5

Field Network Test Utility

It is often useful to check the proper operation of the network before all of the station configuration parameters are finalized. The Field Network Test utility provides access to a subset of the Station Manager commands that allow the station to operate as a mem- ber of the network without requiring any software or configuration data to be loaded. Installation Procedure 5 (in Chapter 2) provides detailed instructions for checking the operation of a node across the physical network to all other nodes.

The Field Network Test utility can be entered only during a brief interval at the end of power-up diagnostics. When power-up diagnostics are completed, the character ª@º is displayed on the Station Manager terminal and a three-second opportunity to enter the Field Network Test utility begins. If the character ªFº or ªfº is entered at the local Station Manager terminal during this three-second window, the Field Network Test utility will be entered. Any character except ªFº or ªfº is ignored. After three seconds, the window for entering the Field Network Test utility closes and system initialization proceeds. Note that these characters are not echoed back.

A typical invocation of the Field Network Test utility is shown below:

@(ªFº or ªfº character is entered within 3 seconds) IC697 PLC Factory LAN Interface

Copyright (c) 1990-1995. All rights reserved. PROM Version 2.00 Ethernet

MAC address = <<08001901001f>> MAC default = <<08001901001f>> EM7A2

<<<Field Network Test Utility >>>

$

After the station enters the network, the Station Manager commands shown in the fol- lowing table can be used to test the network. Some of the commands have restrictions due to the limited resources available in this utility.

GFK-1004B

Chapter 5 The Station Manager

5-13

Page 140
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GE GFK-1004B user manual Field Network Test Utility