Networking your devices to p1ge0n

p1ge0n listens to any device that is able to create a socket, but the device has to be on the same network as p1ge0nFly. There are simple solutions to accomplish this.

This is the first in a series on networking within a factory.

Networking an entire factory together can be complex, and can be a significant hurdle in implementing any sort of Industry 4.0 solutions. Wires have to be run through walls to the server rooms and IP addresses have to be changed on each individual piece of equipment to something the network can recognize. It can be difficult to make these changes without affecting devices which had previously been communicating with each other just fine, such as a vision system sending data to a robot to let it know which part to pick.

All p1ge0n needs to send messages is an internet connection. p1ge0n can be run on a Windows PC that is connected both to the local network with your equipment and to a network with internet access. This way, the local machine network does not have to be changed in order to work with p1ge0n. It is even possible to directly connect the equipment to the Windows PC. If you don’t already have ethernet throughout the plant, WIFI will work to network the Windows PC.

The Windows PC needs an ethernet port to connect to the equipment network a way to connect with the internet network (WIFI or second ethernet port). Some inexpensive Windows PCs may not have these, but there are Ethernet-to-USB and WIFI USB dongles that can be used to add these functionalities. Additionally, you will need to set a static IP address on the Windows PC that is compatible with the IP addresses already in use by the equipment on the local network, but this is not hard to do.

Don’t let the fear of networking prevent you from taking advantage of the messaging system p1ge0n has to offer. Send me an email at leah@p1ge0n.com and we’ll work with you to get you connected to your equipment.