Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Can the serial port on the NetPlus Router (NPR) communicate at 9600 baud? Product Line TAC INET Environment NetPlus Router (NPR) 2000 Cause Configuration inquiry Resolution This specific configuration port is capable of transmitting data only at a rate of 19,200 baud.

Issue Site may be migrating from I/NET to another access control system and would like to import the data. Product Line TAC I/NET Environment I/NET Seven SQL Management Studio Cause The site is migrating from I/Net to Continuum or another access control system. Resolution Open SQL Management Studio and create a New Query by clicking on the "New Query" button Run the script below: SELECT * FROM InetDb.dbo.IdWorksView Note:  This view only shows the Primary Group associated with each individual.     Select File>Save Results As... Save the file as a .csv to a location of your choosing

Issue How does the reference host function work and how should it be implemented? Environment I/NET Site Cause How does the reference host function work and how should it be implemented? Resolution Reference host is a widely misunderstood concept. Proper usage is as follows. Pick one computer or NPR to serve as reference host. Enter its TCP\IP address in the reference host field of all other hosts and NPRs. Do not enter anything in the reference host field in the configuration of the reference host itself. The reference hosts job is to insure that all hosts and NPRs have a complete list of all other hosts and NPRs that have referenced it as the reference host. After the initial setup of the site, all hosts/NPRs have IP routing info for all other hosts/NPRs so that even if the ref. host is off, the remaining hosts/NPRs can still connect to each other. There have been problems caused by reference hosts referencing themselves as reference hosts. Another item to be aware of is where 2 or more reference hosts reference each other and someone connects temporarily with or without a shared link. Or maybe some one changes a link designation on an NPR. This "infects" all hosts with the erroneous link or address. In an attempt to clear it out, a customer made new configurations for each host but continued with the same ref host scheme so as he brought up each host with its new config, it received the infected IP list from the other hosts. If NPRs are used, the cleanup is even more complex. Another problem was caused as a customer entered the address of each NPR into the reference host designations in his computer. He did not enter anything for reference hosts in the NPR configs. Therefore, they had no routing table for use in passing global point data between them. Each NPR only knew about itself and the host that referenced it, not each other.

Issue How can telnet be used to troubleshoot, configure or maintain an I/NET system with NPRs? Environment I/NET Site Cause How can telnet be used to troubleshoot, configure or maintain an I/NET system with NPRs? Resolution Telnet is a good way to establish whether we are able to communicate at all with an NPR, provided that telnet hasn’t been disabled in any commercial routers in the system. Once connected, the user can list all of the IP address in the NPRs routing table, delete specific addresses or all of them, and add IP addresses to the list. This approach could be used to clean out erroneous IP entries from the routing tables, add new entries, and check the revision and build number of the firmware.

Issue What is the correct cable to use to communicate with the NPR 2000 via its serial port? Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Site Cause The getting Started book incorrectly specifies that you may connect the com port of the computer to the com port of the NPR 2000 using a standard serial cable. Resolution The correct cables are the same cables used to connect to a 77xx01 emutap, the CBL072. Cable Connectivity to I/NET has more information on this cable.

Issue Can NPR 2000s be installed on a token ring network Environment I/NET site Cause Can NPR 2000s be installed on a token ring network? Resolution NO - Although INET hosts may work, NPR 2000s only have Ethernet NIC cards in them. Even then, token ring networks are not officially supported for the hosts.

Issue NPR restore does not restore host masks Environment I/NET NPR Cause At one time, doing an NPR restore via the serial port did not restore the host masks and restoring from the Ethernet did not restore the NPR passwords. On the other hand, if the NPR was completely cleared, you could not connect via Ethernet as it had no IP address so you had to restore the first time via the comm port. Resolution Do an NPR restore to an empty NPR via the serial port Followed by another via Ethernet

Issue This NPR 2000 communicates fine on one network segment but not another. Why? Environment I/NET Site Cause This NPR 2000 communicates fine on one network segment but not another. Why? Resolution A site has the NPR 2000 which refused to communicate on the Ethernet. When they moved it from a 400 foot LAN segment to a 100 foot segment, it worked. Although 300ft. is the standard limit, the ferrite ring on the internal network jumper may have some impact on that. For that matter, if that jumper is suspect for any reason, the network cable can be plugged directly into the NPR 2000s NIC card temporarily for diagnostic purposes.

Issue What if the NPR 2000 goes away until I cycle power to get it back? Environment I/NET Site Cause What if the NPR 2000 goes away until I cycle power to get it back? Resolution If it continues to communicate on the Ethernet port or the controller LAN port only, it most likely is a firmware (.bin file) issue. If an NPR stops communicating over the Ethernet as well as the controller LAN and the LEDs on the unit are totally abnormal until you cycle power, it very likely may need a new boot load. This is accomplished by ordering a jtag cable and the boot loader software and downloading the flash rom with a new boot load. The latest boot load revision is 1.02. If this load has been installed at the factory, you will find a sticker on the flash rom chip. We recommend that if you upgrade the boot load yourself, that you label the unit appropriately.

Issue What if an NPR 2000 goes away and never comes back even after cycling power to it? Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET site Cause Cold starting an NPR 2000 is a common troubleshooting technique to clear up a number of communication problems that may arise. Resolution If said NPR stops communicating and doesn't come back no matter what, you should cold start it and do a software restore. (See that procedure in How to cold start an NPR 2000.)

Issue How do I cold start an NPR 2000? Environment Netplus Router - Model NPR-2000-C Cause Cold starting an NPR 2000 is a common troubleshooting technique to clear up a number of communication problems that may arise. Resolution Open the front cover. Depress the Idisk holder (looks like a battery holder) so that the conductors short against each other. While holding that, press the small black button on the front left of the unit. 2 LEDs on the right will begin flashing and continue for about 20-30 seconds (more or less). When they stop and 2 LEDs to the right and left of them come on solid, press the black button again. If you did it right, the 4 LEDs will begin flashing back and forth. The NPR is now in boot state and requires a software restore via the serial port. You won’t be able to connect to the NPR via Ethernet since it is at boot and has no TCP/IP address.

Issue What utility in Windows XP can disable items in Startup? Environment Windows XP Cause Items that run on startup can sometimes make the boot up process for a PC very slow. Depending on which applications have been added to start automatically on startup, it can also cause problems if things load in the incorrect order. Resolution Click the Start button in Windows XP Select Run Type msconfig and click OK.

Issue Can you use Thinnet/RG-58 cabling with an NPR 2000? Environment I/NET Site Cause Can you use Thinnet/RG-58 cabling with an NPR 2000 Resolution Yes. You have to order the AUI NPR with an AUI adapter.

Issue The Station buttons are missing in the MCU Configuration dialog box Environment I/NET 2000 Site Cause The Station buttons are missing in the MCU Configuration dialog box. What happened? Resolution To provide you with the ability to configure or hide the statistical features of I/NET 2000, there are three .reg files included in the I/NET 2000 application root directory. When you double-click the desired *.reg file, it will update the DiagnosticFlag in the registry to the associated condition. Each file and its function is as follows: NoStats.reg - No statistics dialog shown, Stats.reg - Shows statistical data but does not allow back-ground ASC resets or manual MR/ASC resets, Stats&Reset.reg - Shows statistical data with ability to perform background ASC resets or manual MR/ASC resets.  For more information see TCON 217.

Issue What is Gateway? Environment I/NET Site Cause What is Gateway? Resolution A gateway is a method of enabling communications between two or more network segments. A gateway is usually a dedicated computer that runs gateway software and provides translation service, which allows for communications between dissimilar systems on the network. For example, using a gateway, an Intel-based PC on one segment can both communicate and share resources with a Macintosh computer or mainframe. Another function of gateways is to translate protocols. A gateway can receive an IPX/SPX message that are bound for a client running another protocol, such as TCP/IP, on a remote network segment. After the gateway determines the message packet's destination is a TCP/IP station, the gateway will actually convert the message data to the TCP/IP protocol.

Issue Does Event printing in I/Net require a Windows printer driver? Environment I/NET Site Cause Does Event printing in I/Net require a Windows printer driver? Resolution No, unlike AMT printing the Event printing process in I/Net 'dumps' the data to the designated printer port, for example LPT1.

Issue How can I know when new products are released? Environment I/NET Site Cause How can I know when new products are released? Resolution Visit the Building Business Extranet. Email a request to the Buildings Business ExchangeMail marketingadmin@buildings.schneider-electric.com

Issue When entering a value of 1 into Code 08 on a 7780 Hand Held Console to enable all lights on, all the lights do not come on. Environment I/NET Site using the Hand Held Console (HHC) Cause When entering a value of 1 into Code 08 on a 7780 HHC to enable all lights on, all the lights do not come on Resolution Code 08 on a 7780 enables the all lights on function. If you go to Edit/Controller/Configuration and select “all lights on”, this will accomplish the same thing. This setting enables 00DI to be used as a trigger to turn all lights on at once, regardless of time schedule, calculations or anything else. Like wise if you enter “Code” 09 in the HHC, all lights off will be enabled and 01DI can be used as the trigger. This can also be done in Edit/Controller/Configuration setting.

Issue The 901 modem is dialing multiple times (6-8) before successfully registering a change on the alarm window. Environment 901 Modem Cause Normally it only takes one dial-up attempt to establish the communication link. If it takes 6-8 times, it indicates modem or telephone line problems. Resolution In the dial-up parameters, define the number of dial up attempts before line block. 10 is the default value.

Issue Why is the 901 dialing once for each time the alarm is tripped or reset? Is there a way to request that the alarm queue be emptied with one call? Environment 901 Modem Cause This is because the dial up parameters have been configured to do this. Resolution Check the "Alarm delay" parameters where tripped/reset/ack is specified. If you don't want the TAC Xenta 901 to dial up when an alarm is reset or acked, just uncheck the options. Note that the options are per alarm priority.