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Need Help Getting Started!

philadamsphiladams Posts: 6
in NetLinx Studio
NetLinx Studio not communicating with Master.

Setup: NXI Controller with NXC-ME260 card. Having trouble getting them to talk. Has anybody got suggestions for some rookie troubleshooting!

I'm trying to program using the front port of the NXC using RS232. The pin-out I'm trying (DB9) is 2=RX, 3=TX, 5=GND, 7=RTS, 8=CTS. I'm using the same for connections at both ends - the laptop COM port and the NXC..... Does this cabling sound correct?

I can't see any other errors in the setup.

The serial properties are all the same on the Laptop COM port and on the Master/NetLinx...
Baud Rate: 38400
Data Bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
Flow Control: None

I know it's amateur stuff but any help is greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • travtrav Posts: 188
    Proper Cables..

    The cable should be a cross over, from what I can gather you have wired it 2-2,3,3,5,5 it should be 2-3, 3-2, 5-5, so the transmit at one end goes to the recieve at the other, also called a null modem cable. Hope that helps!

    PS, Also make sure the Master program port Dip switches are set so that 6,7,8 or UP (on) and the rest are down.

    -Trav


    ***** EDIT ******
    Also it pays to check in the windows device manager that the port settings in there are also set to 38400,8,N,1,None, as they can override specific program port settings.

    ******************
  • philadamsphiladams Posts: 6
    trav wrote:
    The cable should be a cross over, from what I can gather you have wired it 2-2,3,3,5,5 it should be 2-3, 3-2, 5-5, so the transmit at one end goes to the recieve at the other, also called a null modem cable. Hope that helps!

    PS, Also make sure the Master program port Dip switches are set so that 6,7,8 or UP (on) and the rest are down.

    -Trav


    ***** EDIT ******
    Also it pays to check in the windows device manager that the port settings in there are also set to 38400,8,N,1,None, as they can override specific program port settings.

    ******************


    Thanks for that. It's not a cross obver at the moment - thought I was doing somehting worng with the cabling alright. I'd checked the Windows Device Manager for the port settings and they're ok.

    Cheers
  • travtrav Posts: 188
    NP, That should sort you out.

    -Trav
  • HedbergHedberg Posts: 671
    Yes, it needs to be a crossover (aka Null Modem) cable. I think you are right about the pinouts on both ends, which explains why. You need to connect Tx on each to Rx on the other-therefore 2 to 3 and 3 to 2, A crossover cable also runs 7 to 8 and 8 to 7. I don't know if the AMX program port uses RTS and CTS or not, but if it does, not switching 7 and 8 will mess you up.

    You might consider buying a factory built null modem cable, Considering the frequency of use and that you'll be plugging it in and unplugging it and rolling it around and everything, the durability of the factory made ones might be useful. At the computer store, just about every premade DB9 terminated cable which is female at both ends has crossed wiring. and will work.

    I don't know how to test that your master is working properly if you can't get com with your computer, but you can test your serial port by connecting it to the serial port on another computer and sending important messages back and forth through hyperterminal. The Hell that is hyperterminal squared.

    If you can't get the program port to work, you should be able to connect via ethenet. If you have a router with DHCP server and your master is still set up to use DHCP, you can monitor your router to see which address gets assigned. Or, if you connect it up and fire up Netlinx Studio, the master communications tool has a "listen feature" and if you hit "listen" and then select "start listening" it will give you the IP addresses of connected AMX masters. A very cool function that I learned about a few weeks back by reading these forums.

    If you connect via ethernet directly from your computer to the master, you will need a crossover ethernet cable for the same reason you need a crossover DB9 cable. If you connect via a switch or hub or router, you should use two straight cables though, I believe, most newer consumer grade stuff will autodetect cables and allow you to successfully use either crossed or straight. Making a crossed cable is a seriously non-trivial task the first time you do it, but isn't hard to learn. You need "the tool," ability to distinguish colors, a good explanation (hopefully a color coded diagram) of how to connect via the standards, and the ability to count from 1 to 8. This last requirement seems to keep RJ45 connector manufacturers in business.
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