Unable to establish connectivity with Fluke 8846A using ethernet

[TenaliRaman]

Hi
I am trying to connect Fluke 8846A digital multimeter to the computer using the ethernet port.
I have tried whatever that was given in the programmers manual about the LAN connectivity, but to no success.  I know I am doing something wrong, but I am unable to figure out what. It could be kind enough of those here who have had experience with this device to help me.

Thank you.

[SeanB]

Are you using a hub, a direct connection or what? If you have a hub is the link light coming on when you plug in the cable?

[Bored@Work]

If all else fails put Wireshark on the link and watch what is going on, if anything is going on at all.

[ErikTheNorwegian]

Hi,
i got 8846A.. and may be at help, but.--
if you told us exactly what you are doing, step by step, and whats result that give step by step, its easier for us to find out whats happening and what you do wrong. 

[ejeffrey]

With no details it is impossible to tell, but 90% chance the problem is either:

1) you have connected the fluke directly to a dedicated ethernet port on your computer but have DHCP enabled.  Manually configure the IP and subnet on both the host PC interface and the fluke.

2) You have connected the fluke to an existing LAN but have a static IP configured that isn't part of your local subnet.  Turn on DHCP so that it can get a legal address from your subnet.

There are any number of other problems you could be having: You aren't connecting correctly, you aren't sending legal commands, your EOL string is wrong (I don't remember how picky the 8846 is on this), or you have a misconfigured firewall, or you have it set up to listen on on of the other interface ports.

[krish2487]

@eric

one more source of probem is the type of cable he might be using.
straight-through or cross crimp.

if i remember right he ll need a cross crimp for a direct to PC connection and straight through for a hub.

@tenali

as all the above mentioned. you have not given any data to help us help you.

Be a little more specific.

what is given - what you tried - what you expect - what happened/did not happen.

in that sequence.

[alm]

Hubs have long been replaced by switches. Almost all (gigabit) NICs in PCs support auto-MDIX these days. My initial guess would also be that it's IP addressing related, but without sufficient information there is really no way to tell.

[ErikTheNorwegian]

A ping to the meter should show and tell a lot about the problem (give that you set a IP adress first, that is free- not used by any other on your nettwork), plus be sure that the meter is set to IP communication..

[TenaliRaman]

Sorry to reply so late.
Right now, I do not posses the multimeter (8846A).
I am not well versed with the know-how of how to connect any instrument with a computer.
What I did was as follows:
I directly connected a lan cable from the PC's lan port to the fluke meter's lan port.
I went to the PORT IF settings of the  meter and changed the IP settings etc., as shown in the manual.
Then I tried to communicate with the meter from the PC using telnet.
The connection failed.

Currently I am not in possession of the device. I will try whatever you guys tell me as soon as I get my hands on the device again.

[TenaliRaman]

Bump =(

I have this meter with me for a month or so.
Is there any step by step guide that would enable me to connect to this meter and get readings on my PC using ethernet cable (directly)?
Thanks in advance.

[robrenz]

I am not trying to be rude but... Download this and follow the directions.  http://www.tequipment.net/pdf/Fluke/8845A_8846A_ProgrammersManual.pdf

[ErikTheNorwegian]

I am not trying to be rude but... Download this and follow the directions.  http://www.tequipment.net/pdf/Fluke/8845A_8846A_ProgrammersManual.pdf

And adding to robrenz, use a switch between, not straight cable, it may solve you're mystery.. 

[TenaliRaman]

I did start off with the programmer's manual. Its when I couldn't get it working even after following the instructions in it, that I asked my question here.
I will try to get a switch.

I did start off with the programmer's manual. Its when I couldn't get it working even after following the instructions in it, that I asked my question here.
I will try to get a switch.

Edit: I couldn't get a switch. What I got was a crossover ethernet cable.
Then I followed the instructions given here:
http://assets.fluke.com/software/bench/readme.pdf
Still no luck.

There was slight confusion while following those instructions.
After "ipconfig", I get this:

Code: [Select]

Windows IP Configuration
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::dcf6:3285:a7f4:5d32%17
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.93.50
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
followed by:

Code: [Select]

Ethernet adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Network:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::31d6:1c60:4cee:b3e8%26
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.56.1
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
with multiple lines of "Media Disconnected" in between and around.

Now the manual states to select an IP, and change its last three digits, while entering it in the 8846A.
The programmer's manual cautions about the following:
When addressing some LAN addresses, computers will often interpret 0's in
the IP address as OCTAL values. As anexample, if you configure your IP
address from the front panel as 129.196.017.023 and then attempt to
establish a connection to the meter, you should connect using the IP
address 129.196.17.23. Attempting to establish a connection to
129.196.017.023 may result in a connection request to 129.196.15.19.

I am wondering if I am doing this mistake.

Thanks for tolerating me.

[robrenz]

I did start off with the programmer's manual. Its when I couldn't get it working even after following the instructions in it,

My apologies   
Call Fluke tech support  1-877-355-3225 USA pacific time.  Ask for tech support for 8846A

[TenaliRaman]

I did get it working on windows 7. Unable to make it work on linux.
Putty on linux gives connection refused.

[bingo600]

There was slight confusion while following those instructions.
After "ipconfig", I get this:

Code: [Select]

Windows IP Configuration
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::dcf6:3285:a7f4:5d32%17
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.93.50
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
This is a wireles adapter , prob not what you need to list (or concentrate on)
If you are using a cross-over lan cable.

It btw has a strange ip address (169.254.x.x) are addresses that Win assigns if an adapter is set to use DHCP , and no DHCP server is found.
But the strange part here is that since it's up , it ought to be associated to an AP , and AP's (Routers) usually has a working DHCP server , and you should not have ended up with a 169.254.x.x address.
Did you give your wireless adapter a static address, instead of running DHCP ?

Code: [Select]

Ethernet adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Network:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::31d6:1c60:4cee:b3e8%26
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.56.1
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
This is a Virtualbox adapter , and is probably not the adapter you connected the Lan cable to.

with multiple lines of "Media Disconnected" in between and around.

I think your problem is hidden in the above statement.

You haven't listed a single working Physical Wired Lan adapter yet.
And that is what your Cross-Over cable has to be connected to.

When you connect the Fluke & the PC via the cable , do you get any "Link" ?
I mean is the Lan adapter LED's turning on in the PC-End ?

If not the cable isn't a crossover , or there is some other error.

I don't have a Fluke (I'm a HP Guy ...) , but does the fluke have lan leds on the Lanport ?
Robrenz ... ?

/Bingo

[TenaliRaman]

Hey!
I got the required IP displayed in the ipconfig and got the fluke meter connected to the PC.
Even without the crossover cables, ethernet port lights, on both the meter and the PC were blinking.

[bingo600]

Hey!
I got the required IP displayed in the ipconfig and got the fluke meter connected to the PC.
Even without the crossover cables, ethernet port lights, on both the meter and the PC were blinking.

Impressive .....
So you can connect to a Fluke without a cable ?

I'd say you might if you configured the fluke for dhcp , and connected the fluke to your wireless router. And configured your PC's wireless for dhcp , and connected that one  to your wireless router.

/Bingo

[robrenz]

I think he meant a straight thru cable as opposed to a crossover cable.

[TenaliRaman]

Yes, as robrenz said. When I was using straight through cable, the ethernet lights were blinking. Sorry for my crappy English.

[srnec]

Regarding cross or patch cable (strait) - it is also depending of port configuration. Most of current computers and switches has automatic detection. Network card detects which cable is used and reconfigures themselves. Most problematic is DHCP and correct address settings. For checking communication and basic operation you can try this software: http://www.elso.sk/softver-a-prepojenia/1873-elso-lan-measure.html

[ErikTheNorwegian]

Thank you!!

Oh, great utilety! will be downloaded and tried!   

I have excelnt com with my 8846A and Pc , but one never knows..

But how can i buy this program, this is only a demo, its in some language i dont compute?

[Tooms]

Hi

just to say that if some one else has issue with the network on the Fluke 884xA meters then i have made a blog post about how to do the setup

http://www.tooms.dk/Tblog/Showblog1.asp?BlogID=201212162054338860


Tooms

[srnec]

Tooms, nice job. Next days I can forward all questions from my customers regarding network to your blog.