MASTERTRACE Chapter 7 Networking Modules
7.4
explicit messaging by a PLC (ex. Micro820 from
Allen-Bradley) acting as a client in the EtherNet/IP
communication network.
There is a limitation in this type of Ethernet
communication. A PLC or Automation system can only
communicate to one Modbus slave. In other words, it adds
Ethernet communication capability to a MasterTrace
control module, not to a MasterTrace heat tracing panel.
7.9 MC100 for Internet
MC100 for Internet is designed for plant wide monitoring
and programming of MasterTrace control modules using a
standard PC running in Windows operating system. It
communicates to control modules through RS485 serial
link with facilities for bringing data on any part of
network to the desk top and controlling the operation of
heat tracing controllers remotely. With its server/client
Internet communication capability, cross continent control
and maintenance of heat tracing systems are realities.
Figure 7.4 shows the overall network connections of
MC100 for Internet.
MC100 internet communication network consists of one
server (MC100 server) and one or more clients (MC100
client).
A MC100 server is a MC100 for Internet software
configured as the server in the MC100 internet
communication network. It must be installed on the PC
that is the master in the RS485 communication network.
Its functionalities are two-folded. First, it has the physical
links with all heat tracing controllers and uses these links
to query data from the controllers in the RS485 network.
Secondly, it is the server in the internet communication
network, and upon request, it will pass all information
obtained from the RS485 network to its clients over the
world.
A MC100 client is a MC100 for Internet software
installed on a PC and configured as a client in the MC100
internet communication network. Even though it has no
physical links with any heat-tracing controllers, it can
monitor and control the operation of any controllers
through the MC100 server.
For a MC100 client to communicate to the server, the
Server IP address in its Internet Setup panel must be set
correctly. (1) If the MC100 server and client are located in
the same LAN (Local Area Network), the Server IP is the
LAN IP Address of the MC100 server computer. (2) If
the MC100 server and client are located in separated
LANs, the Server IP is the WAN IP Address of the
LAN which the MC100 server PC belongs to. In this case,
since the MC100 server computer is connecting to the
client computer through a router or firewall, users of the
server computer must ask their network administrator to
configure the Port Forwarding (to the MC100 server
computer) function on Port 5000 of the router.
Figure 7.4 MC100 for Internet Network Connections
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