Description

The EtherNet/IP Adapter firmware implements all CIP objects and services to build an EtherNet/IP Adapter device that can pass ODVA's conformance test.
This in addition requires a correctly behaving host application that interfaces to the firmware through the Dual Port Memory (DPM) interface.

Configuration

The stack can be configured via data base files (generated with Hilscher's Sycon.net or Communication Studio) or via the DPM's mailbox interface (refer to the corresponding API manual).
During connection establishment to an EtherNet/IP Scanner (PLC), it is possible to pass configuration data to the host application.

Implicit Messaging (Cyclic Data)

Through the DPM the host application has access to the process data that is consumed and produces by the firmware.

Explicit Messaging (Acyclic Data)

Acyclic services received from the network and addressing 'build in' CIP objects (CIP objects that are part of the firmware's default CIP object model) are handled by the firmware itself.
There is the possibility to extend the default object model by additional CIP objects, e.g. to support CIP profiles or vendor specific CIP objects.

Key Features

Cyclic I/O data (Implicit Messaging): class 0 / class 1
Acyclic data (Explicit Messaging): Unconnected / Connected (class 3)
Connection Application Types: Exclusive Owner, Input Only, Listen Only
Trigger Types: Cyclic, Change of State, Application Triggered
Device Level Ring (DLR) - Media Redundancy ¹⁾
Address Conflict Detection (ACD)
Quality of Service (QoS)
CIP Sync ¹⁾
QuickConnect (Fast Startup)
NULL-ForwardOpen
CIP Safety "Ready" (provides all necessary features and interfaces to attach a CIP Safety stack on top)
Firmware built-in CIP Object model can be extended by additional CIP objects (e.g. to support CIP profiles)

Supported Protocols

TCP/IP, UDP/IP
DLR ¹⁾
DHCP / BOOTP
IEEE 802.3
IEEE 802.1Q
LLDP
SNMP
PTP (Precision Time Protocol) ¹⁾

Technical Data

The technical data of the individual available firmwares differ slightly. Therefore, the below table only provides a rough overview of the supported features.

The following technical data applies to the latest available Release version. Technical data of older Release versions may be different.

Feature	Description
Maximum number of input data per assembly instance	504 bytes
Maximum number of output data per assembly instance	504 bytes
Maximum number of assemblies (firmware dependent)	10
IO Connection Types (implicit)	Exclusive Owner, Listen Only, Input only
IO Connection Trigger Types	Cyclic, minimum 1 ms* Application Triggered, minimum 1 ms* Change Of State, minimum 1 ms*
Explicit Messages	Connected (class 3) and unconnected
Unconnected Message Manager (UCMM)	supported
Max. number of connections (firmware dependent)	Class 0 / Class 1: 5 Class 3: 10 UCMM: 10
Max. number of user specific objects (firmware dependent)	20
Predefined standard objects	Identity Object (0x01) Message Router Object (0x02) Assembly Object (0x04) Connection Manager (0x06) DLR Object (0x47) ¹⁾ QoS Object (0x48) TCP/IP Interface Object (0xF5) Ethernet Link Object (0xF6) LLDP Management Object (0x109) Time Sync (0x43) ¹⁾
DHCP	supported
BOOTP	supported
Baud rates	10 and 100 MBit/s
Duplex modes	Half Duplex, Full Duplex, Auto-Negotiation
MDI modes	MDI, MDI-X, Auto-MDIX
Data transport layer	Ethernet II, IEEE 802.3
Address Conflict Detection (ACD)	supported
DLR (ring topology)	supported ¹⁾
Integrated switch	supported ¹⁾
CIP Reset services	Identity Object Reset Service of Type 0 and 1

On this page

Firmware Functions

The real-time protocol stack is fully integrated into a netX firmware for specific use case in order to provide a common set of netX firmware functions accross different protocol variants:

Firmware Variants	Use Case A	Use Case B	Use Case C
Use Case summary	netX90 COM CPU firmware for small footprint, low cost and function optimized slave devices no external SPI / SQI Flash required for COM CPU no external SDRAM required for COM CPU	same as Use Case A, but netX90 APP CPU uses external SPI Flash may use external SDRAM	full featured firmware for highest function requirements external SDRAM is required for COM CPU external SPI Flash is required for COM CPU
netX support	netX90	netX90 with ext FLASH	netX90 with ext SDRAM and ext FLASH
FW structure
Host Interface	Dual Port Memory interface with following channels: Channel 0 - Real-Time Ethernet Protocol API exchange cyclic IO data use acyclic protocol services Channel 1 - Network Services Socket API - Enables opening a communication socket using the integrated TCP/IP stack resources, i.e. same MAC address Ethernet (NDIS) API - Enables sending and receiving Ethernet frames using a separate MAC address, i.e. application host with its own TCP/IP stack Web API - Enables forwarding specific URL (HTTP GET/POST) requests to user applications, e.g. to build custom webpage contents
Diagnosis Interface	netX Diagnostic and Remote Access (UART)
Integrated Flash File System	not available		Power-fail safe flash file system on external SPI flash
Remanent Data Storage	Power-fail safe storage of up to 16kB of protocol remanent data in netX90 internal flash		Power-fail safe storage of protocol remanent data in dedicated partition in extenal SPI flash. Size and position of remanent storage area shall be configured in FDL.
Device Data	device production data (Serial number, MAC address, production data etc.) shall be stored in FDL (flash device label) area of netX90 internal flash
Firmware Transfer	to internal netX90 flash ... via integrated web server via Host Interface (DPM, SPM) Note: due to a limited size (max. 380kB) of FW Update area in the internal flash, only the following files can be transfered: individual firmware files (i.e. comfw.nxi or appfw.nai) if the size of the file is less that 380kB max. 380kB big FWUPDATE.zip file with predefined structure	to the host application... via integrated webserver and Web API (DPM Channel 1) host application needs to handle storage of the firmware in the external SPI flash	to netX flash file system located on external SPI Flash
Firmware Update	Firmware check and installation supported through calling the Maintenance Firmware
Firmware Update	from internal netX90 flash	from external SPI flash	from Flash File System located on external SPI Flash
Configuration	by sending packets to the firmware		by sending packets to the firmware by using Communication Studio configuration database file from local flash file system
Integrated Webserver	\netx - Provides a graphical user interface to other functions (diag, firmware, reset, etc.) \netx\diag - Provides information on the netX device (current uptime, MAC address, device number, serial number, etc.) as json object \netx\firmware - Enables uploading a new firmware update file to netX flash \netx\reset - Initiates a netX reset cycle, i.e. to install a newly uploaded firmware \webif - Requests are forwarded to the user application via DPM (web interface API)
Integrated Webserver	\ - Requests will be redirect to \webif		\files - Enables streaming of custom web content according to media types (i.e. txt, js, xhtml, jpeg, json, etc.) located in the Flash file system \ - Requests will be redirect to \files
Tag List Options	Firmware supports certain modification of the functionality via Tag List, in particular: Webserver port number or deactivation Activation of Ethernet Interface in DPM Channel1 Selection of target for remanent data storage (netX local or external host)
HW Sync Signal	supported via netX signal XC_TRIGGER0/1 ¹⁾
Protocol Specific LED Indicators	Network specific status indicators with COM0 / COM1 LEDs: MS: Module Status NS: Network Status
Secure Boot	supported by EtherNet/IP Adapter V5.4.0.0 and later, see Support of Secure Boot with netX90 for more details
Limitations	FW functions are limited by available internal RAM / Flash COM firmware size is limited to 500kB	FW functions are limited by available internal RAM / Flash	TBD

¹⁾ Supported by 2 port firmware variants only