8/22/13 Square D Network Routing Explained
Tech Note 13
Square D Network Routing Explained
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Topic#: 000633
C reated: June 11, 1996
This article applies to the Wonderware® Square D SY/ENET, SY/MAX Point-to-Point, and SY/LINK DDE I/O
Servers. All three of these Square D servers have the following field displayed on the I/O Server’s Topic dialog
box:
For many users, what is supposed to be entered in this field is a mystery. This Tech Note was written to take
some of the mystery out of Square D network routing and to define some of the rules of network addressing.
Note This article applies to the Wonderware Square D I/O Servers only. Other Square D vendor software (for
example, the Square D programming software) may be able to perform network routing that is different than
what the Wonderware Square D servers will do.
Overview of Square D Routing
Routing provides a way to address from a Source node to a Destination node. This route must include all
intermediate points or Bridges. For example, here is a typical network route which is illustrated in Figure 1 below:
Source: Personal computer (PC) on Net “A”
Bridge: PLC Model 400 on Net “A”
Destination: PLC Model 400 on Net “B”
Referencing Figure 1, the route address for this example would be: 4, 123, 23.
The simplest route would be between two points (Point-to-Point). But, the confusion begins when the network
becomes more complex with additional PCs and PLCs. Square D allows you a maximum of seven routing numbers
for the Source and Destination and a maximum of five Bridges.
Type of Hardware Used
Network Interface Module (NIM)
There are DIP switches in the Network Interface Module (NIM) which set the following items:
Network speed
COM port speed (typically 9600 baud is the maximum)
Net-to-Net / SY/MAX
Network size (31 or 100)
Within a network, a NIM address can be used only once. To function as a Bridge, two NIMs (each on a separate
network) must have the same address and be connected through the same communication port (that is, COM0 or
COM1). Figure 1 shows three networks, Net “A”, “B”, and “C” in which NIM address 23 is the Bridge between Net
“A” and “B”, and NIM address 28 is the Bridge between Net “B” and “C”.
SY/LINK Card
The SY/LINK card is essentially a NIM that slides into the PC. The SY/LINK card has two connections or ports.
Port 0 (zero) connects to a SY/NET network. Port 1 is for the RS-422 multi-drop applications (as shown in Figure
1 on the PC in Net “A”).
The SY/LINK card’s address is defined by selecting Configure in the Square D server’s menu. The address can
range from 0 to 99. Though the SY/LINK card is basically a NIM for the PC, it is different in that it contains no
thumbwheel or switch settings. This means the card can be used as a Source or a Destination only, never as a
Bridge!
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8/22/13 Square D Network Routing Explained
Note Wonderware® InTouch™ does not use a software interrupt. If a SY/LINK card is being used by the Square
D programming software, the card will be initialized at a certain software interrupt. This interrupt stays active,
even after you exit the Square D software. Thus, you must turn the PC off and back on again to clear the
interrupt.
Rules of Square D Network Addressing
SY/MAX Point-to-Point Rules (Peer to Peer Communications)
1. Any route addresses entered will be ignored.
2. A COM port does not have a route address.
3. A PLC does not have a route address (but it may have an Ethernet address).
4. When you communicate from the COM port, Peer-to-Peer must be disabled on the PLC if there are no other
peers.
SY/LINK Net-to-Net Rules
1. You cannot create a Bridge between a SY/LINK network and a SY/ENET network.
2. While a Net-to-Net connection can be made between PLC on SY/NET and a PLC on SY/ENET, you cannot
create a Bridge through this connection. (For example, Figure 1 shows that the PLC Model 650 on the
SY/ENET network (Net “C”) cannot be reached by any of the PLCs on Net “A” or Net “B”).
3. The first route address on a SY/LINK card is always the COM port 0 address, even if only the RS-422 port is
being used. For example, Figure 1 shows that to go from the PC on Net “A” to the Model 700 PLC on Net
“B”, the route address would be 4,104,116, and not 104,116).
4. Do not run the SY/LINK I/O Server and the Square D programming software at the same time through the
same SY/LINK card. Instead, either use two SY/LINK cards or a separate station for the programming
software.
5. The NIM address (that is, the thumbwheel switch) must be the same on both the Source and Destination
NIMs.
6. All devices must run at the same network speed and they all must recognize the same network size.
7. You cannot use a SY/LINK card as a Bridge.
The SY/ENET Network
The SY/ENET network is the Square D Local Area Network (LAN). The SY/ENET network can support data rates of
500 Kbaud at distances of up to 2,500 feet, and data rates of 62.5 Kbaud at distances of up to 15,000 feet.
These data rates and distances can be increased by using a fiber-optic cable. The SY/NET network must
terminate with 78 Ohm resistors, as shown in Figure 1.
Here are some specifics you should be aware of when configuring the SY/ENET network:
The SY/ENET network requires a proprietary Ethernet card in the PC that is made by Square D (or one made
by ATI).
The SY/ENET network runs on thin wire only.
The network addressing can range from 00 to 99.
Each SY/ENET address must be unique.
Important If the address is not unique, it will cause the PLCs to hang. If they do hang, restart them by turning
the PLC power off, then back on.
No routing is required if it is an Ethernet drop.
The settings in the [Link] file for the Ethernet card must be properly defined.
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8/22/13 Square D Network Routing Explained
F IGURE 1. EXAMPLE SQUARE D NETWORK C ONFIGURATION
T. Butterfield
The Tech Note is published occasionally by Wonderware Technical Support. Editors: Sabrina Abercromby and Kelly Hauser;
Publisher: Wonderware C orporation, 100 Technology Drive, Irvine C A 92618. There is also technical information on our software
products at Wonderware Technical Support, our WonderFax fax-on-demand system at (949) 450-5050, and the C omprehensive
Support Knowledge Base.
For technical support questions, send an e-mail to support@[Link].
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