Connect and disconnect
In the connection settings you can specify the type of connection to a device through a room unit or a network. You can specify a network interface card, and establish the BACnet configuration for an MS/TP connection.
In order to open the connection settings, click the arrow beside the 
symbol in the Common toolbar.
Component selector with common tools
1 | Connect/Disconnect button | 2 | Room unit connection tab |
3 | USB tab | 4 | Ethernet tab |
5 | Device AP (WLAN) tab | 6 | Cloud tab |
7 | Network connections |
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Once you have specified the connection settings, you can click the button directly. Once you have established a connection the button is toggled to 
/ 
. The Room unit connection tab ② does not support access to devices that are not on the local connection and it does not support updates to the application type or firmware.
- When working with ABT Site and ABT Pro at the same time, modification on the network settings with the other tool is not allowed at a time. Before switching to the other tool, the existing communication must be disconnected.
Error message: The communication stack has already been initialized and is used by the field programming editor or ABT Pro.
- The cable connection and network card must be set up before issuing a Connect command.
Connection types and network card settings
(1) Connect/Disconnect button
Command | Description |
|---|---|
| Establishes the connection to the room unit or network device. |
| Removes the connection to the network devices. |
| Removes the connection to the network devices (ABT Site as BACnet/SC). |
| Shows the status of the simulation mode. |
SimulationFor each connection type, you can define the following settings.
Setting | Description |
|---|---|
|
Notify on disconnect | When selected, a message displays if ABT Site loses connection. |
Automatically reconnect | When selected, ABT Site attempts to automatically reestablish a lost connection. |
Include discovery in Startup | When selected, ABT Site automatically discovers devices in Startup. |
(2) Room unit connection tab
Used when connecting directly to the Room Unit.
Connecting directly to a room operator unit
(3) USB tab
Used when connecting to IP or MS/TP devices via a USB port or via a network connection.
Connecting via USB port
Only select WLAN if you connect directly to the wireless port on the device.
Command | Description |
|---|---|
|
Target selection | Select the device type: IP for DXR2.E../PXC..E.. devices, MS/TP for DXR2.M…/TXB3.M devices or PTP for all DXR1.. devices. If MS/TP is selected, the network adapter is configured to automatically get the IP address. If PTP is selected, also select the available COM port in the drop-down list. |
Network interface | Allows you to select the desired network interface. |
Description | Provides the Name and Type of the connection. Read-only. |
IP address | Allows you to select the desired IP address of the network interface and connect via its USB port. |
UDP port number (hex) | Displays for MS/TP devices. Allows you to select the desired UDP port. Specifies the UDP port in hexadecimal format: BAC0 through BAD4. Default is hex BAC0 (47808). |
Register as foreign device | Displays for MS/TP devices. Check box unchecked by default. Registers the ABT BACnet stack that runs on the NIC as a Foreign Device to a BACnet/IP Broadcast Management Device (BBMD). If the devices are on a different IP subnet than your computer, you must select the Register as foreign device check box and enter the IP Address and UDP port number of a BBMD on the devices’ subnet. This allows you to send and receive BACnet broadcast messages, such as Who-Is, to and from the devices. |
BBMD IP Address | Displays for MS/TP devices when registering as a foreign device. Specifies the IP address of the BBMD. |
BBMD UDP port number (hex) | Displays for MS/TP devices when registering as a foreign device. Specifies the UDP port of the BBMD device in hexadecimal format: BAC0 through BAD4. Default is BAC0 (47808). |
Connecting remotely (e.g. via VPN)? (The max ADPU length will be set to 1024.) | Check box unchecked by default. When selected, the maximum ADPU length will be set to 1024. Check this box when you are connecting via VPN, URA, or Siemens cRSP (Common Remote Services Platform). |
(4) Ethernet tab
Used when connecting to Ethernet or MS/TP devices via USB port or via a network connection. The network connection an also be a wireless connection (WLAN).
Connecting via an Ethernet/IP network
Command | Description |
|---|---|
|
Target selection | Select the device type. The device type may be IP or MS/TP.If MS/TP is selected, the network adapter is configured to automatically get the IP address. |
BACnet/SC | Allows for ABT Site to connect as node to a BACnet/SC network. When selected, the drop-down list Hub address becomes visible, where you can select the BACnet/SC hub address of your project. |
Network interface | Allows you to select the desired network interface. |
Description | Provides the Name and Type of the connection. Read-only. |
IP address | Allows you to select the desired IP address of the network interface. |
UDP port number (hex) | Displays for MS/TP devices. Allows you to select the desired UDP port. Specifies the UDP port in hexadecimal format: BAC0 through BAD4. Default is hex BAC0 (47808). |
Hub address | Drop-down list showing the available hub addresses of your project. You can also enter an address of a third-party hub. The drop-down list is only visible when BACnet/SC is selected. |
Register as foreign device | Displays for MS/TP devices. Check box unchecked by default. Registers the ABT BACnet stack that runs on the NIC as a Foreign Device to a BACnet/IP Broadcast Management Device (BBMD). If the devices are on a different IP subnet than your computer, you must select the Register as foreign device check box and enter the IP Address and UDP port number of a BBMD on the devices’ subnet. This allows you to send and receive BACnet broadcast messages, such as Who-Is, to and from the devices. |
BBMD IP address | Displays for MS/TP devices when registering as a foreign device. Specifies the IP address of the BBMD. |
BBMD UDP port number (hex) | Displays for MS/TP devices when registering as a foreign device. Specifies the UDP port of the BBMD device in hexadecimal format: BAC0 through BAD4. Default is BAC0 (47808). |
Connecting remotely (e.g. via VPN)? (The max ADPU length will be set to 1024.) | Displays for MS/TP devices. Check box unchecked by default. When selected, the maximum ADPU length will be set to 1024. Check this box when you are connecting via VPN, URA, or Siemens cRSP (Common Remote Services Platform). |
(5) Device AP (WLAN)
Device AP (access point) is used to connect directly to a device over a wireless port (if supported by the device).
Command | Description |
|---|---|
|
Network interface | Allows you to select the desired network interface. |
Description | Provides the Name and Type of the connection. Read-only. |
IP address | Allows you to select the desired IP address of the network interface. |
UDP port number (hex) | Displays for MS/TP devices. Allows you to select the desired UDP port. Specifies the UDP port in hexadecimal format: BAC0 through BAD4. Default is hex BAC0 (47808). |
(6) Cloud
Click Connect to open the CloudLink 
, and connect to the cloud.
Connecting via a cloud connection
(7) Network connections
Command | Description |
|---|---|
|
Network connections | Opens the Network Connections folder in the Windows operating system Control Panel. |