Minimum upload/download rate to view remote front panels

[Dusty]

I am trying to view a remote front panel from offsite.  The front panel begins to load but always gets hung up while downloading.  I am concerned my client does not have a fast enough internet connection to view his front panel from offsite (the remote panel works fine while connected directly to the same network).  The front panel is very large with lots of indicators and graphs. 
I am using LabView 8.2
and a cFP-2120 module.

[Ching_F.]

Hi Dusty,

The following KnowledgeBase Article may be able to help you: Why Can't I Find My Remote Front Panels Using My Modem Connection?

Also, you may want to take a look at the following discussion forum posts on the same issue:
DSL Speed requirements for Labview
Fast update on remote panel
Remote panel loading

I hope this information helps.  If you have any additional questions, please let me know.

[Dusty]

Thank you for the information, however I am not sure that anything pertains to my specific issue. 
I am sure that if I reduced the amount of graphs and indicators that the front panel would work better.  The upload rate where the cFP module is located is 128k, I increased the upload to 256k and saw that the program was able to download more of the program before it hangs.
At the 128k upload rate I was able to download ~25% of the program and now with 256k it will download ~35% of the program.  It appears that I need a high upload rate to view this remote panel from the outside world.

[Ching_F.]

Hi Dusty,

Though I am not aware of any minimum upload rates, you may be correct; you might need a higher upload rate to view the remote panel.

One thing to you can do is use the Remote Panel Connection Manager to see if you are still connected to the cFP controller after you stop downloading the program.  You can see if it is that the connection is lost or there is just trouble uploading or downloading the program.  To use the Remote Panel Connection Manager, select Tools»Remote Panel Connection Manager.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

[Dusty]

Unfortunetly I am trying to connect to the remote panel from outside the local subnet and can not monitor the remote panel connection manager for that specific cFP module.
 
Does it confirm that all the correct ports are open on my clients firewall, if I can see the web page and it starts downloading?  My client can view the remote panel fine while connected to the local subnet.

Thanks,
Dusty

[DrewPierce]

Hi Dusty-

What about other html files in the 'www' folder?  FTP into your cFP-2120 and see what other files are in that directory, or maybe even copy over a very large html file for sake of comparison.  Then try navigating to it and monitor how fast it loads on the local subnet versus the 'distant' IP address of the client-in-question.  I have a feeling this has little to do with the remote front panels themselves, but rather more to do with your network connectivity.  Do you have this running through a router, or a switch?  Have you tested throughput rates for those remote addresses?  It sounds like you're experiencing a bandwidth-bottleneck when you're crossing subnets and it may have nothing to do with the cFP controller or the LabVIEW panel.

Please let us know what you find out.  Hope this helps!  Good luck!

[Dusty]

Droopy,
Great idea.  I will try some other html files and see if I have any better luck loading something else.  At leaset this way I can find out if the loading issue has anything to do with the actual program.

[Dusty]

It turns out I can access other .htm files just fine.  I loaded the original .htm file that comes pre-loaded in the cFP module.  It loaded fine and had complete functionality. 
It appears there may be something happing during the download process.  Once the web server is loaded the program starts to download very slowly, and always eventually freezes (remember it always works fine from inside the building).

[DrewPierce]

Hi Dusty-

Two more things to try:

1) Replace the cFP controller with a PC.  See if you can access the same VI via remote front panel while the VI is running on a PC at an IP address on that distant subnet.  This would help determine whether it's hardware related.

2) Replace the large VI with a smaller one.  See if a simpler application with fewer controls/indicators will load fine.  Hopefully there's another variable besides the networking difference of crossing subnets...

And please let us know how it goes!