Bus IO EtherCAT & E-bus Modules: Comprehensive FAQs ★★ In-Depth EtherCAT Driver-Related FAQs

Posted by on

 

  1. Where can I download the EtherCAT network card driver?
    It can be installed after installing TwinCAT.

  2. Information regarding Intel network cards (chip models) that support EtherCAT
    You can find the network card models included in the link by searching online. The supported network card models will also be updated occasionally, so please keep an eye on it: 

    https://infosys.beckhoff.com/content/1033/tc3_overview/9309844363.html?id=1489698440745036069


If there is no network access at the site, you can consult the offline network card model list:

  1. The ID list of all devices supported by TwinCAT 2 is saved in c:\Windows\inf\TCI8255x.inf (for 100 Mbit cards) or TCI8254x.inf (for Gbit cards). Please note that this folder is hidden.

  2. For TwinCAT 3, the relevant path is C:\TwinCAT\3.1\Driver\System.

(Please note that even if the network card model is included in the list, it may not necessarily be able to install the EtherCAT driver. If you encounter installation issues, you can try reinstalling the operating system multiple times to resolve them. If the problem persists, it is recommended to try using a different computer.)

How can you determine whether TwinCAT (EtherCAT) supports a corresponding Intel network card, i.e., whether TwinCAT includes the corresponding driver?

For example: Intel(r) PRO/1000 PT 4-Port-Server-Adapter - EXPI9404PT

From the provided link, you can find the corresponding device ID for this network card: 0x10A4. Then, in the file TCI8254x.inf, you can find "%TCI8254X.DeviceDesc% = TCI8254X.ndi, PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_10A4 ; Intel 82571EB", which indicates that TwinCAT supports this network card. Conversely, if you cannot find information about the relevant network card in this file, then TwinCAT does not support it.