HP E2050A LAN/GPIB Gateway setup instructions - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: CodingMarco
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 05:48:14 pm
content: Hi all,I know the E2050A LAN/GPIB gateway is not widely used, but anyway I wanted to post these short instructions on how to set it up because it may not be very intuitive at first, even with the manual.Steps 2. and 9. were the most unintuitive ones for me.Initial setup for usage with PyVISA:1. Plug in power and connect the Gateway with a LAN cable to your computer2. Press the "Config Preset" button on the back of the E2050A. This willtemporarilystart the gateway with a default configuration. The saved configuration is not changed or resetted except when you tell it explicitly to do so. When it is rebooted, thesavedconfiguration is loaded again.3. Configure your LAN interface:- IPv4 address: 192.0.0.1- Netmask: 255.255.255.0- Gateway: doesn't matter (eg. 0.0.0.0)4. Connect to the E2050A using telnet:telnet 192.0.0.192. This IP is the default IP when the "Config Preset" button was pressed.5. Enterfactory-reset, hit enter. Confirm and reconnect as necessary.6. Enterip: 192.168.178.188(or whatever IP address you like)7. Enterdefault-gw: 192.168.178.1. The subnet (here: 192.168.178) has to match that of the IP above8. Entersubnet-mask: 255.255.255.09. Enterhpib-name: gpib0. This is a very important step. The zero is there intentionally.10. Change other configuration values if you like11. Enterrebootto save the config and reboot12. Configure your LAN interface to match the configuration you chose for the gateway:- IPv4 address: same asdefault-gw- Netmask: 255.255.255.0- Gateway: doesn't matter (eg. 0.0.0.0)Connect to instruments through the gateway using PyVISA:Code:import pyvisarm = pyvisa.ResourceManager()instr = rm.open_resource("TCPIP0::<IP of E2050A>::gpib0,<gpib address>::INSTR")print(instr.query("*IDN?"))Hope this helps and saves some headaches.

author: gslick
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 06:20:06 pm
content: I haven't tried using PyVISA with my E2050A yet, I have only used it with the Agilent / Keysight IO Libraries software so far. I'll have to try using it with PyVISA sometime.It is also possible to do the initial configuration of the E2050A through the serial port instead getting it configured for a Telnet connection. That might be easier in some cases.You can connect a terminal or PC running a terminal emulator to the E2050A RS-232 port using a null modem cable at 19200,N,8,1 and after hitting <CR> it should bring up the configuration menu.Serial port output at 19200,N,8,1 after sending a CR to the E2050A after power up:Code:Welcome to the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway configuration utility.Commands? Show additional commandsexit, quit Exit WITHOUT saving configuration changesreboot Save configuration changes and restartstatus Show the LAN/HP-IB Gateway connection statusConfiguration Parametershostname: E2050 # Internet domain namehardware-addr: 0800091AEE6E # Ethernet station addressip: 192.168.1.20 # Internet Protocol addressdefault-gw: 192.168.1.1 # Default subnet gateway IP addresssubnet-mask: 255.255.255.0 # Network subnet masksyslog-svr: 0.0.0.0 # Syslog server IP addressbootp: OFF # Obtain config via BOOTP/TFTPlan-timeout: 0 # LAN connect timeout in secondsio-timeout: 120 # Server I/O timeout in secondsallow: * # IP allow listhpib-address: 21 # HP-IB System Controller Addresshpib-name: gpib0 # HP-IB interface symbolic namehpib-unit: 7 # HP-IB logical unit number> ?Available commands are:allow: <ip> [<ip>] Set the allow list for IP securitybootp: <ON|OFF> Turn ON or OFF use of BOOTP/TFTPbye Quit without saving configuration - see rebootconfig Show current settingsdefault-gw: <ip address> Set the default subnet gateway addressexit Exit without saving configuration - see rebootfactory-reset Reset configuration to factory defaults and reboothardware-addr Display the ethernet station addresshelp Print help informationhostname: <string*35> Set the internet domain namehpib-address: <0-30> Set the HP-IB system controller addresshpib-name: <string*15> Set the HP-IB interface symbolic namehpib-unit: <1-255> Set the HP-IB logical unit numberio-timeout: <seconds> Set the server I/O timeout in seconds. 0 is Off.ip: <ip address> Set the IP addresslan-timeout: <seconds> Set the LAN connect timeout in seconds. 0 is Off.quit Quit without saving configuration - see rebootreboot Save configuration and restartstatus Show the LAN/HP-IB Gateway connection statussubnet-mask: <mask> Set the network subnet masksyslog-clear Clear the syslogsyslog-display Display the syslog contentssyslog-svr: <ip address> Set the syslog server addressversion Show the firmware revision> versionSoftware revision A.01.03Bootrom revision A.01.00

author: dxl
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2022, 08:15:52 pm
content: Quote from: CodingMarco on September 11, 2022, 05:48:14 pmI build a simple GPIB-LAN gateway with the help of a GPIB-USB-HS Adapter, a raspberry pi and some python software. One thing that doesn't work is the automatic discovery of gpib devices. I've somewhere read that TCPIP::IP::gpib0::INSTR is used for that - so simply specifying gpib0 instead of gpib0.X. Do you know anything about that, or could you try what happens if you send such a request?Thanks!

author: CodingMarco
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2022, 07:47:44 am
content: Quote from: dxl on September 19, 2022, 08:15:52 pmI think you'll have to implement this yourself. For example use rm.list_resources() on the raspberry pi and somehow return the result.Quote from: dxl on September 19, 2022, 08:15:52 pmI don't think this address syntax is used. At least I can't find it in the manual of any LAN-GPIB gateway. If I try to open the E2050A like that, open_resource() works, but any operation on the opened resource results in an I/O error.However, Keysight IOLibs support auto-discovery of instrument with the E2050A. I have attached a Wireshark dump of the packets being sent during the auto-discovery process. To me, it looks like it's just probing all addresses.

author: dxl
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2022, 05:24:28 pm
content: Quote from: CodingMarco on September 21, 2022, 07:47:44 amWell, i did that. I used the python-vxi11-server fromhttps://github.com/coburnw/python-vxi11-server.gitas a "framework".Quote from: CodingMarco on September 21, 2022, 07:47:44 amThanks, that's very helpful. I'll take a look. The auto discovery feature isn't really required, but it would be a 'nice to have".Otherwise it's already useful - i wrote a python script to calibrate the flatness on my 8563E which suffers from the usually RYTHM problem with the help of a 8340A Sweeper.

author: dangvu
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 11, 2024, 05:49:02 am
content: Hi gslick,You have mentioned that you used the Agilent / Keysight IO Libraries software to connect and control devices Via E2050A Gateway. Could you share more details? I have tried to use Keysight IO Libraries software connect to E2050 via LAN and control E3640A via GPIB but i failed.

author: gslick
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2024, 10:08:44 pm
content: Quote from: dangvu on April 11, 2024, 05:49:02 amHere are the steps I used to set up the E2050A for use with the Keysight IO Libraries:Connect a PC to the E2050A with a null-modem cable (RX and TX signals crossed between the two ends) with the terminal program serial port settings set to 19200,N,8,1Power on the E2050A and hit the return key on the terminal program after the E2050A finishes its flashing LED boot up diagnostic sequence.The "Welcome to the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway configuration utility." message should appear along with the current Configuration Parameters and a ">" command prompt.Issue the "factory-reset" command to reset the E2050A to the default configuration.After the E2050A reboots with the default configuration, use the"ip:", "default-gw:", and "subnet-mask:" commands to set IP configuration values appropriate for your local network.Use the "hpib-name:" command to set the HP-IB interface symbolic name to "gpib0"Use the "reboot" command to save the modified configuration parameters and reboot the E2050A.Connect the configured and powered on E2050A to your local network.Start Keysight Connection Expert and add a new Remote GPIB interface.In the Specify Connection Information page, set theHostname or IP Address:field to the value set with the E2050A"ip:" command.In the Specify Connection Information page, set theSICL Interface Name on Remote Host:field to the value set with the E2050A "hpib-name:" command.Press theVerify Connection:Test Connectionbutton and if everything is now configured correctly the verification should be successful, and then press the OK button to save the settings for the E2050A Remote GPIB interface.If that was all successful so far, attach a GPIB instrument to the E2050A and press the "Rescan" button on the Remote GPIB interface page, and the attached GPIB instrument should be discovered.Code:Welcome to the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway configuration utility.Commands? Show additional commandsexit, quit Exit WITHOUT saving configuration changesreboot Save configuration changes and restartstatus Show the LAN/HP-IB Gateway connection statusConfiguration Parametershostname: E2050 # Internet domain namehardware-addr: 0800091AEE6E # Ethernet station addressip: 0.0.0.0 # Internet Protocol addressdefault-gw: 0.0.0.0 # Default subnet gateway IP addresssubnet-mask: 0.0.0.0 # Network subnet masksyslog-svr: 0.0.0.0 # Syslog server IP addressbootp: OFF # Obtain config via BOOTP/TFTPlan-timeout: 0 # LAN connect timeout in secondsio-timeout: 120 # Server I/O timeout in secondsallow: * # IP allow listhpib-address: 21 # HP-IB System Controller Addresshpib-name: hpib # HP-IB interface symbolic namehpib-unit: 7 # HP-IB logical unit number> factory-resetA factory-reset will reset all parameters to their factory default state.Are you sure you want to factory-reset the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway (y/n) ? yThe E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway will now reboot.Welcome to the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway configuration utility.Commands? Show additional commandsexit, quit Exit WITHOUT saving configuration changesreboot Save configuration changes and restartstatus Show the LAN/HP-IB Gateway connection statusConfiguration Parametershostname: E2050 # Internet domain namehardware-addr: 0800091AEE6E # Ethernet station addressip: 0.0.0.0 # Internet Protocol addressdefault-gw: 0.0.0.0 # Default subnet gateway IP addresssubnet-mask: 0.0.0.0 # Network subnet masksyslog-svr: 0.0.0.0 # Syslog server IP addressbootp: OFF # Obtain config via BOOTP/TFTPlan-timeout: 0 # LAN connect timeout in secondsio-timeout: 120 # Server I/O timeout in secondsallow: * # IP allow listhpib-address: 21 # HP-IB System Controller Addresshpib-name: hpib # HP-IB interface symbolic namehpib-unit: 7 # HP-IB logical unit number> ip: 192.168.1.20ip: 192.168.1.20 # Internet Protocol address (modified)> default-gw: 192.168.1.1default-gw: 192.168.1.1 # Default subnet gateway IP address (modified)> subnet-mask: 255.255.255.0subnet-mask: 255.255.255.0 # Network subnet mask (modified)> hpib-name: gpib0hpib-name: gpib0 # HP-IB interface symbolic name (modified)> rebootThe reboot command will close any open connections/sessions.Are you sure you want to reboot the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway (y/n) ? yConfigured Parameters saved.The E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway will now reboot.Welcome to the E2050A LAN/HP-IB Gateway configuration utility.Commands? Show additional commandsexit, quit Exit WITHOUT saving configuration changesreboot Save configuration changes and restartstatus Show the LAN/HP-IB Gateway connection statusConfiguration Parametershostname: E2050 # Internet domain namehardware-addr: 0800091AEE6E # Ethernet station addressip: 192.168.1.20 # Internet Protocol addressdefault-gw: 192.168.1.1 # Default subnet gateway IP addresssubnet-mask: 255.255.255.0 # Network subnet masksyslog-svr: 0.0.0.0 # Syslog server IP addressbootp: OFF # Obtain config via BOOTP/TFTPlan-timeout: 0 # LAN connect timeout in secondsio-timeout: 120 # Server I/O timeout in secondsallow: * # IP allow listhpib-address: 21 # HP-IB System Controller Addresshpib-name: gpib0 # HP-IB interface symbolic namehpib-unit: 7 # HP-IB logical unit number>

author: dangvu
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 16, 2024, 01:28:41 am
content: Hi gslick,Thank you very much.It works perfectly.I failed because I thought it as a LAN interface.Best,