Can't talk to 35900!?

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21 posts Page 1 of 2
Hi guys,

I am trying to connect a PL-ELS 2100 ELSD detector to an Agilent 1100 system, with DAD.
So far, I got a 35900E, which had a GPIB-card in it, but I replaced that with a G1369A LAN card.

As telnet didn't work, and I don't have any bootp to use I just set the IP to default (192.168.254.11).
I then changed the IP of the 1100 system to 192.168.1.102, and after doing this I can ping both systems and get response.

So far all is good, I go into system setup and add the 35900E along the already configured 1100 DAD-system, and then start the Chemstation software.

Now I get an error something like: Can't talk to 35900, select code or check power and I can't get past this error.
The 35900 leds that are on are: Power and Not ready.

Any suggestions on how I should proceed?
I am a bit worried the 35900E/G1369A isn't working properly communication-wise, since this but also the fact that I couldn't connect to it through telnet either.
IMO both PC and ADC have to be in ONE IP network and have same netmask 255.255.255.0
PC: 192.168.1.10
ADC: 192.168.1.11

In any other cases you need IP routing (e.g. manually add routes).

Since you have used default JetDirect parameters
Table 5 Using Default Parameters
IP address: 192.168.254.11
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway not specified

Your PC must have IP form 192.168.254.0 network - for instance 192.168.254.12

After this - you should be able ping 192.168.254.11
antonk wrote:
IMO both PC and ADC have to be in ONE IP network and have same netmask 255.255.255.0
PC: 192.168.1.10
ADC: 192.168.1.11

In any other cases you need IP routing (e.g. manually add routes).

Since you have used default JetDirect parameters
Table 5 Using Default Parameters
IP address: 192.168.254.11
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway not specified

Your PC must have IP form 192.168.254.0 network - for instance 192.168.254.12

After this - you should be able ping 192.168.254.11


Thank you for your reply.

The IP-adresses are set correctly on the PC-side as well.

So the network card connected to the ADC has 192.168.254.150.
And the ADC has 192.168.254.11.

And thus it works to ping both the ADC and the DAD, no problem here.

The problem begins when I start the Chemstation software, and get the error I explained above: "Can't talk to 35900, select code or check power."

So pinging works, the IP's are set so they are on the same IP network and have the netmask 255.255.255.0.
PC: 192.168.1.100
DAD: 192.168.1.102

PC: 192.168.254.150
ADC: 192.168.254.11
Hi, meaning that you can ping with the instrument does not mean that you can communicate with it. It only shows that the network card inside the instrument works and responds.
It might be a firmware revision issue where you have an old firmware inside the 35900 and the software expects a newer revision.

I do not know what ChemStation revision you use, but e.g. for OpenLAB CDS ChemStation (Revision C) the firmware revision of the 35900 must be E01.02.

Have that checked out, maybe you need to upgrade it.
Freek Varossieau
OpenLab CDS 2 specialist
BeyondOpenLab
beyondopenlab@gmail.com
+5977114721
Freek, We're having the same problem. We just upgraded our Chemstation to C.01.04 and can no longer communicate with the ELSD. Where do I find the firmware version for the 35900? Thanks, John
The firmware should be available from Agilent and possibly, but I am not sure as I do not do this myself, you can upgrade the firmware using Labadvisor. Labadvisor normally comes with a GC or LC system delivered. Please contact your local rep.
Freek Varossieau
OpenLab CDS 2 specialist
BeyondOpenLab
beyondopenlab@gmail.com
+5977114721
varossf wrote:
Hi, meaning that you can ping with the instrument does not mean that you can communicate with it. It only shows that the network card inside the instrument works and responds.
It might be a firmware revision issue where you have an old firmware inside the 35900 and the software expects a newer revision.

I do not know what ChemStation revision you use, but e.g. for OpenLAB CDS ChemStation (Revision C) the firmware revision of the 35900 must be E01.02.

Have that checked out, maybe you need to upgrade it.


Thank you for your reply.
Yes, this is what I was suspecting.
The Chemstation software is Rev. B. 01. 03 [204].

How can I check what firmware my 35900E has?

And what firmware is required for the 35900E to work with this revision?

Are the firmwares backwards compatible? So if I have a newer firmware than required, does it work with older chemstation software (I suspect my chemstation isn't up to date)?
I think you need E.01.02 also for this revision.
I trust you have the G1396 LAN interface installed in the system.
Is it on a cross-cable or on a hub?
Are rear panel switches 3-6 DOWN (normal settings though)

full user manual you can find on:
www.chem.agilent.com/library/usermanual ... -90407.pdf

I have no idea how you can find the firmware on the 35900E but i trust you need a computer connection for this. Did you call a service engineer or Agilent support to help you out on this?
Freek Varossieau
OpenLab CDS 2 specialist
BeyondOpenLab
beyondopenlab@gmail.com
+5977114721
varossf wrote:
I think you need E.01.02 also for this revision.
I trust you have the G1396 LAN interface installed in the system.
Is it on a cross-cable or on a hub?
Are rear panel switches 3-6 DOWN (normal settings though)

full user manual you can find on:
http://www.chem.agilent.com/library/use ... -90407.pdf

I have no idea how you can find the firmware on the 35900E but i trust you need a computer connection for this. Did you call a service engineer or Agilent support to help you out on this?



Do you mean I need the E.01.02 software in order to use the 35900?
Or that I need the firmware E.01.02 on the 35900 to work with the software Rev. B. 01. 03 [204]?

The G1396A interface is connected via a cross-cable directly to the computer, and the switches are set on the standard settings indeed.
I have been through that manual at least 10 times now :)

I haven't been in contact with Agilent directly yet, since the situation we are in here is like that:

We have moved in to the old buildings of Astra Zeneca in Sweden, and they left behind a lot of hardware, I am helping out on resurrecting as many instruments as possible, but it would probably be too much of a cost to call in service technicians every time that is needed.

But maybe I will have to call someone in, I was hoping not to though.
Appreciate all the help I can get, and am getting here.
Are you in Lund?
In order to have both components in the system communicating successfully you need indeed E.01.02.
Go through the cupboards and drawers and see if you can find a LabAdvisor DVD that could have been shipped with an LC or GC. It might be downloadable from an Agilent support site.

Do you want our LabInformatics department to contact you? Then please send me an email freek_varossieau@agilent.com..
Freek Varossieau
OpenLab CDS 2 specialist
BeyondOpenLab
beyondopenlab@gmail.com
+5977114721
You are correct, I am at Medicon Village seated in Lund.
I will see if I can find LabAdvisor since we have a couple of LC and GC's here.

I'm not sure it is that easy to update the chemstation software to E.01.02 though?
I am sending you an e-mail also, thank you for your support!
Everything is working well now.
The problem was that I had two network cards on my computer, and I had connected the 1100-system to one of them and the ADC to the other. This didn't work.
When I connected everything through a HUB instead everything worked fine.

Thank you for all the help.
Glad to hear it's working now. We just upgraded our software and had to change to a newer LAN card in the 35900. We had the same communication issues that you did. We found that the LAN card, that was new, out of the box, was bad. Switching to another new card fixed our problem.
I've run into a smaller problem again.
I can view all the signals fine in the online viewer, but I cannot manage to save the ADC signal (DAD signal works fine) no matter what I do.

I found this text in the 35900 manual:
Version B.04.02 of the Agilent ChemStation software provides LAN- based
instrument control and data acquisition for LAN- capable Agilent GCs and
A/D controllers.


While I have B. 01. 03 [204].
Is this the problem you think?
We've had this as well. You must run a remote cable from the 35900 box to the computer or modules; without this, you can see the signal with the online viewer, but no red vertical line will appear at injection there, and no ADC data will be stored.

With the internal 35900 board, one needed to run such remote cable from that board to the modules.
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