Issue
Additional information for creating Lonworks networks in ES, not covered by the StruxureWare Technical Guide.
Product Line
EcoStruxure Building Operation
Environment
StruxureWare Building Operation 1.3 SP1
Cause
Additional information for creating Lonworks networks in ES, not covered by the StruxureWare Technical Guide.
Resolution
Setup of the NIC852 network interface for the ES is covered in the StruxureWare Building Operation Technical Reference Guide, chapter 37.9
L-IP router setup is covered in the StruxureWare Building Operation Technical Reference Guide, chapter 37.10
Here are some additional points not covered in the Reference Guide:
To use the NIC852 as a network interface for the ES, you must configure the Loytec LConfig software to run as a service. See Not able to get Service pin from LON devices connected with Loytec NIC from ES for more details.
The L-IPs must be used in Smart Switch mode in StruxureWare. There are two Smart Switch modes:
1. Smart Switch Mode
2. Smart Switch mode with No Subnet Broadcast Flooding.
Only use the first of these modes. This should be the default, out of the box. See the L-IP User Manual for details of the DIP switch positions for each mode.
The ES version 1.3 can host up to 100 Xenta devices + 100 LON devices in total. These can be divided across 5 logical networks (different domains).
It is possible to have multiple L-IPs in the same network if needed - but the limit of 100+100 is per ES, not per network or L-IP.
Loytec recommend that in Smart Switch mode an IP channel should have no more than 10 L-IPs and packet rates no more than 500 packets/s.
If additional Xenta/LON devices are needed you can add them to one or more AS, below the ES.
Observe the standard Lonworks guidelines when creating your network topology e.g. maximum number of devices per network segment, maximum length of runs for the chosen cable type. Group your devices so that network traffic across channels is minimized.
StruxureWare is unaware of your physical network topology - it just sees it as one big channel. It will reserve a different subnet for each Xenta group you create, starting at subnet 253, but each Lonworks device you create will just be assigned the next available subnet/node address, starting at subnet 254 node 1. This means that devices with the same subnet address will most likely appear on multiple physical channels.
The Loytec L-IP in Smart Switch Mode can still provide effective routing in this situation as it builds its routing table based on the physical location of subnet/node addresses, not just subnets. Other manufacturers' routers, even in learning mode, may not be so forgiving.
