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RobotEye Network Setup

RobotEye IP Address

The RobotEye will come preconfigured with a static IP address on a private IPV4 subnet. See IPv4 private addresses for more information. The specific IP address will be provided with the RobotEye packaging documentation. The IP address of an eye can be changed using the RobotEyeManager utility available through the RobotEyeTools installer (recommended), or programatically with the RobotEyeManager class.

Ethernet as a Control Bus

It is strongly recommended that the ethernet interface to the RobotEye be considered a time-critical control bus. In practice this means that in an ideal situation, only the host computer (the PC where the user application is running) and the RobotEye are connected together via the ethernet connection. If the host PC must be connected to another network (i.e. a corporate intranet, or the internet), it should be via a seperate network adapter on a different subnet.

It is possible to connect multiple RobotEye devices in a single network. In this case, it is recommended that the network be fully switched to avoid potential data 'collisions' on the network.

The following diagrams illustrate the preferred network setup for one or multiple RobotEyes. Note again that it is recommended that if the host PC must be connected to another network, that it should be done using a seperate network interface card on a seperate subnet.

Network1Eye.jpg
Network Schematic for Connecting a Host PC to a Single RobotEye
NetworkNEyes.jpg
Network Schematic for Connecting a Host PC to Multiple RobotEyes

Configuring Your Firewall

In general, if the advice given in Ethernet as a Control Bus is followed, then it should be acceptable to disable any firewalls on the network adapter connected to the RobotEye device, as it is on a private network not accessible to the outside world. This is the simplest option if you are having network related issues.