Connecting the cRIO-9081 to the Host Computer or Network Using Ethernet

Complete the following steps to connect the cRIO-9081 to a host computer or Ethernet network using the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 1. NI recommends using the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 1 for communication with deployed systems.
Note You can configure the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 2 in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) under the Network Settings tab.
  1. Power on the host computer or Ethernet hub.
  2. Connect the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 1 on the cRIO-9081 to the host computer or Ethernet hub using a standard Category 5 (CAT-5) or better shielded, twisted-pair Ethernet cable.
    Notice To prevent data loss and to maintain the integrity of your Ethernet installation, do not use a cable longer than 100 m (328 ft).
    The cRIO-9081 attempts to initiate a DHCP network connection the first time you connect using Ethernet. The cRIO-9081 connects to the network with a link-local IP address with the form 169.254.x.x if it is unable to initiate a DHCP connection.

Finding the cRIO-9081 on the Network (DHCP)

Complete the following steps to find the cRIO-9081 on a network using DHCP.
  1. Disable secondary network interfaces on the host computer, such as a wireless access card on a laptop.
  2. Ensure that any anti-virus and firewall software running on the host computer allows connections to the host computer.
    Note MAX uses UDP 44525. Refer to the documentation of your firewall software for information about configuring the firewall to allow communication through the UDP 44525.
  3. Launch MAX on the host computer.
  4. Expand Remote Systems in the configuration tree and locate your system.
    Tip MAX lists the system under the model number followed by the serial number, such as NI-cRIO-9081-1856AAA.

Finding the cRIO-9081 on the Network (Static IP)

Complete the following steps to find the cRIO-9081 on the network if the host computer is using a static IP address. The following instructions are for host computers running Windows 7. For more information about performing the network configuration steps in this section, visit www.microsoft.com and search for change tcp/ip settings.
  1. Obtain IP settings from the host computer.
    1. Click Start»Control Panel»Network and Sharing Center.
    2. Select the primary network connection, which may appear as Local Area Connection or something similar.
    3. In the dialog box that appears, click Properties.
    4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
    5. Click Properties.
    6. Record the IP address, Subnet mask, and Default gateway address. You need these settings to configure the network settings of the cRIO-9081 and to restore the network settings of the host computer.
      Tip You can also access these settings by opening the Start menu, entering cmd.exe, and entering ipconfig in the command window that launches.
    7. Wait at least one minute.
  2. Configure IP Settings on the controller in MAX.
    1. Launch MAX on the host computer.
    2. Expand Remote Systems in the configuration tree and locate your system.
      Tip MAX lists the system under the model number followed by the serial number, such as NI-cRIO-9081-1856AAA.
    3. Select the Network Settings tab near the bottom of the window.
    4. Select Static on the Configure IPv4 Address control.
    5. Enter values for IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, and DNS Server based on the information you recorded. Be sure to enter a value for IPv4 Address that is not used by another device on the network. For example, do not use the IP address usually assigned to the host computer.
    6. Click Save and let MAX restart the cRIO-9081. The cRIO-9081 disappears from under Remote Systems and does not reappear until you restore the original network settings to the host computer.
    7. Restore the original network settings to the host computer.
    8. Return to MAX and refresh Remote Systems.