# When connected to a running X20CP3686x, it says it's offline **URL:** \ **Category:** Controls & Vision\ **Tags:** x20\ **Created:** [February 19, 2025, 12:51pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943 "2025-02-19T12:51:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:51pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/1 "2025-02-19T12:51:36Z")
I have setup the ethernet connection of the PLC, then transferred the software via a CF card to the X20CP3686X. When I go to Online/Settings it appears, but when I click connect, in the bottom right corner it says the PLC is Offline and I can’t interact with it, even though is it on and running. What might be the reason? Am I not understanding something? ---
**Author:** ![michael\_w](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/FF8800/32.png) [@michael\_w](https://community.br-automation.com/u/michael_w)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/2 "2025-02-19T12:56:05Z")
I have bad experiences with the connection to a target that I just found in the list. What usually works is to make this a local connection by Drag&Dropping it from the browse window to the left side, then pressing “Connect” there. On older studio versions there is also the column “Source Ina node” which you can try setting to some random value between 1 and 255, e.g. 100 and then connecting again. Hope any of that helps Best regards ---
**Author:** ![marcusbnr](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/user_avatar/community.br-automation.com/marcusbnr/32/256_2.png) [@marcusbnr](https://community.br-automation.com/u/marcusbnr)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/3 "2025-02-19T13:10:35Z")
Another thing you could try is restarting the PVI Manager. Look for the PVI Manager icon in your Windows taskbar. Right-click on this and click Exit PVI Manager. Then, start the PVI Manager from your Windows start menu. ---
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 1:11pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/4 "2025-02-19T13:11:33Z")
I tried both connecting directly and draggin/dropping and then connecting from there, nothing changes. The IP address of the PLC appears in the botto left corner, but it still says offline. The PLC is on and running as confirmed by the LEDs on the front. I’m confused because it seems a straghtforward thing, maybe there’s something I’m not understanding? I can both see and ping the IP address and get a response ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/original/2X/6/609085105bb42465f0db14c545bec1caed8be8fb.png) ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/original/2X/7/71bc00bd448e62b4a1152231ec548112b2c95dbc.png) ---
**Author:** ![oliver\_D](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/user_avatar/community.br-automation.com/oliver_d/32/257_2.png) [@oliver\_D](https://community.br-automation.com/u/oliver_D)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/5 "2025-02-19T14:04:07Z")
May I ask which IP address your PC uses ? ---
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/6 "2025-02-19T14:08:58Z")
At the moment, I have setup the ethernet port at 192.168.123.10 I can ping the PLC from the command line ---
**Author:** ![michael\_w](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/FF8800/32.png) [@michael\_w](https://community.br-automation.com/u/michael_w)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:11pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/7 "2025-02-19T14:11:28Z")
And I see “Source INA node number” being “1” which I also told you to try change 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/8 "2025-02-19T14:17:50Z")
Yes, sorry I forgot to mention I’ve tried to change it to many random numbers, then disconnect and connect again, but nothings changes ☹ ---
**Author:** ![oliver\_D](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/user_avatar/community.br-automation.com/oliver_d/32/257_2.png) [@oliver\_D](https://community.br-automation.com/u/oliver_D)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/9 "2025-02-19T14:28:07Z")
INA is no longer used and obsolete - so this number is irrelevant You can see “ANSL=1” which is correct as ANSL is the way our PLCs use to communicate nowadays ---
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/10 "2025-02-19T14:49:43Z")
To add more infos to the mistery: I’ve restarted the PLC, but before doing so I’ve taken out the CF card and switched (with the analog rotating switch) to Onboard software. Now the PLC does not appear anymore, but I can still ping it in the command line 🤔 ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/original/2X/c/cedb262f234e55ab096ea07608c49acd5c6ca7e9.png) ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/original/2X/e/e58f556609c9dfd075856d73da1625b274cfe1a5.png) ![5886354049442366383](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/original/2X/d/d67a45c40db437ffd3cfaf17305cb70b14f2e8de.jpeg) also here is a proof that PLC is running normally, no CF card in the picture ---
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/11 "2025-02-19T15:17:34Z")
After discovering this, I’ve made some tests: if I switch to the Onboard software the X20CP3686X does not appear anymore, while if I switch it to CF card it appears. I’m suspecting there is a difference between the software installed and the one in the card, but if the card is installed should’t it be the same? I’m Using AS 4.10 and AR 4.91 ---
**Author:** ![alexander.hefner](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/user_avatar/community.br-automation.com/alexander.hefner/32/111_2.png) [@alexander.hefner](https://community.br-automation.com/u/alexander.hefner)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/12 "2025-02-19T17:48:09Z")
Hii, if the PLC can be found depends on project settings: if SNMP is disabled in the ethernet interface settings, the PLC can’t be browsed online. So yes, I assume that the setting in the project installed in the internal memory could be different from the setting used in the CF card project. This setting called “SNMP parameters → activate SNMP” can be found in the ethernet interface configuration. Best regards! ---
**Author:** ![alexander.hefner](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/user_avatar/community.br-automation.com/alexander.hefner/32/111_2.png) [@alexander.hefner](https://community.br-automation.com/u/alexander.hefner)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/13 "2025-02-19T18:08:45Z")
Hi again, have you created the project used on the CF card in your own / from scratch? I’m asking, because also some settings about the online communication protocol can be changed in the project: - the protocol can be switch off completely - the protocol TCP port can be changed - the protocol TCP port could be blocked by the AR firewall - the protocol can be secured by using TLS … every of those options can / will change the behavior, if and how to come online. So if you haven’t created the project by yourself, you should have to have a look into the project sources if some settings aren’t set to default by checking the setting " [CPU properties → Online parameters](https://help.br-automation.com/#/en/4/projectmanagement%2Fsystemconfiguration%2Fsg4%2Fcpu%2Fprojectorganisation_systemconfiguration_sg4_cpu_onlinepara.html)" If the’re no settings different to the default settings, maybe the PLC load is too high (the online communication utilizes the PLCs idle time)? Can you please try to open the System Diagnostics Manager (SDM) and check the CPU load? Best regards! ---
**Author:** ![Snide21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/FF8800/32.png) [@Snide21](https://community.br-automation.com/u/Snide21)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 11:37am UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/14 "2025-02-20T11:37:45Z")
Hi Alexander, thanks a lot for the suggestions! Yes the project is not mine and I didn’t know about these settings; I will noow try them, but first I have some questions. I think I misunderstood how the software upload works in the PLC. I’ve understood that the PLC has an internal memory where the software can be uploaded, or I can use the CF card. I thought that the software inside the PLC was copied from the CF card inserted (naive misunderstanging), but actually the two are separated in general am I right? If I’m right now, then my question is how exactly do I upload software inside the PLC, and not with the CF card. My doubt comes from the fact that I tried to create a simpler project and transfer it in the CF card, then once the card in inserted and the PLC switched to CF it connects and says RUN, but if I switch to the Onboard software (where apparently the other project not created by me is loaded) I cannot connect anymore (probably because of those settings you mentioned). Someone uploaded that project in the PLC with wrong settings and I would like to change it so I can make some tests and have a better understanding ---
**Author:** ![alexander.hefner](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/brcommunity/user_avatar/community.br-automation.com/alexander.hefner/32/111_2.png) [@alexander.hefner](https://community.br-automation.com/u/alexander.hefner)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.br-automation.com/t/when-connected-to-a-running-x20cp3686x-it-says-its-offline/5943/15 "2025-02-20T15:54:04Z")
Hi, > [@](#): > > but actually the two are separated in general am I right? Yes, you’re right. Internal and CF flash are two separated memories, there’s no interaction between them. You can choose which memory to use by the mode switch, but only exclusive usage is possible (you can’t use both at the same time). > [@](#): > > how exactly do I upload software inside the PLC, and not with the CF card. This should possible by preparing a USB Stick with the suitable project using AS (please see [here, scenario 2c](https://help.br-automation.com/#/en/4/automationruntime%2Fenhancedtransfer%2Fscenarios%2Fsingle-initial-operation.html)), plug the stick into the PLC and switch the PLC to BOOT mode by using the Boot/Reset button (please see [here in the help](https://help.br-automation.com/#/en/4/hardware/x20cp368x%28x%29/taster_-_betriebsmodus.html), and some more information in the [solution of this thread](https://community.br-automation.com/t/plc-reset-factory-using-usb-key/3805/3)). Another option could be switching the PLC to BOOT mode and do an installation online - please see this thread for a perfect description how to do it: > [@How to Reset a PLC without Removable Media](https://community.br-automation.com/t/how-to-reset-a-plc-without-removable-media/3383): > > There are times when you want to completely factory reset a PLC back to the state it came in from B&R. This can be useful for testing deployment procedures or recovering in the worst-case scenario. The following procedure will walk you through removing and resetting the PLC to as close to from B&R factory state as possible. This procedure applies to any of the following targets (list is not exhaustive or updated regularly): X20CP04xx, X20EMxxx, X20CP13xx, X90CPxxx, 4PPC30, 4PPC70. 1. Place t… Hope that helps a bit. Best regards!