Configure a Modem

Each modem connected to a Plant SCADA I/O server computer needs to be configured within Windows™ and then in Plant SCADA.

To set up a modem in Windows:

1. Open Windows Control Panel | Phone and Modem.

2. Select the Modems tab, and click Add to launch the Install New Modem wizard.

3. Check the box labeled Don't detect my modem; I will select it from a list, then click Next.

4. Select Standard Modem Types in the list of manufacturers.

   Note: Do not select a brand name modem from the Manufacturers list, even if the name of the modem you're installing is included in the list. Do not click Have Disk.

5. Select the Standard xxxx bps modem rate from the list of models to exactly match the bit per second rate of the I/O device that is going to be communicating via this modem. Check the device to determine the device communication rate. If you are still unsure, select the 9600 bps model. This can be changed later if necessary.

6. Do not click Have Disk. Click Next.

7. Select the COMx Port that the modem is connected to. Click Next.

8. Click Finish. Windows displays the modem in the list of modems on the Modems Properties form.

9. No option was given for the selection and setting of the Data bits, Parity, or Stop bits information. The Modems wizard automatically defaults to 8-none-1 for Standard Modem types. To change these settings to match the Data bits, Parity, Stop bits requirements of the remote I/O device, select a modem in the list, then click the Properties button.

10. Click the Advanced tab and click Change Default Preferences.

11. Click the Advanced tab at the next dialog to gain access to the Data bits, Parity, Stop bits settings for the modem.

12. Change the Data bits, Parity, and Stop bits settings using the drop-down options, so that they exactly match those being used by the remote I/O device and its remote modem. Don't change any advanced settings. (The default is Hardware flow control.)

13. Click OK. If a modem of the same rate is installed to the same port as an existing modem, Windows asks for confirmation that you want to install the same thing more than once. Click Yes to install a duplicate copy of the modem.

14. Preconfigure the modem(s) to be used at the remote dial-up I/O device(s). These will be used to test modem configuration settings in the next step.

15. With Plant SCADA not running, confirm that the local and remote modems will properly communicate with each other by using a terminal communications program such HyperTerminal or PhoneDialer (both supplied with Windows).

Once the modem(s) are set up and tested with proven communications in Windows, they can then be set up in Plant SCADA.

To add a modem to Plant SCADA:

16. In the Topology activity, select Components & Mappings.

17. On the menu below the Command Bar, select Modems.

18. Add a row to the Grid Editor.

19. Type the required information in each column, or in the fields in the Property Grid (see below for a description of the fields).

    For a description of the properties, see below.

20. Click Save.

    Note: Plant SCADA allows you to set up a maximum of 256 modems on the I/O server for communication with remote dial-up I/O Devices. Before it can successfully establish communication, any targeted remote I/O devices need to also be properly configured within Plant SCADA on the I/O server.

Modem Properties

General Properties

Project Properties