How to comunicate serial port with IP

[Luko14]

Dennis_Knuston, I will take into account what you tell me, it is important.

Do you think that also the problem could be that for a serial, the "shape of the comands" must change, I mean, for a serial port a different structure of the commands is needed?

[crossrulz]

If you want to use TCP/IP, then your device needs to be connected via the Ethernet connection in your computer.  This also means that the instrument must be connected to the same network and be configured to be in the same subnet.  Static IP addresses are recommended.

If your instrument is connected to the serial port, then you have to use the serial port to talk to it.

[crossrulz]

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@Luko14 wrote:

Do you think that also the problem could be that for a serial, the "shape of the comands" must change, I mean, for a serial port a different structure of the commands is needed?

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What instrument are you trying to communicate with?  All of the instruments that I have ran into that can use serial or TCP/IP use the same command structure of both buses.

[Luko14]

Crossrulz, all the devices are properly conected in the network we have. All the IP are static.

If the device is conected to a serial port, there is no chance to conect it by IP/Ethernet? we want to conect it by IP because we suspect that the serial port is crashing the program.

[crossrulz]

Make sure the instrument is configured to talk over the Ethernet.  There are some that will only allow you to communicate over one bus and it must be manually configured.  The VISA serial name for an Ethernet connected instrument is usually something like "TCPIP0::XXX::INSTR" where XXX is the TCP/IP address.

[Dennis_Knutson]

That's just silly. You obviously have two separate ports on the instrument and you need the correct protocol for each.

Use the tcp/ip functions when you have it on an Ethernet connection.

[K C]

Maybe it would help if you tell us which instrument you are using.

Kees

[Luko14]

I will try to explain better and with more details the problem I have and the devices I am working with in order you can help me.

Sorry If do not use the right words properly because I am only a learner.

I have three devices correctly connected via Ethernet with the PC:

1         Mercury iTC temperature controller

2         Mercury iPS magnet power supply

Which are both connected also by USB (serial port) and both work with “Advanced Serial Write and Read.vi”

Here you have all the specifications: http://www.oxford-instruments.com/OxfordInstruments/media/nanoscience/PDFs/Instrumentation/Mercury-I...

3         Another device only connected by Ethernet and that works properly with “send_commands_ethernet.vi”

I would like to communicate with the devices iTC and iPS via Ethernet but when I try to do it with “send_commands_ethernet.vi” it does not work. WHY?

If you need more information just tell me.

[crossrulz]

What IP address do you have everything assigned to?  Are you using any crossover cables?  What is your network connection architecture/layout (ie, how is everything connected)?

[Luko14]

-The IP is static

-We are not using crossover cables

-All the devices are connected to an internal server.

I have found a program that is able to communicate via Ethernet with the iPS device that shows the name of the components (of the iPS) and it works, so that is the evidence that iPS is properly connected to the Ethernet. There is no apparent reason why “send_commands_ethernet.vi” should not work then. Perhaps it has to be with the structure of the commands that I am sending to the device by “send_commands_ethernet.vi”.

In the program I tell you above that works via Ethernet over iPS, I have realized that when I write the IP address in the front panel: “149.220.70.99” automatically the program changes it to this shape to communicate with the device:  “tcpip::149.220.70.99::7020::socket”.

Does it give you any clue about what could be happening?