GPIB-ENET/100 lockup... how to Reset

[CocoMarsh]

I'm not sure why it is happening, but occasionally my ENET/100 box will lock-up... no longer allowing me to query my instruments. There is some blinking pattern, showing what I am assuming is some error code on the front of the ENET/100 box. The only thing I can do is turn off the ENET/100 and turn it back on. It seems to happen during times of high ethernet traffic, but I can't track the problem down exactly. Is there anyway that I can send a command to the ENET/100 box to reset it, rather than having to turn it off and back on? Or can I query the box directly to try and figure out why the error is occuring?

I am using Measurement Studios with VC++.

Thanks!

Cody

[Ebele_Obijiofor]

Hi Cody,
Appendix B of the ENET/100 manual which can be found here , explains how to count the flashes and determine what error code you receive. Please follow the instructions on the manual and post the error code, then I'll see why the error might be occuring.

Thanks!

[ScottieB]

I also wanted to add that you should upgrade to the latest C.9 firmware (you can find it on www.ni.com/support/gpib/versions.htm).  There are known issues with a flashing error code "89" on ENET/100's with firmware B.9 and below.

Scott B.
GPIB Software
National Instruments

[Chouchen]

Hello,

I also have this problem. In our lab, we use two GPIB-ENET/100 boxes and they also lock-up from time to time. The only solution is then to switch them off and on. Unfortunately, I did not look at the error code. As soon as I will have the errorcode , I will post it.

[Chouchen]

By the way, I use the latest firmware and the latest driver for the GPIB-Enet boxes (C.9 and 2.4)

[ScottieB]

Interesting to note, Chouchen.  Next time that happens, count the long and short pulses on the PWR/RDY light and post it here.  Also, can I get your ENET/100 ASSY number (for example, 183617G-01) off the bottom of the box?

Scott B.
GPIB Software
National Instruments

[Chouchen]

Hello Scott.

Here are the ASSY number of the GPIB-ENET/100 I use:

- 186852G-01

- 186852H-01

As soon as I have the problem again, I will tell you which error code I have.

Thank you for your help.

[Chouchen]

Hi all,

I had the problem this morning again: the two GPIB boxes were locked, I could not communicate with them. However, no error was indicated by the PWR/RDY led. So I turn them OFF and ON to reset them and everything was OK after this reset.

I think the problem comes from the DHCP server and not from the GPIB-ENET/100 boxes: during the week-end, I suspect that the DHCP server was reseted, and so the GPIB-ENET/100 boxes had to be also reseted to retrieve a new network IP address.

I am not a specialist of DHCP and network, but is it possible to find something to solve this problem? Does the GPIB-ENET/100 box absolutely need to be reseted to retrieve a new network IP address? Can we bypass this problem by using a static IP?

Thanks you in advance for any tips !

[ScottieB]

Chouchen,

Yes, interesting that you saw no blinking error.  I concur with your DHCP theory, especially if your DHCP servers went down this weekend.  Usually, DHCP servers provide an IP address for a specified "lease time".  Once this time expires, the ENET/100 should ask the DHCP server if it can renew the lease.  If the DHCP server is down, the ENET/100 will eventually give up.

Trying this out with static IP's to see if the problem goes away is a good thought, but you need to be careful when assigning static IP's on a dynamic network--work with your network administrator to be sure that you exclude the static IP's that you set on the ENETs from the available pool of DHCP addresses.

Let us know how this works out.

Scott B.
GPIB Software
National Instruments

[Chouchen]

Hello Scott,

I've talked with my network administrator: unfortunately, I'm not allowed to use static IP in my firm (DHCP seems to be mandatory). So if the problem appears again, I will just reset the GPIB-ENET boxes.

Thanks you for your help.

Chouchen