How do you configure Network to see Web Server Page

[UNICO2]

Hi - I have a Unilogic web server page going to port 5800 that shows the basic status of our system.  I can see it internally no problem (on the LAN maybe you could say).  For example the PLC Panel ethernet is set to 175.222.227.54 and I am on the same LAN where my IP4 address is 175.222.227.55 and so when I open Chrome and type 175.222.227.54:5800, hit enter, and I can see the basic status page.  The issue is that I can't seem to view it externally (on the WAN?).  We have Comcast Business internet and I think the problem has to do with how the IP's/ports are created and handled and with the firewall.  Has anyone set this up and if so what are the basic steps?  Does the Unistream HMI panel need to have a static IP address ,or a WAN IP, and/or a Public Subnet?  Or do I keep the PLC's LAN IP address like it is already and somehow the router is configured to broadcast the web server page on the public IP at port 5800?  Thanks!

[Saragani]

So, you have a router? 

If the PC and PLC are behind the router, which is the one that is actually connected to the internet, then you should configure the router for NAT/port forwarding.

By that, you can configure that if someone connect for example to port 1234, it will redirect the connection to IP xyz and port 5678

 

In your case, you can forward port 5800 or any other port (for example 80), to 175.222.227.54 and port 5800 (So anyone that connects to the routers IP with a specific port, will be "redirected" to the PLC and with the right port).

 

[UNICO2]

Thanks for the reply - my question is more how do you do that with the Comcast Business Internet tools?  What are the steps to set it up?

Do I need a Static IP?

 Thanks.

[Joe Tauser]

Comcast has to assign you a static IP visible to the outside world that you can port forward in your router to the PLC.

Joe T.

[UNICO2]

Hi and thanks for all your help - it appears that our problem was related to the way the Unitronics Panel Ethernet was set up, so not a router problem but a problem with the PLC IP.  In this instance the Default gateway had to be set to the routers internal IP address.  And now it works (I don't know if this is proper but it works).  A good tool for checking this functionality was http://www.whatsmyip.org/port-scanner/  where you enter 5800 or your port # and you see if it is open or not.  

[Joe Tauser]

I didn't even think to ask about the Gateway address.  I always set this to the router's address because that's where the device links to the outside world.

You need to set the Gateway address on both the Panel and the CPU to your router's address, if you haven't already.

Joe T.

[UNICO2]

We have one HMI panel and just use the Local Expansion Kit UAG-XK-125 and the CPU is set to IP 0.0.0.0, Subnet 255.255.255.0, and Default Gateway to nothing and it seems to work (the web server page anyways).  Is setting up the CPU's IP essential for VNC, RS485, and/or CANbus communication?  It seems redundant to have this and I'm not really sure why you need the CPU's IP settings - any insight?  Thanks.

[Joe Tauser]

This is a fuzzy area for me, too.  If you look at the Help you'll see that the Panel IP is the one that the Webserver actually uses.

The CPU IP certainly isn't necessary for RS485 or CANbus, but I don't know about VNC.

Have you tried to connect via a VNC client on another computer and changed the addresses on the PLC and the Panel?  This would be a simple experiment.

Joe T.

[Ausman]

There is probably some technical reason I don't know about due to not knowing Unilogic, but I am intrigued why there is only reference to static addressing (here and in other posts)  and no mention of Dynamic DNS.  I use it all the time to get very specific addressing into routers where static is unavailable, and have found the most reliable to be dyn.com.  Tried others, but no good, so happy to pay a little for a great service.

cheers,

Aus