Configuration - Network 

Available from firmware 2021.6 – for firmware 2020.3 to 2021.0 LTS see WBM page Information - Network configuration

Network page

On the Network WBM page you can view or configure the LAN interface settings of your controller (depending on the user role).
From firmware release 2023.0 LTS, the Network WBM page contains a tab for configuring the Netload Limiter.

LAN Interfaces tab

For each Ethernet interface on the controller,  this page lists the following information:

• Naming of a LAN interface in the form "TCP/IP (LAN <n>^[1]) – Switched Mode^[2]"
  • IP Address
  • Subnet Mask
  • Default Gateway
  • DNS Server Addresses
  • MAC Address
  • Naming of 1st physical port^[3]
    • Data Rate – can be 10 or 100 or 1000 Mbit/s (on LinkUp when link is active only)
    • Duplex Mode – can be Full Duplex or Half Duplex (on LinkUp when link is active only)
    • Link Status – can be LinkUp (a connection to another Ethernet device is established) or LinkDown (No connection to another Ethernet device is established)
  • Naming of 2nd physical port^[3]
    • Data Rate
    • Duplex Mode
    • Link Status
• Naming of a LAN interface
  • and so on... 
    The list continues for all Ethernet interfaces and their ports known to the controller.

1. The naming for Ethernet interfaces on the controller itself has the form "LAN <n>", with the index corresponding to the naming of the interface on the controller's housing. If an extension module is attached (e.g. with Extension module AXC F XT ETH 1TX ), its Ethernet interface is named in the form "EXT LAN <n>".
2. Only displayed for LAN interfaces with two ports. 
3. The naming form for physical ports depends on the controller type, e.g.:
   1. at AXC F 2152 it is "Port X1" and "Port X2"
   2. at RFC 4072S it is "Port LAN 3.1" and "Port LAN 3.2"
   3. at AXC F XT ETH 1TX it is "Port X3 Extension Ethernet Port"

User role with read permissions

When you are logged in with a user role with read permissions only you can view the current network settings and status values in the column Status. Because you can't change anything, there a no other buttons visible in the page.

User role with write permissions

When you are logged in with the Admin or SecurityAdmin user role you can view the current network settings and status values in the column Status. You can change the current network settings in the Configuration column.

To change the network settings, proceed as follows:

• Enter the new settings in the Configuration column.
• Click Apply and reboot to apply the new settings.

The new settings are sent to the controller. An automatic reboot of the controller is performed to activate the new settings.

You can also change the network configuration by means of the PLCnext Engineer software. For details see Configuring the IP settings and Connecting to the controller.
Information on further network setting options can be found in the PLCnext Engineer Online Help. You can find the PLCnext Engineer Online Help in its menu Help → View Help.

Changing IP addresses for a redundant control system

Available from firmware 2022.0 LTS on RFC 4072R

If you're working with a redundant control system, the configuration of IP addresses is different:
Even though you are working with two controllers, the IP address are set for the whole system. From there, the IP addresses for the controllers are derived. For details, see Structure of IP addresses for system redundancy with RFC 4072R.

To change the network settings of a redundant control system, proceed as follows:

• Enter the new settings in the Configuration column, which is set as the system IP address.
  The physical IP addresses for the redundant controllers will be set automatically, incrementing the last octet of the address by 1 (for the First Controller) or by 2 (for the Second Controller).
• Click Apply and reboot to apply the new settings.

The new settings are sent to the controllers. An automatic reboot of the controllers is performed to activate the new settings.

Click to show a screenshot of the interfaces on an RFC 4072R controllerClick to show a screenshot of the interfaces on an RFC 4072R controller

Netload Limiter tab

Available from firmware release 2023.0 LTS

Prerequisite: The Netload Limiter is activated by means of the System Services WBM page.

The Netload Limiter offers an option to limit the CPU load caused by an increasing amount of Ethernet telegrams. For details see Netload Limiter. From firmware release 2023.0 LTS, settings for the Netload Limiter can be done via the Web-based Management, in addition to the pre-existing means for configuration (IEC 61131‑3 function block, RSC service, XML configuration file).

The Netload Limiter tab in the Network WBM page shows present configurations and statistics, allows to change configurations (depending on a user role with write permissions), and to reset the statistics. The handling is quite self-explanatory. After applying a different configuration of the Netload Limiter by means of the Apply Configuration button, that configuration is active immediately. The controller does not need to be restarted. That allows for approaching cautiously to proper limits.