TCP/IP configuration

A new RB-603/RB-645 retrofit board ships with a factory default IP address for its primary LAN1 Ethernet port (see factory). You should change this IP address during commissioning. You can do this either after or before running the Install Niagara R2 wizard from a platform connection.

To do this, double-click TCP/IP Configuration (see Figure 16).

Figure 16. TCP/IP Configuration dialog

This document focuses on IPv4 configuration. The unit’s NPM6E processor supports IPv6; however, Niagara R2 station operation cannot make use of IPv6. For more details on IPv6 in AX-3.6, refer to the Platform Guide section on TCP/IP Configuration, including the section “TCP/IP changes in AX-3.6”.

To configure TCP/IP settings

In the TCP/IP Configuration view (Figure 16), do the following:

Review the Interface 1 settings on the IPv4 Settings tab, which include the temporary factory-shipped IP address (see factory).
Assign the JACE a unique IPv4 address for the network you are installing it on. No other device on this network should use this same IP address. Include the appropriate subnet mask used by the network.

Alternatively, if the network supports DHCP, you can enable it (click DHCP Enabled). In this case, the IP Address and Subnet Mask fields become read only.
In general (for stability), static IP addressing is recommended over DHCP. Do not enable DHCP unless you are certain that the network has DHCP servers! Otherwise, the JACE may become unreachable over the network.
Review, and if needed adjust other TCP/IP settings, which (in usual order of importance) include:
- IPv4 Gateway — The IP address for the device that forwards packets to other networks or subnets.
- DNS Domain Name — Enter the name of network domain, or if not applicable, leave blank.
- DNSv4 Servers — Click the add button for a field to enter the IPv4 address of one or more DNS servers.
- Hostname — Default may be “localhost,” or enter another name you want to use for this host.
- Hosts File — Click control to expand edit field. Format is a standard TCP/IP hosts file, where each line associates a particular IP address with a known host name. Each entry should be on an individual line. The IP address should be placed in the first column, followed by the corresponding host name. The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one space.
  1. To add a line, click at the end of the last line and press Enter.
  2. Type in the required data on the new line.
    
    To return to see all TCP/IP settings, click the control to contract the edit field when done.
Click the Save button to save the changed configuration.

A popup confirmation dialog appears asking if it is OK to reboot the controller now.
- Click No if you wish to make additional platform changes in this platform session, such as to Interface 2 (see below). You return back to the TCP/IP Configuration view. Or,
- Click Yes to reboot the controller now with the saved changes. The platform connection will drop and another popup appears.
  
  Click OK. The controller reboots and a “Cannot display page” error message appears in the Workbench view pane.
  
  Typically, you need to reopen a platform connection from the Workbench menu again (File->Open->Open Platform), or Ctrl-Shift-P, this time entering the newly changed IP address.
  
  Then continue on with Niagara R2 commissioning as described in the rest of this document.

On a JACE-603 or JACE-645, “Interface 2” is available, for configuring the LAN2 (secondary) Ethernet port. By default, this port is disabled, that is without a “default” address. Intended usage is for:

Isolating a “driver’s” Ethernet traffic from the primary (LAN1) interface, OR
In some cases, LAN2 may be set up with a standard, fixed, IP address that is used only by a company’s service technician, when on site. This allows access to the JACE without disconnecting it from the customer’s network, or without connecting the technician’s service PC to the customer’s network (which might go against local IT security policies).

In any case, note that DHCP is not supported on LAN2—if enabled, you specify another (network) static IP address and the appropriate subnet mask.

Also note the following:

If enabling both LAN ports, note that the LAN1 IP address and LAN2 IP address must be on different subnets, otherwise the ports will not function correctly.

For example, with a typical “Class C” subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, setting Interface 1=192.168.1.99 and Interface 2=192.168.1.188 is an invalid configuration, as both addresses are on the same subnet.
A JACE does not provide IP routing or bridging operation between different Interfaces (LAN ports).