1. Overview
The Rheonics Smart Measurement Electronics (SME) offers the Modbus TCP service over the Ethernet interface. To begin using Rheonics Input Registers for accessing sensor data, the first step is to connect the SME to the local area network (LAN).
2. Wiring
The SME can be connected to a network using its Ethernet RJ45 connector, with intermediary devices such as routers or switches. Figure 1 illustrates a typical LAN setup, where multiple devices, including the SME, are interconnected via a switch.
Figure 1. SME as part of an Ethernet Network
Another option is to directly connect the SME to an Ethernet host, as shown on Figure 2.
Figure 2. Direct connection between SME and Ethernet Host
3. Configuration
The Rheonics SME device's Ethernet IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS can be configured using the RCP software. Please refer to the RCP software manual for instructions on setting these parameters and Rheonics Support Portal for SME network configuration via USB.
The factory default values are shown on Table 1.
| Configuration Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| DHCP | TRUE |
| IP Address | 0.0.0.0 |
| Mask | 0.0.0.0 |
| Gateway | 0.0.0.0 |
| DNS | 0.0.0.0 |
| TCP Port | 502 |
| Slave ID | 255 |
Table 1. Default Network Settings
The default TCP Port, and slave ID can’t be modified by the user.When DHCP is enabled (set to TRUE), a DHCP server, typically the LAN router, will automatically assign an IP address to the Sensor SME electronics. The assigned IP address can be viewed in the RCP (Rheonics Control Panel) under the "Communication" tab in the Ethernet section.
Figure 3. RCP Communication Tab
The IP address assigned to the SME (whether static or dynamic), along with the input registers, is used by the Modbus Client to access measurement data and other diagnostic values from the sensor.
If you encounter any issues with Ethernet or Modbus, please refer to our Modbus TCP/IP Troubleshooting Guide available on the Rheonics Support Portal.