7/18/24, 4:09 PM Using The 1783-NATR To Bridge Networks | The Automation Blog
Using The 1783-NATR To Bridge Networks
By Brandon Cooper - January 21, 2020
With small control teams managing already large and increasingly growing
control systems, an opportunity that I have encountered is the need to
remotely access programmable logic controllers for various reasons,
including troubleshooting as well as performing administration tasks.
1783-NATR, Image by: Brandon Cooper
Often, the remote controllers are embedded within integrated packages that include additional
components such as an HMI, a drive or other devices on a “private” network. In this case, it
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would not make sense to expose the entire “private” network to the facility PLC network or PCN.
Even if you wished to gain connection to all the devices, you would have to change the IP
address of every device to match the scheme of your PLC/PCN network.
A tool that I have found to be of good use is Rockwell’s 1783-NATR.
This device can be set up in minutes and installed without disturbance to the existing networks.
The private port can be connected to the private network and the public port is connected to the
PCN or PLC Network.
Simple NAT Setup
Step 1) The first step is to connect to your 1783-NATR via web browser to configure it.
If your device is brand new, first check that all the DIP switches are in the off position.
Next, connect the front Ethernet port to your PC, and then power on the 1783-NATR.
Step 2) Now launch the BootP/DHCP Tool on your PC and assign the NATR device an address for
the Private Network you will be using it with (typically 192.168.1.1.)
Note: For a tutorial on using the BootP/DHCP Tool, see this article.
Step 3) Next, open a Web Browser and type in the address you gave your NATR above
(http://192.168.1.1) to open the configuration web-page.
Step 4) When the web-page loads, locate the “Configure” link and select it.
This will prompt you to login, and you can do so using the default user name of “admin” and the
device’s serial number (located on the device’s label) for the password.
Step 5) Although not required, I recommend giving your device a name and description that
describes its installation location under the “Device Identity” tab:
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Device Identity, Image by: Brandon Cooper
Step 6) Next, if you’d like to change the private network address you can do so on the “Private
Network” tab. In this example I’ve changed it to 192.168.1.50:
Private Setup, Image by: Brandon Cooper
Step 7) Next, setup the device with an unused public (plant) network address. In this example I
set my unit to 10.101.10.50:
Public Setup, Image by: Brandon Cooper
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Step 8) Finally, configure the Network Address Translation (NAT) Table for each device’s private
and public addresses that you wish to allow through the router. Each “private network” device
you add to this table will become avail to directly connect to from your “public” plant network:
NAT Setup, Image by: Brandon Cooper
Other Features
While this is only an introduction, some other notable features of the 1783-NATR include the
following:
Security features, including the option to disable the public administration capabilities and
password protection
Ability to save and restore the configuration via SD card
Ability to save and restore the configuration via configuration file that can be saved as a .txt
file
Diagnostics that can be used in troubleshooting and evaluation of network traffic passing
through the device
For additional information on initial setup, see the Rockwell manual “1783-UM008A-EN-P”
Conclusion
Each newly installed control system will not have the same needs as far as integration to existing
systems is concerned, however, I have found this tool to be of great asset in several different
applications.
With ease of setup and installation, a system that was once a remote island can now be accessed
remotely, providing timely support and administration tasks that were previously time
consuming.
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7/18/24, 4:09 PM Using The 1783-NATR To Bridge Networks | The Automation Blog
Written by Brandon Cooper
Senior Controls Engineer and Freelance Writer
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Author Recent Posts
Brandon Cooper
Brandon is a freelance writer for The Automation Blog, as well as a husband, father,
writer and angler. He spends his days working as a Sr. Controls Engineer in the Pulp &
Paper Industry
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