Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

Configure multicast addressing for EtherNet/IP modules via MSG instructions to support producing data over remote EtherNet/IP subnets

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

Produce Data over EtherNet/IP

The default configuration for Logix5000 control systems to produce data and control I/O over EtherNet/IP networks supports only the local subnet.
The local ControlLogix controller controls EtherNet/IP I/O on a local subnet via a 1756-ENBT module.

This local-subnet limitation is due in part to the default TTL (Time to Live) value in the firmware for the EtherNet/IP communication modules. The TTL value is included in the IP packet when a communication path crosses a subnet. The router decrements the TTL value each time the communication path crosses to another subnet. You can continue to cross to other subnets until the TTL value equals 1. The default TTL value is 1, thus limiting communication devices to only the local subnet. You can use a MSG instruction to increase the TTL value to allow communication to multiple remote subnets. This same MSG instruction also configures the appropriate multicast addresses for the remote communication.
The local ControlLogix controller can produce/consume data with the controller on the remote subnet, as well as control I/O on the remote subnet

local subnet

router remote subnet

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

For the local controller to produce data to a remote subnet, configure multicast addresses for that communication module. For the local controller to control I/O on a remote subnet, configure multicast addresses for both the scanner and adapter modules. Once a remote subnet connection is established, other local consumers can join the connection. Also, remote consumers can join a connection initiated by a remote subnet consumer. You only have to configure multicast addresses in modules that produce data to remote subnets. For produced/consumed tags, you configure multicast addresses in the producing communication module. For remote control of I/O, you configure multicast addresses in both the local scanner and the remote adapter communication modules. To configure multicast addresses, you: 1. Create a user-defined structure to contain the multicast information for the module. 2. Send the multicast configuration data to the module via a MSG instruction. The module stores the configuration data sent by a MSG instruction in non-volatile memory. You only need to successfully execute a MSG configuration instruction once. The module retains the configuration data through power cycles to the module. 3. Reset the module to make the configuration take affect. You only need to reset the communication module once after successfully sending the multicast configuration data.

Configure Multicast Addressing

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

Create the User-Defined Structure The multicast configuration data you need to send to the communication module is best organized as a user-defined structure:

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

where: Member: EnableOffSubNet TTL_Value Num_Mcast Data Type: SINT SINT INT Description: 0 = disable remote subnet multicast connections; 1 = enable remote subnet multicast connections TTL value for remote subnet communications. If EnableOffSubNet = 0, TTL_Value cannot be greater than 1. Number of multicast addresses to allocate, starting at the address specified by the four McastStartOctet values. You need one multicast address for each CIP connection. The maximum number of addresses is the number of CIP connections supported by the communication module. See the next section How to Select a Multicast Address. 4th octet of the starting multicast address For example, in the address 239.255.000.001, the 4th octet is 001. 3rd octet of the starting multicast address For example, in the address 239.255.000.001, the 3rd octet is 000. 2nd octet of the starting multicast address For example, in the address 239.255.000.001, the 2nd octet is 255. 1st octet of the starting multicast address For example, in the address 239.255.000.001, the 1st octet is 239.

McastStartOctet4

SINT

McastStartOctet3

SINT

McastStartOctet2

SINT

McastStartOctet1

SINT

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

If you enable remote subnet connections, you must specify a TTL value and the total number of multicast addresses. The multicast addresses you specify are used for both local and remote connections. You can configure multicast addresses for a module and leave remote subnet connections disabled. This allows you to specify specific multicast addresses for use on local connections more than 32 multicast addresses, which is the current limit How to Select a Multicast Address Multicast addresses should be in the site local scope of 239.255.000.000 through 239.255.255, inclusive. While multicast addresses can be in the range of 224.000.000.000 through 239.255.255.255, the addresses between 224.000.000.000 and 224.000.000.255 are reserved for routing protocols and other low-level topology discovery or maintenance protocols, such as gateway discovery and group membership reporting. Multicast routers should not forward any multicast data with destination addresses in this range, regardless of its TTL value. Select multicast addresses that do NOT overlap with addresses: explicitly configured in other modules generated by modules that have not been configured for remote multicast connections and are in the range 239.192.000.000 through 239.251.255.255, inclusive. Send Multicast Configuration Data Use a CIP generic MSG instruction to send the multicast configuration data to the communication module.

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

On the Configuration tab:

where: In this field: Service Type Service Code Instance Class Attribute Source Element Enter: Set Attribute Single 10 1 f5 64 tag that contains the multicast configuration data This tag is of the user-defined type you defined to organize the multicast configuration data. 8 On the Communication tab, specify the communication path to the EtherNet/IP communication module.

Source Length

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

Reset the Communication Module To reset the communication module, you can cycle power to the module or use a CIP generic MSG instruction. If you use a MSG instruction to reset the module, program a delay to make sure the module has time to process the configuration data before resetting the module.

Then program a CIP generic MSG instruction to reset the module.

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

On the Configuration tab, select Device Reset for the Service Type. The other fields are filled in as appropriate.

On the Communication tab, specify the communication path to the EtherNet/IP communication module.

Produce Data over Remote EtherNet/IP Subnets

Ethernet is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel, and Xerox Corporation. EtherNet/IP is a trademark used under license by ODVA.

Publication 1756-WP002A-EN-P August 2004

Supersedes Publication 000-0000-0000 Month, Year

PN 957928-17
Copyright 2004 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.