Controls
EtherNet Board
Provides the controller's TCP/IP network interface for file transfer, remote access, and EtherNet/IP communication.
The EtherNet board provides the controller's IP connection, used for tasks like transferring programs over FTP, remote diagnostics, and industrial protocols such as EtherNet/IP that exchange I/O data with a PLC over the same physical network.
Many current controllers include this function on the main CPU board rather than as a separate card, but older or expanded systems may still use a dedicated EtherNet board in its own backplane slot.
Network configuration errors, such as a duplicate IP address or an incorrect subnet mask, are a far more common source of trouble on this board than hardware failure.
Common questions
- What does the EtherNet Board do?
- Provides the controller's TCP/IP network interface for file transfer, remote access, and EtherNet/IP communication.
- How does the EtherNet Board fail?
- Common failure modes: Loss of network link from a failed port or damaged cable, IP address conflict preventing connection to plant network, Intermittent EtherNet/IP data dropout under network load, Board failing to negotiate link speed with a switch.