How to Check, Configure and Use the IP Address of an Agilent HPLC Module

Answer

This Information Applies To: All Agilent (U)HPLC modules.

Issue:

This article describes the general procedure of how to check the IP address of an High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) module and how to modify it using Telnet.

Agilent HPLC modules can be configured to use either a default IP address (192.168.254.11) that cannot be changed (static), or a stored IP address that can be defined by the user. The position of the configuration switches that are on the back of an LC module determines which IP address the module uses.

• If you have various standalone HPLC instruments that are each connected directly to a single computer (not going through a company network), the default IP address may be used for each of these instruments.
• If various HPLC instruments are connected within the same network (and controlled by the same or various PCs), you need to assign a different stored IP address for each of the modules that are used for LAN communication within each separate instrument.

Steps to follow:

If you simply want to check your modules IP settings, you can check it either through clicking the gray info button  in your ChemStation or OpenLab 2 software. Alternatively, you can find it in the Lab Advisor Software under System Overview or by looking at the System Report. Make sure to pick the IP address for the module used for LAN communication as the IP may differ for different modules.

If you want to use the default IP address to communicate with your HPLC (recommendation for standalone HPLCs), go through the following procedure until step 6. You do not need to use Telnet.

If you want to assign a specific IP address to your HPLC module, follow the whole procedure.

1. Connect your computer directly with a LAN cable to your HPLC module. 
   
   Note: Typically, you choose the detector/module with the highest internal memory, which means in order of lowering memory: DAD (Diode Array Detector), FLD (Fluorescence Light Detector), MWD/VWD (Multiple Wavelength Detector/Variable Wavelength Detector), and then the pump.
   
   Note: If you connect the cable directly from the PC to the HPLC module, use a cross-over network cable. If you use a standard LAN cable (straight) then you need to use a hub or switch in between.

2. Locate the IP settings of the LAN card on your computer used to connect to the HPLC module - go to Windows Settings->Network & Internet->Ethernet and identify the LAN card used for communication with your HPLC. If your computer also has access to a company network and/or Internet, you will need at least two LAN cards, one for the LC system, and one dedicated to your house network.
   
   Right-click the LAN card connected to the LC instrument and select Properties (Figure 1).

   
   
   

   Figure 1. Finding the LAN settings for your PC network card on Windows 10

    

3. Scroll and search for Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), click it to mark it and then click Properties. In the next dialogue box, select Use the following IP address and change the IPv4 address to 192.168.254.1 and the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 (Figure 2) then click OK in both windows.
   
   Note: If 192.168.254.1 is already in use, change the last digit to any number between 0 and 255 except for 11, as 192.168.254.11 is the default IP address for all Agilent modules.
   

   
   
   Figure 2. Setting the IPv4 address

4. Turn off the module used for LAN communication.
   
   
5. Set the configuration dip switches to the Use default position. To find where the configuration switches are located, look for CONFIG on the back of your module (see Figure 3). For HPLC modules without on-board LAN access, i.e. modules of the 1100 and 1200 series, the switches on the insertable Agilent LAN Card G1369C have to be configured (see Figure 4)

   
   
   
   Figure 3. Example of the configuration switches' location on an HPLC module (top) and different types of switches depending on the module (bottom)

   
   

   
   
   Figure 4. Configuration switches' location on a G1369C LAN Card
   
   

   For the default position, check also your module's manual. Figure 5 gives the typical configuration for using the default IP address (192.168.192.11):

   
   
   Figure 5. Dip switch position to use default IP address: A - modules up to the Infinity Series with on-board LAN, B - insertable LAN card G1369C, C - Modules of the Infinity II Series with on-board LAN
   
   

6. Restart your module and verify the established LAN connection: 
   1. Open your Windows command console: Click the Windows Search and type cmd, then press Enter.
   2. Type ping 192.168.254.11.
      

      Confirmation: If you see four packages sent with each one getting the reply Reply from (IP address): bytes=32 time =3 ms TTL=64, you may continue (compare Figure 6).

      
      
      Figure 6. Successful connection between PC and HPLC
      
      

   3. You may now either
      - use the default IP address and proceed to create your instrument in your CDS software, using the default IP for communication or
      - proceed with the next steps of this instruction to define a specific stored IP address to use for communication
      
      
7. In the command console, type telnet.
   
   If you have not yet activated Telnet, the console will tell you so ('telnet' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file). Go to Turn Windows features on or off, select the Telnet Client check box (Figure 7) and click OK.

   
   
   Figure 7. Activating Telnet

8.  If you have telnet activated, type telnet 192.168.254.11 in the command console and press Enter.

   
   Note: You may now type a forward slash (/) and press Enter to see the currently stored information, compare with Figure 8:

   
   
   Figure 8. Seeing the current LAN settings of the module (the stored IP, marked in red, will only appear if previously set up)
   
   

9. Type ip XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX, defining here your desired IP address (e.g. 192.15.15.101), and press Enter.
10. If you want to change the subnet mask, type sm XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX (e.g. 255.255.255.0) and press Enter. If you optionally want to change the default gateway address, type gw XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX and press Enter.
11. To check that the settings have been changed correctly, type a forward slash and press Enter.
12. To exit Telnet, type Exit and press Enter.
13. Switch off your module, change the configuration switches to Use stored (Figure 9, check with your module's manual) and restart your module.

     

    Tips: For HPLC modules without on-board LAN access, i.e. modules of the 1100 and 1200 series, the switches on the insertable Agilent LAN Card G1369C have to be configured. See G1369C manual for further information.

    
    
    Figure 9. Dip switch position to use stored IP address: A - modules up to the Infinity Series with on-board LAN, B - insertable LAN card G1369C, C - Modules of the Infinity II Series with on-board LAN
    
    

14. Change the IPv4 address of your computer to an address within the same range as your module's newly defined stored IP address.
15. Confirm communication by pinging your instrument with the command console (compare with step 6). Use the stored IP address. 
16. Optional: Connect the computer you want to use for communication or connect the HPLC (and the PC) to the network you want to access it from. Confirm communication by pinging your instrument.

You may now proceed to configure your instrument in OpenLab 2.x, OpenLab ChemStation, or your CDS software of choice.

Learn how to effectively operate your Agilent LC System: Agilent 1260 Infinity LC Systems with OpenLab CDS e-learning path available from Agilent education