network, select Device | Refresh List.

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 6

The main window displays a list of all NetLink devices detected. The view contains four columns:

l MAC Address (hardware address)

l Serial Number (factory assigned)
l IP Address (configurable)
l Firmware string containing device type, firmware revision, and firmware date. (configurable)

If a known NetLink is not in the list, disconnect and reconnect this NetLink, wait about 10 seconds and then
perform another Refresh List.

To begin any Configuration or Firmware operation with the device, an IP Address must be assigned to that
device.

Set Temporary IP Address

To set a temporary IP Address:

1. Disconnect and reconnect the NetLink from the PLC.

Note: There is a three-minute window for setting a temporary IP address after power on. If it is not
set, the NetLink responds with error code -1.

2. Select the NetLink from the list.

3. From the menu, select Device | Set Temporary IP....

www. kepware.com
7 NetLink Configuration Utility

4. Enter a valid IP address and click Set. The temporary IP address is downloaded to RAM.

Note: If the NetLink is disconnected, the temporary IP address is lost.

5. Once a temporary IP address is assigned, Firmware and Parameter Settings can be downloaded to
the NetLink.

Parameter Settings

Select a link below:

Parameter Descriptions
Description of each parameter

Advanced Profibus Parameter Descriptions

Description of each advanced Profibus parameter

Parameter Download

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 8

Description of the download process for parameter settings

Parameter Descriptions
Important: With the exception of MAC address and IP address, the default parameter values do not
necessarily indicate current device settings. Settings are write-only and are not read from the device.

IP Address Settings
There are three ways the NetLink can be assigned IP parameters:

l DHCP (dynamic) - the device gets IP parameters from a DHCP server.

l BOOTP (dynamic) - the device gets IP parameters from a BOOTP server.
l Static - the device used IP parameters: IP address, subnet mask, and gateway address. If a
parameter does not apply, leave the field empty.

If more than one method is chosen, the NetLink tries each one, in the order listed above, until one succeeds.

Profibus Parameters
Bus Profile
The bus profile presets the parameter values to best match the given bus. For example, MPI defaults at
187.5K baud whereas Profibus defaults at 1.5M baud. Changing the bus profile affects the following
parameters:

l Baud Rate
l Slot Time
l Minimum Station Delay
l Maximum Station Delay
l Quiet Time

www. kepware.com
9 NetLink Configuration Utility

l Setup Time
l Target Rotation Time
l GAP Factor
l Max Retry

Baud Rate
Baud rates available are:
9600
19.2K
93.75K
187.5K
500K
1.5M
3M
6M
12M

Own Station Address

Station address for the NetLink
Value Range: 0 ... 125
Default: 1

Highest Station Address

Station address of the highest active station
Value range: 2 ... 126
Default: 31

See Also: Advanced Profibus Parameter Descriptions

Parameter Download
When the Download button is selected in the Parameter Settings dialog, a warning is displayed.

Click Yes to perform the download or No to cancel. Once the download is in process, a progress percentage
is displayed.

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 10

When the download process completes, a dialog appears prompting to disconnect and reconnect the
NetLink from the PLC.

It is necessary to reconnect the device for this new configuration to be used. Click Yes when the NetLink is
reconnected. The NetLink Configuration Utility pauses to allow the NetLink to complete its power-up
sequence.

If the No button is selected, a warning will be displayed. It is necessary to reconnect the device for this new
configuration to be used. Otherwise the previous configuration remains active.

Advanced Profibus Parameter Descriptions

Important: The default parameter values do not necessarily indicate current Device Settings. Settings are
write-only and are not read from the device.

www. kepware.com
11 NetLink Configuration Utility

Calculated Timing
Bit Time
The time it takes to transmit 1 bit.
Bit Time = 1/Baud Rate.

TID1 and TID2

The time the sender must wait, after receiving the last character of a telegram, before it can send the next
telegram.
TID1 (tBit) starts after sender receives an acknowledgment / response.
TID2 (tBit) starts after the sender has sent an unacknowledged telegram.

Target Rotation Time (ms)

Nominal token cycling time in milliseconds.

Configure Timing
Slot Time
Time Sender waits for acknowledgment / response before retrying.
Value Range: 37 ... 16383
Default: 415 (MPI), 300 (PROFIBUS)

Minimum Station Delay of Responders

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 12

Minimum time period that must elapse before the responder may send an acknowledgment/response.
Value Range: 1 ... 65535
Default: 60 (MPI), 11 (PROFIBUS)

Maximum Station Delay of Responders

Maximum time period that must elapse before the sender may send next telegram.
Value Range: 1 ... 65535
Default: 400 (MPI), 150 (PROFIBUS)

Quiet Time
Time delay for modulators/repeaters to switch from sending to receiving.
Value Range: 0 ... 127
Default: 1 (MPI), 0 (PROFIBUS)

Setup Time
Time sender must wait between receiving an acknowledgment / response and sending next telegram.
Value Range: 1 ... 255
Default: 1 (MPI), 1 (PROFIBUS)

Target Rotation Time

Pre-set nominal token cycling time.
Value Range: 1 ... 16777215
Default: 10000 (MPI), 2021 (PROFIBUS)

GAP Actualization Factor

Number of token cycles before additional stations can be accepted into the token ring.
Value Range: 1 ... 100
Default: 20 (MPI), 10 (PROFIBUS)

Maximum Retry Limit

Maximum number of attempts a sender will re-send a telegram.
Value Range: 1 ... 15
Default: 2 (MPI), 1 (PROFIBUS)

Firmware
To update NetLink firmware, select Device | Firmware.

www. kepware.com
13 NetLink Configuration Utility

Current Device Settings

Firmware Version
NetLink's current firmware revision. Firmware string syntax is <Type> <Version> <Date>. For NetLink
devices, the <Type> is always NL-MPI. The NetLink Configuration only supports devices of <Type> NL-MPI.

Download Settings
Selected Firmware
The name of the firmware file to download. File is selected via the browse (...) button.

Firmware Version
Firmware revision of the selected firmware file to download. The firmware string follows the same syntax as
the current firmware version.

Click the button to locate available firmware files. The following dialog appears.

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 14

NetLink firmware files have a file extension of "E11." Once a file is selected, click the Open button to accept
the selection.

With a firmware file selected, a comparison can be drawn between the current firmware version and the
selected firmware version.

Click the Download button to download the selected firmware.

Click Yes to perform the download or No to cancel. During the download process, a progress percentage
displayed.

When the download process completes, a dialog appears prompting to disconnect and reconnect the
NetLink from the PLC.

www. kepware.com
15 NetLink Configuration Utility

It is necessary to reconnect the device for the new firmware to be used. Click Yes when the NetLink is
reconnected. The NetLink Configuration Utility pauses to allow the NetLink to complete its power-up
sequence.

If the No button is selected, a warning is displayed. It is necessary to reconnect the device for the new
firmware to be used. Otherwise, the previous firmware remains active.

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 16

Troubleshooting

NetLink is detected in the list, but cannot download configuration parameters or

firmware.

If the IP address displayed in the list is 0.0.0.0, set a temporary IP Address.

If the IP address displayed in the list is NOT 0.0.0.0, verify that the IP address is valid for the local network.
An IP address may have been downloaded (i.e. "Parameter Download" on page 9) that does not meet the
local network's subnet mask.

See Also:
Set a Temporary IP Address
Set a Permanent IP Address
Download the Parameter Settings

Error Codes
The following table describes possible error codes presented by the NetLink Configuration Utility.

Error Code Source Description

-10 Remote Station Dual port RAM not accessible
-11 Remote Station Not ready
-12 Remote Station Not running
-13 Remote Station Watchdog test failed
-14 Remote Station Signals wrong OS version
-15 Remote Station Error in Dual Port flags
-16 Remote Station Send mailbox is full
-17 Remote Station PutMessage timeout
-18 Remote Station GetMessage timeout
-19 Remote Station No message available
-20 Remote Station Reset command timeout
-21 Remote Station COM-flag not set
-22 Remote Station IO data exchange failed
-23 Remote Station IO data exchange timeout
-24 Remote Station IO data mode unknown
-25 Remote Station Function call failed
-26 Remote Station DPM size differs from configuration
-27 Remote Station State mode unknown
-28 Remote Station Output port already in use
-100 Host File not opened
-101 Host File size zero
-102 Host Not enough memory to load file
-103 Host File read failed
-104 Host File type invalid
-105 Host File name invalid

If a the device reports an error during configuration or firmware download, a value of 1000 is added to the
error number.

www. kepware.com
17 NetLink Configuration Utility

Index

Advanced Profibus Parameter 10

Baud Rate 9

Calculated Timing 11
Contents 3

Error Codes 16

Firmware 12

GAP Actualization Factor 12

Getting Started 4

Help Contents 3

IP Address 8

www. kepware.com
NetLink Configuration Utility 18

MAC Address 6

Navigation 3

Overview 3

Parameter Descriptions 8
Parameter Download 9

Quiet Time 12

Refresh List 5
Remote Station 16

Station Address 9
Station Delay 11

Target Rotation 11
Temporary IP Address 6
Troubleshooting 16

www. kepware.com