How to connect IndraWorks Ds to a IndraDrive Cs system that has SoE activated?

[Binarus]

Dear all,

it seems that I cannot connect IndraWorks DS 15V20.0 to a IndraDrive Cs that has SoE for the master communication activated. Of course, EoE is active as well (virtual ethernet port and IP settings are configured properly).

I have spent nearly two days on that problem until I came to the idea to switch the master communication to "not active" (using the drive system's panel / LCD display). After I had done that and had rebooted the drive system, IndraWorks DS immediately found the drive system.

However, the goal is to connect the drive system to a CtrlX that has the Ethercat master app running. Therefore, the drive system must have Ethercat SoE activated.

So how can I use IndraWorks DS with the drive system while the drive system communicates with the CtrlX Ethercat master and thus has Ethercat SoE enabled?

Further information:

- I believe that I have read all related passages in the available manuals.

- I don't know whether a certain firmware is necessary on the drive system to have this scenario working. The current version is 20V18. If that's not sufficient, I'd be grateful for a hint.

- I have tried all topologies that IndraWorks DS offers in its connection wizard, but none worked. IndraWorks DS didn't detect the drive system in any constellation unless Ethercat SoE was turned off.

- Currently, the drive system is connected directed to a dedicated network port at the engineering PC. That network port does not have connections to other devices.

- I have full admin access at the engineering PC. The drive system's virtual IP address is 172.31.254.1/255.255.0.0, the PC's IP address at the dedicated network port is 172.31.254.10/255.255.0.0. "route print" and "ipconfig /all" show the expected output.

- However, IndraWorks DS only finds the drive system if Ethercat SoE is turned off.

- The attached screenshots actually show the online data.

[CodeShepherd]

Moved to corresponding sub forum Communication.

As you wrote you already read all related passages I guess you already found the how tos: 

Establish Ethernet connection via  [ctrlX CORE (SIP) and EoE]  [Panel]  [EtherCAT control]  -  [DOCU]

I always suggest to limit the network the needed minimum to avoid network overhead and load. So settings in ctrlX IO Engineering would be 172.31.254.0/26 (255.255.255.0). Then you need to go over the ctrlX CORE as EtherCat is suppressing all standard network communication. So you cannot add your Engineering PC to any port in the EtherCat network to access drives.

[Binarus]

Thank you very much for moving the topic to the right place, for your fast help and for the links! I'll revisit all documents and study them thoroughly again.

In the meantime, could you please clarify:

I know that Ethercat suppresses normal IP communication, but I always thought that this is exactly the thing that Ethernet over Ethercat (EoE) should solve. That is, until 1 minute ago, I have been sure that normal IP communication should be possible in addition to the master communication, as long as EoE is configured properly. After all, that's the whole sense of EoE, isn't it?

Did I miss something?

Thank you very much again,


Binarus

[Binarus]

Furthermore, please consider the fourth screenshot in my first post, especially the text on the yellow background. As I understand it, it clearly says that I *can* have IP communication with the drive system via EoE even though is communicating with the Ethercat master.

To avoid misunderstandings: This screenshot is from IndraDrive DS 15V20, not from some obscure third-party tool 🙂

[CodeShepherd · Accepted solution]

To sum it up you need some hardware/device that can extract the EoE out of your normal EtherCat telegram and insert it again.

The fourth picture is showing the usage of a switch port device. This would be possible to use, as the EoE protocol is handed out at such ports. 

If no switch port is available you will have to go over the EtherCat master as a gateway and as it part of the ctrlX CORE one more forwarding is needed. See the how to linked above.