PXIe-8135 unexpected ethernet port swap

[raconnel]

Hi,

I have a number of PXIe-8135 controllers configured with a static IP address on port 1, with port 2 disabled. Every once in a while, after a power outage, a random controller restarts with port 2 as primary and configured with the static IP address that had been assigned to port 1. At that point it is necessary to use NI-MAX to manually reconfigure the ports in order to restore the original setup. How can this be prevented?

[cblanchard]

Hi raconnel,

Are you running a Real-Time OS?  If so, this link has useful information about the Ethernet port configurations.  When referencing the second screenshot in this document have you tried to change the Adapter Mode, IPv4 Address or the Subnet Mask?  Did you keep these at their default values?

Making modifications to the parameters above and observing any change in behavior seems to be the best starting point.

cblanchard

Applications Engineer

National Instruments

[raconnel]

Yes, this is running real-time. I have been configuring eth0with a static IP, and leaving the default settings for eth1. At startup, eth1 is shown as disabled. I can try changing the settings for eth1. This is a very difficult issue to test, because it only happens every couple of months, and because the PXIes are located at  remote site on a standalone network. If I configure eth1 to an unused static IP, could that prevent the ports from swapping?

Thanks,

Richard (raconnel)

[cblanchard · Accepted solution]

Hi Richard (raconnel),

After further research I have not found any documentation of this behavior happening with other systems in the past.  With this in mind, we do not currently have a definitive workaround so I would definitely recommend configuring eth1 as an unused static IP, as you mentioned.  If this is not successful then the problem is likely related to the hardware components used for Ethernet communication within the PXIe-8135.

Please post any updates from here and we can continue to narrow in on the source of the behavior.

cblanchard

Applications Engineering

National Instruments

[raconnel]

Thanks. I will configure our devices as recommended and continue to monitor the situation. The next occurrence may not be any time soon, as it is fairly rare (every couple of months).

[ogagne]

Hi,  I've the same kind of issue.  I didn't test the static IP address to eth1 yet, but I would like to know if this solution has definitely solved the problem?

[raconnel]

It's such a rare occurrence that I hesitate to make a definite statement, but so far it hasn't happened again.

[David-n-MO]

Same problem here.  I have both ethernet ports configured as static and out of the blue a system that has been running for months suddenly made port 2 primary and disabled port 1.  we couldn't get port 1 to re-enable.

The solution was to login to the controller via the port 2 address and to use the network configuration (press the more options line and there is no need to use MAX) to make port #1 the primary.  When you do this it restarts with the port type set to DHCP, so we had to add 169.254.1.2 to one of our adapters to allow it to connect to the self-configured address the 8135 boots to as displayed on the monitor attached.  Now changed the IPs of both ports and we're back up and running.  TADA!

[David-n-MO]

Firstly change NOTHING other than to make the the first adapter the primary adapter. 

On mine the adapter enabled itself and returned with its original settings.  Changing more settings than this results in the adapter remaining disabled.

Afterward change the secondary adapter settings if needed.

This bit me again after a couple of years and I found myself answering my own question.