Table of Contents

Introduction

This Getting Started guide, is based on the Communication Solutions 90/4x00 DVD, which is available in this area: https://www.hilscher.com/de/support/downloads/.

All mentioned software and Directorys can be found on this DVD.

It describes how to Install all needed Software and gives a short overview about the configuration steps for Communication Solution Devices (e.g. CIFX Cards).

Software Installation

Note

Please note, that Communication Studio is currently not compatible with Sycon.net.

To prevent issues caused by previous installations, please do a clean deinstallation first.

A complete description of how to do a clean installation, can be found in the following Application Note:

https://kb.hilscher.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=108958525

cifX Device Driver

Install the CIFX device driver for Windows on your host system.

It is needed to gain access to the cifX card via PCI Express.

DVD Path → ...\Driver_&_Toolkit\Device Driver (NXDRV-WIN)\Installation\cifX Device Driver Setup.exe

The latest version of the CIFX Device Driver, is also available on our Knowledge Base:

https://kb.hilscher.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=22808096

Device Explorer

Install the Device Explorer, which is used to download a communication firmware to the CIFX card.

DVD Path → …\Software_&_Tools\Configuration_Software\Device_Explorer Vxxx Setup.exe

The latest version of the Device Explorer, is also available on our Knowledge Base:

https://kb.hilscher.com/display/HWMAN/Device+Explorer

Device Library

Install the Device Library.

It provides a collection of device and communication DTMs for the Configuration Software Communication Studio.

DVD Path → …\Software_&_Tools\Configuration_Software\Device_Library Vxxx Setup.exe

The latest version of the Device Library, is also available on our Knowledge Base:

https://kb.hilscher.com/display/DEVLIB/Device+Library

Communication Studio

Install Communication Studio, which is used to set up a network configuration.

DVD Path → …\Software_&_Tools\Configuration_Software\CommunicationStudio Vxxx Setup.exe

The latest version of Communication Studio, is also available on our Knowledge Base:

https://kb.hilscher.com/display/COMSTUDIO/Communication+Studio

Commissioning Steps

Mount the Hilscher product into the host system.

Install the above mentioned software components.

Download a firmware into the Hilscher product, using the Device Explorer.

Set up a protocol-dependent network configuration, using Communication Studio.

Download the configuration to the product.

The communication is started automatically or using an Application, concerning the previous configuration.

Check if the communication works as expected, using the Diagnostic functions in Communication Studio.

Optional:

Check data exchange with “cifXTest” utility, which is installed in the Windows Control Panel, together with the cifX Device Driver (NXDRV-WIN).
If it is not shown in the Control Panel, it can be found in the following path: C:\Program Files\cifX Device Driver

Info

Please find a full commissioning example, in this Application Note:

https://kb.hilscher.com/display/GLOBALSUP/Commissioning+CIFX+M2+as+Profinet+IO+Device

Firmware

For full support with the Hilscher tool chain, the latest firmware listed on the Product DVD or the latest Firmware available on the Hilscher Knowledge Base (https://kb.hilscher.com/display/HILKB/Technologies) has to be used.

If a later version of a firmware is used from Hilscher Knowledge Base, the firmware type "Use Case C" has to be chosen in the download folder.