Downers Grove, Ill. —To help users install and maintain DeviceNet systems, Synergetic is offering two free guides. "The Fast Troubleshooting Guide for DeviceNet" is a thorough, step-by-step tutorial on quickly finding and eliminating problems. Armed with this guide, most people can identify and solve DeviceNet mysteries in a few minutes.

The second document, "DeviceNet Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet," is a one-page, quick-and-dirty summary of the troubleshooting guide. It's ideal for mounting on the inside of a panel for quick reference. The guide's topics include:

• What to do when nodes intermittently start and stop communicating;
• One of DeviceNet's most elusive problems, Common Mode Voltage Error, which can be found using a little-known "trick" that will identify it in 60 sec or less;
• Key voltage levels in the network, which define acceptable ranges and cover specific problems "out of range" readings may indicate;
• How to determine if nodes have faulty or failed circuitry;
• How to determine if cables are improperly terminated;
• How to identify network power supply grounding problems;
• Wiring colors, conventions, and connector pin-outs;
• Basic installation approaches that guarantee problems will be traceable; and
• Ensuring that system layouts don't exceed DeviceNet's limitations.

The guides also indicate which tools can be used to find a particular problem, and which ones don't apply to that situation. These include: common network configuration tools, including Allen-Bradley's RSNetworX, Synergetic's SyCon, and Cutler-Hammer's NetSolver; standard ac/dc voltmeter; oscilloscope; DeviceNet Detective; and CAN traffic monitors/analyzers, including Vector's Canalyzer and Peak's CAN Explorer.

Both guides will be sent free of charge to anyone who calls or sends an e-mail with their address to: Synergetic Micro Systems, 2506 Wisconsin Ave., Downers Grove, Ill., 60515; Tel: 800/600-0598; international Tel: +1 (630) 434-1770; Fax: 630/434-1987; or e-mail: info@synergetic.com or perrys@synergetic.com. For more information, visit www.controleng.com/freeinfo .