Skip to main content

Remedies to communication problems in PCM600

Is the network cable connected?

  • Check the cables.
  • Check that the cables are connected to the correct communication ports.


Is the IED responding to any communication?

  • Open the command prompt.
  • Type ping device IP and wait for at least one minute to see if there are any communication breaks.
  • If the ping does not work, check the communication settings: IP gateway, IP addresses, subnet masks, and firewalls.


Is the IP address unique in the subnetwork?

  • Unplug the communication cable from the IED and ping the IP address.
  • If there is a response to the ping, find the device with the same IP address from the network and remove it.

Is the SCL technical key correct?

  • If the technical key is not correct, a message is displayed in the PCM600 Output window.
  • Select the IED from the PCM600 tree structure and run Set Technical Key.


Are the communicating devices in the same subnetwork?

  • Verify the PC and IED communication addresses and subnet masks.

Is the communication port set correctly?

  • Select the IED from the PCM600 tree structure and check the Communication Port setting from the shortcut menu.
  • Verify that the IP address in the Object Properties window is correct.

Are there several PCM600 processes running simultaneously on the same PC?

  • Only one PCM600 process can communicate at a time.
  • Stop other PCM600 instances while communicating with the IED.

Is the parameter communication working?

  • Open the parameter settings and try to read the parameters.
  • If the parameter setting works and if there is no other communication, the problem can be in the firewall settings.

Is the IED communication reserved by other clients?

  • Determine the maximum amount of simultaneous clients. In the IEC 61850 communication, this can be seen in the device’s SCL file. In some IEDs, the used clients from the IED can be checked manually from the WHMI.
  • Isolate the IED from other communication devices to make sure that the clients are not reserving the communication.
  • Try to communicate with the IED directly from the front port when the rear port cable is disconnected.


Does the communication work with other software than PCM600?

  • If the IED supports the IEC 61850 communication, try to communicate with the IED with a third-party client. If the communication fails, check the network configuration.


Does the communication work with the Windows Administrator rights?

  • Sometimes the communication configuration is updated wrongly with or without the administrator rights in the Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. If UAC is enabled, run PCM600 using the administrator account.

Does rebooting the IED help resolve the communication issues?

  • Communication may be occasionally reserved in the IED. Reboot the IED.

Can multiple tools be used simultaneously to configure the IED?

  • In some cases, when two users access the same IED at the same time, the communication fails.

Can data be read from the IED by using multiple tools at the same time?

  • Some IEDs do not support the reading of disturbance recordings simultaneously from two clients.

Is the IED under heavy load?

  • Operations in the IED can have a high priority and consume most of the IED resources. This can break the communication with PCM600. An example of a resource-exhausting operation is the storing of a disturbance recording.
  • Ensure that there are no ongoing processes in the IED and try to communicate again.

Are there multiple devices with the same MAC in the same network?

  • Try to communicate with a device directly from the front port when the rear port cable is disconnected.

Are the external network devices working properly?

  • Sometimes routers, switches, and media converters can malfunction.
  • Try to communicate with a device directly from the front port when the rear port cable is disconnected.


Is the communication time-out too short?

  • In the Object Properties window, select the value Fixed with High Latency for Connection Type. The Time-out property becomes visible.
  • Define the time-out for long-delay networks.
  • PCM communication uses the time-out value specified by the user.
  • When selecting Fixed, the default time-out is used.