Add a LAN Instrument

The Discovery Service automatically discovers many LAN instruments on the same subnet as the PC on which the service is running. However, they are not automatically added to the instruments list. LAN instruments not automatically discovered must be added manually.

To add LAN instruments to the instruments list:
1. Click , select LAN Instrument from the context list. This opens the list of discovered LAN instruments.
2. Click the check box for each instrument you want to add to the list.
3. Click OK.

To manually add LAN instruments outside of the local subnet:
1. Click , select LAN Instrument from the context list. This opens the list of discovered LAN instruments.
2. Click the Enter Address tab.
3. Enter the LAN address or hostname, select the protocol used to communicate with the instrument.
4. Click OK.

Many instruments on your local LAN subnet are discovered automatically when they announce themselves via the mDNS protocol. Some older instruments do not announce themselves, and therefore they are not auto-discovered.

Instruments on your local subnet which conform to the LXI standard, version 1.3 or later, are discovered automatically. If they go offline, they display in the Instruments list with a red X (disconnected).
Instruments on your local subnet which conform to the LXI standard, version 1.2, are discovered on PC startup and when you click Rescan All in the Instruments list. If they go offline, they display in the Instruments list with a red X (disconnected).

Click here for an overview of adding a LAN instrument

You can connect your instruments to a private LAN or to a site LAN.

A private LAN is set up specifically for your use in connecting your instruments. Typically, you will be the administrator of the private LAN, and you will control connections, cabling, and addressing. Your PC and all instruments are connected via a networking switch or router that isolates them from your site LAN. You can think of a private LAN as just another type of bus for your test system, like GPIB or USB; the private LAN is used only by your test system. You should use a private LAN if you want total control of your network and instruments, or if it is important that your test system achieve maximum throughput.

Your site LAN is the network you use to connect with other PCs, printers, and devices in your work group. Your PC is probably already connected to the site LAN; you use the site LAN to connect to your intranet or to the Internet. If you want to share instruments with other users, or if you need access to instruments across an intranet or the Internet, you can use your site LAN. You may need to work with your IT department to put your instruments on the site LAN.

For more information on connecting a new instrument to your network (private or site LAN):

LAN Direct Connection

Once connected, many instruments on your local subnet are auto-discovered. However, in the current version of IO Libraries Suite they are not automatically listed in the instruments list. To add LAN instruments to the list, click the Add button (), select LAN Instrument from the context list. This opens the list of discovered LAN instruments. Click the check box for each instrument you want to add to the list. Click OK.

Set LAN Address:

Hostname or IP Address

Fill in the instrument's hostname (such as myinstr.mycompany.com) or its IP address. For help in deciding which to use, see Deciding Between Hostname and IP Address.

Your instrument's documentation explains how to set or determine the instrument's hostname or IP address.

TCPIP Interface ID

If you have added additional LAN interfaces (for example, to allow different timeouts for different groups of instruments), choose the interface to be associated with this instrument. LAN interfaces in Connection Expert are a logical construct; they do not directly correspond to physical LAN segments or interface cards.

Set Protocol:

In most cases, you do not need to change this setting. The LAN protocol can be set or modified only for manually added instruments.

This setting allows you to choose the protocol used to communication with this instrument, and to configure the instrument's remote name or socket port number. The default value is Instrument protocol with remote name inst0.

Protocol Features When to choose Remote name

Instrument (VXI-11)

Provides nice protocol features like GPIB emulation

Default connection type because it is the most common LAN protocol supported by instruments

Slowest and oldest connection type

Choose this protocol for older instruments if you need GPIB emulation like Device Clear and SRQ’s. Default name is inst0
Example VISA address:
TCPIP0::10.112.157.234::inst0::INSTR

Socket

Fastest connection type

Lacks protocol features of VXI-11 and HiSLIP

Designed to just send SCPI commands across TCP/IP socket

Choose this protocol for older instruments when you need fast speed.
Default port is 5025; Some instruments use port 5023

Example VISA address:
TCPIP0::10.112.157.234::5025::SOCKET

HiSLIP

Almost as fast as Socket

Provides nice protocol features like GPIB emulation

Available on newer instruments

Choose this protocol if its available on your instrument. Default name is hislip0
Example VISA address:
TCPIP0::10.112.157.234::hislip0::INSTR

Protocol	Features	When to choose	Remote name
Instrument (VXI-11)	Provides nice protocol features like GPIB emulation Default connection type because it is the most common LAN protocol supported by instruments Slowest and oldest connection type	Choose this protocol for older instruments if you need GPIB emulation like Device Clear and SRQ’s.	Default name is inst0 Example VISA address: TCPIP0::10.112.157.234::inst0::INSTR
Socket	Fastest connection type Lacks protocol features of VXI-11 and HiSLIP Designed to just send SCPI commands across TCP/IP socket	Choose this protocol for older instruments when you need fast speed.	Default port is 5025; Some instruments use port 5023 Example VISA address: TCPIP0::10.112.157.234::5025::SOCKET
HiSLIP	Almost as fast as Socket Provides nice protocol features like GPIB emulation Available on newer instruments	Choose this protocol if its available on your instrument.	Default name is hislip0 Example VISA address: TCPIP0::10.112.157.234::hislip0::INSTR

Verify Connection:

Allow *IDN Query

Manually added LAN instruments are typically identified using their LXI Identification XML if they implement the LXI 1.2 (or higher) standard. If not, they are identified using a *IDN? query. Clear (uncheck) this option if you do not want *IDN? to be sent to this instrument.

If you uncheck this option, and the instrument does not provide mDNS identification, the instrument address will be shown as unidentified (with a icon) in the Instruments view, and identifying information such as the model number will not be shown. In that case, the instrument will appear in the Instruments view as Unknown Instrument.

Test This VISA Address

The VISA address (connection string) for a LAN instrument consists of the TCPIP interface ID, the hostname or IP address, the instrument name or socket port number, and the letters INSTR. Once you have configured the connection information, you will see the generated VISA address to the right of the button labeled Test This VISA Address.

When you click Test This VISA Address, Connection Expert attempts to connect to the instrument at that address. Connection Expert then displays the state of the connection below the VISA address, and if the connection succeeds, the manufacturer, model, and serial number are displayed below that. (If the instrument does not return a valid serial number, or if the serial number is 0, a placeholder in the form *VISAAddress is shown instead.)

The state of the connection is typically Verified or Failed. If the connection failed, details of the failure may also be displayed.

Click here for a list of possible errors.

Failed: Timeout opening the connection: *IDN? response was not received within 5 seconds for LAN instruments.

Failed: Unable to determine device identity: Connection Expert was not able to send a *IDN? request.

Failed: This is not a valid element for this agent: The LXI Identification XML for this instrument contains an invalid XML element.

Failed: The device to be Verified does not have a Hostname or IP Address: The hostname/IP address field is blank.

Failed: The LXI information provider is not available: Connection could not be established or LXI information was not correctly returned.

Failed: The LXI information page could not be opened: The LXI Identification XML information could not be read (and formerly was readable).

Failed: LXI mDNS instrument service deleted: Either the instrument was disconnected and its mDNS announcements timed out, or the instrument executed an orderly shutdown (for example, was turned off) and unannounced its LXI mDNS services.

Failed: IDN read failed with status…: *IDN? read failed with the cited VISA error status.

Failed: Write of '*IDN?' failed with status…: *IDN? write failed with the cited VISA error status.

Failed: UnLock for IDN read failed with status…: The unlock operation after reading the *IDN? response failed with the cited VISA error status.

Failed: Lock for IDN read timeout with status…: The lock operation before the *IDN? query timed out with the cited VISA error status.

Failed: Lock for IDN read failed with status…: The lock operation before the *IDN? query failed with the cited VISA error status.

Failed: viOpen failed with status…: viOpen for *IDN? failed with the cited VISA status.

Failed: viOpenDefaultRM failed with status…: viOpenDefaultRM for *IDN? failed with the cited VISA status.

Failed: No LAN access is available: The PC has no network access.

View Web Page:

When you click the Instrument Web Interface button, Connection Expert attempts to open a Web browser on the specified IP address or hostname. A typical LAN-enabled instrument hosts a Web page that provides access to instrument configuration information and functionality. If your instrument does not host a Web page, or if the instrument is not correctly configured, you may see a browser error.

Saving the Configuration

The OK button is enabled if you have made changes to the information in this view. When you have finished entering the information, click OK to save the configuration or Cancel to revert to default values.

Editing LAN Interface Properties

Some of the settings that affect your LAN instruments are properties of the LAN interface. To edit LAN interface properties, see Edit LAN Interfaces.