How to configure the I/A Series R2 LON Tunnel for use with the WorkPlace Tech Tool software.

[Product_Support]

Issue

How do you configure the I/A Series R2 LON Tunnel for operation with the WorkPlace Tech Tool software?

Environment

I/A Series (Niagara) R2 software, release 4.31 or later

WorkPlace Tech Tool Software release 5.x

Cause

Need information on the entire process of configuring the I/A Series R2 LON tunnel software to work with the WorkPlace Tech Tool software running on Windows XP.

Resolution

There are four parts to configuring LON Tunneling.

A. UNC configuration

1. The UNC must be licensed for vlon (in the features line)
2. Install the VLON jar file into the UNC using the Configure Modules function within the Admin tool Installation Wizard.
3. There are no configuration requirements for the VLonService in the UNC.

B. Check for an available LON port in WorkPlace Tech

1. Open WorkPlace Tech but do not open a project.
2. From the "Tools" menu, select "Configure Communications"
3. Select the Lonworks radio button then click [Change]
4. Click the pulldown arrow in the "Select a network interface device driver" selection box.
5. Make a note of the LON ports currently defined.  This list will be used when configuring the tunnel on the PC.
6. Click [Cancel] to close the communications configuration process then close WorkPlace Tech.

C. Niagara LON Tunnel configuration on PC

1. Download the "NiagaraLonTunnel.exe" module from The Exchange
2. Install the NiagaraLonTunnel service on the Windows XP PC by running the downloaded NiagaraLonTunnel.exe program.
3. From the Windows Control Panel, open the "Niagara App Tunnel" applet and select the LON tab if more than one tab is displayed.
4. In the LON port name field, select a value not identified in step B.5, above.
5. In the Host Address field, enter the IP address of the UNC.
6. You may enter a UNC station User Name and Password in the two fields or those fields may be left blank.
7. If you have entered a User Name and Password, the Silent Mode checkbox may be checked to prevent the LON Tunnel connection window from being displayed each time the connection is established.
8. Click [OK] to close the Niagara Application Tunneling window.
9. In the Windows Control Panel, double-click on Administrative Tools then double-click on "services".
10. In the displayed list, locate "Niagara LON Tunnel", right click on that entry and click "Restart" in the displayed list.
11. Wait for the Service to restart.  If Windows reports that it cannot restart the service, it will be necessary to close all application windows and restart Windows.  After restarting Windows, continue with part D, below.
12. After the service restarts, close the Services window and close the Windows Control Panel.

D. Configure WorkPlace Tech Communications.

1. With the WPT application open,  select the "Tools" menu, then select "Configure Communications".
2. Select the Lonworks radio button then click [Change].
3. Click the pulldown arrow in the "Select a network interface device driver" selection box
4. Select the LON# port name entered in step C.4, above.
5. Check the "This is a VLon device" checkbox.
6. Click [OK] to save the settings.
7. When you attempt to establish communications with the LON network, the "Niagara Lon Tunneling Logon" window will be displayed if "Silent Mode" was not selected in step C.7.
8. If "Silent Mode" was selected in step C.7 and the UNC login failed, the "Niagara Lon Tunneling Logon" window will be displayed to allow entry of a different user name & password.
9. The connection via the LON tunnel is available for use.