National Instruments PXI-8232 Installation Manual

INSTALLATION GUIDE

NI PXI-8232

This document explains how to install the Ethernet and NI-488.2 drivers for
your NI PXI-8232 (part number 189140x-02L, where x is D or higher).

The Ethernet port on the NI PXI-8232 is based on the
Intel 82541PI-compatible Ethernet controller.

Installing Your PXI Board

Complete the following steps to install the PXI-8232 hardware:

1. Shut down Windows, if it is running, by selecting Start»Shut Down.

2. Power off your PXI or CompactPCI chassis. Keep the chassis plugged
in so it remains grounded as you install the adapter.

3. Remove the filler panel from a PXI peripheral bus master slot. The
adapter requires a bus master slot to take advantage of the onboard
DMA and Ethernet controllers. All PXI chassis and most CompactPCI
chassis contain only bus master slots. Refer to your chassis
documentation to verify you are using a bus master slot.

4. Touch a metal part on your chassis to discharge any static electricity
that might be on your clothes or body.

5. Insert the adapter into the selected bus master slot. Use the
injector/ejector handle to fully inject the device into place.

6. Screw the adapter front panel to the PXI or CompactPCI chassis front
panel mounting rail.

Connect the Network Cable

Connect a network cable to the adapter, as shown in the following figure.

• For 1000BaseT (gigabit over copper), use Category 5 (must be 4-pair
wiring). Be sure to use Category 5 cable that complies with the
TIA-568 wiring specification. For more information on this
specification, refer to the Telecommunications Industry Association
Web site,

www.tiaonline.org.

• For 100BaseTX, use Category 5 wiring or better.

Caution If using less than 4-pair cabling, you must manually configure the adapter and

link partner speed and duplex setting. In addition, with 2- and 3-pair cabling, the adapter
can achieve speeds of up to only 100 MB/s.

• For 10BaseT, use Category 3 wiring or better.

• To use this adapter in a residential environment (at any speed), use
Category 5 wiring. If the cable runs between rooms or through walls
and/or ceilings, it should be plenum rated for fire safety.

• The cable length is limited to 100 m.

• The adapter must be connected to a compatible link partner, preferably
set to auto-negotiate speed and duplex.

• The PXI-8232 automatically accommodates either MDI or MDI-X
connections. You can use the auto-MDI-X feature to connect two
adapters directly without using a crossover cable.

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Install the Drivers

Follow the installation instructions for your operating system. The adapter
works with the following operating systems:

• Windows XP and later

• LabVIEW Real-Time 2010 or higher

Windows XP and later

Complete the following steps to install the driver software for Windows XP
and later:

1. Insert the NI-488.2 media. The autorun launches to start the

Tip The View Documentation link on the autorun screen provides access to NI-488.2

documentation, including detailed hardware installation instructions.

2. When you have completed the software installation, restart the

3. Install the Windows XP and later Ethernet drivers.

installation process.

computer.

Note The NI-488.2 Hardware Installation utility may run at this time. Finish the Ethernet

installation described below before using the utility.

LabVIEW Real-Time

(Windows Vista and later) Windows automatically detects the new

hardware and installs the Ethernet driver.

(Windows XP and Server 2003) Cancel the Found New Hardware Wizard

and insert the PCI/PXI Gigabit Ethernet Adapters media. From the
media, launch the appropriate executable:
systems or
instructions to install the driver for your Ethernet port.

4. Use the NI-488.2 Hardware Installation utility.

LabVIEW Real-Time includes drivers for the Ethernet port on your
PXI-8232 board; no additional software is needed.

The GPIB interface requires additional software. Complete the following
steps to install the NI-488.2 software:

1. On the Windows host, insert the NI-488.2 media. The autorun launches
to start the installation process.

PROWinx64.exe for 64-bit systems. Follow the

PROWin32.exe for 32-bit

2. In the installation feature tree, ensure that the NI-488.2 for

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LabVIEW Real-Time feature is selected to install.

3. When you complete the software installation, restart the computer if
prompted.

4. In Measurement & Automation Explorer, deploy the software to your
target. Make sure that NI-488.2 is selected to be installed to your
target.

Troubleshooting

Adapter Cannot Connect to the Network

• Make sure the cable is installed properly.

The network cable must be installed properly at both the adapter and
hub. The maximum cable distance is 100 m. If the cable is connected
properly and within the allowed distance, try another cable.

• Check the LEDs on the adapter.

The adapter has two LEDs on the RJ-45 connector. The following table
lists the function of each LED.

LED Color Function Indication Meaning

Green Action/Link On The adapter is receiving power. The cable

connection is good.

Off The adapter is not sending or receiving

network data. The adapter is not receiving
power. The cable connection is bad or you
have a driver problem.

Flashing The adapter is sending and receiving

network data.

Yellow/Green Speed Yellow The adapter is operating at 1000 Mb/s.

Green The adapter is operating at 100 Mb/s.

Off The adapter is operating at 10 Mb/s.

• Verify that you are using the drivers that came with the adapter.

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Computer Hangs When Drivers Are Loaded

• Change the PCI BIOS interrupt settings. Refer to the PXI Installation

Tips section for more information.

Link LED Does Not Light

• Make sure the network drivers are loaded by checking the Driver tab

of the adapter’s Device Manager properties.

• Check the cable connection.

ACT LED Does Not Light

• Make sure the correct network drivers are loaded by checking the

Driver tab of the adapter’s Device Manager properties.

• The network may be idle.

Adapter Has Stopped Working

• Reseat the adapter in the PXI slot or try a different slot.

• The network drivers may be corrupt or missing. Remove and reinstall
the drivers.

• Reboot the computer.

• Use another cable.

• Use a different adapter.

Link LED Is Not Lit When Computer Is Shut Down and Power Is Connected

• Make sure the network cable is attached.

PXI Installation Tips

PXI computers are designed to configure add-in boards automatically each
time the computer starts. The PXI computer sets the I/O address and IRQ
level for the peripheral boards when the computer starts. The network
drivers cannot change these values. If you experience problems when the
computer starts, you may need to follow additional steps.

On some computers, manual configuration is possible through the
computer’s BIOS setup utility. Refer to the documentation for your
computer. You may need to verify or change some BIOS settings.

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The following common solutions may correct your problem:

• Make sure you have installed the adapter in a bus master-enabled slot.
On some computers, not all slots are bus master enabled by default.
Check your BIOS settings. Enable PXI bus mastering, if your BIOS
has such an option.

• Reserve interrupts (IRQ) and/or memory addresses for ISA adapters.
This prevents PXI boards from using the same settings ISA boards are
using. Try changing some of the interrupts reserved for ISA, but not
being used, to reserved for PXI.

• Update your BIOS. Sometimes updating the BIOS corrects some
configuration problems.

• Configure the PXI slot for level-triggered interrupts instead of
edge-triggered interrupts in BIOS.

Ethernet Adapter Specifications

LEDs

Green ...............................................Activity/Link

Yellow/Green ..................................Speed

Refer to

ni.com/products for complete specifications.

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