bridging a four-port NIC with the on-board port

[declercq_tom@waak.be]

Hello Everybody,

Recently we bought a four-port NIC to be able to work without a switch.

Previously this is how we worked:

     * 4 camera's (Allied Manta G201C)

     * camera's are triggered (rising edge) seperately but almost simultaneously.

     * PC: quadcore, 64bit-system, Windows 7 64bit

     * Run-time license Vision Builder 2012.

     * Programmed with Vision Builder AI 2012.

     * Switch: 1000Mb

     * Interface programmed in C# (receives images from the 4 programs and displays relevant info on screen).

Now that we have got rid of our switch we hope all of our dataloss-problems will be over as well.

However, when installing the NIC we didnt see our camera's (who had fixes IP-adresses). To solve this we bridged our 4 ports together with our on-board port. As I continued reading about this, I learned that apparently bridging is no longer necessary if you are using WIN7. Then we could just use link-local adressing and this should work.

My question: Are there disadvantages to my 'bridging-method'? In other words: should I delete my bridge and use dhcp in stead of fixed IP-adresses, or can I leave it as it is?

With kind regards,
Tom

[ScottSmith · Accepted solution]

Hi Tom,

Scott here... at Allied Vision...

The only slight difference between the options you mention would be at start up "discovery time"...  DHCP takes a little longer for nodes to find each other compared to fixed IP.

But assuming discovery happens perhaps once per day (week, month?) for perhaps 30 seconds and then the system operates for hours (days, weeks?), unless you have startup control wishes, system maintenance thoughts about e.g. swapping cameras, etc., probably best to follow the advice of "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

Scott

[Nelson_Bridwell]

Our of curiosity, which quad port network card are you using?

[declercq_tom@waak.be]

Hi Nelson,

I'm using the NI PCIe-8233.

Tom