How to prevent broken ethernet port on DS

[Bharat Nain]

After having significant amount of trouble with this years control system, we discovered that the ethernet ports on the Driver Station were obviously not designed for a FIRST Robotics environment. Personally, I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with the control system, especially the Driver Station. We have noticed an incredible number of teams having broken driver station ethernet ports. Our theory is it is because of static electricity but that is unconfirmed. It is certainly not a competition worthy equipment and it would be a great demonstration of Gracious Professionalism on behalf of FIRST to never give us such equipment again. Rambling aside, here is the solution.

1) Buy a decent SWITCH. We bought the Linksys 5-port Switch. Link. Apparently, a HUB will not work.

2) Plug one ethernet cable from the Driver station (Any port) to any port on the SWITCH except the Uplink.

3) Plug the laptop and cRio using a Crossover/Ethernet into any open ports on the SWITCH except the Uplink.

This method was requested to be tested by a couple people including the NI guy (Joshua) at NJ. If anything will die, it can be your $10 - $50 SWITCH as opposed to your $162 + Shipping & Tax Driver Station.

Note: This will also work if you only have one working ethernet port on your Driver Station.

This system works for us and I hope it does the same for you. It is one less thing to worry about breaking at the competition.

Cheers and write to FIRST and providing your feedback if your Driver Station has/had problems.

Bharat Nain

[nathanww]

I might be mistaken, but isn't having anything sitting between the FMS and the DS forbidden at the competition?

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by nathanww

I might be mistaken, but isn't having anything sitting between the FMS and the DS forbidden at the competition?

The problems are arising on the practice field, where the robot is tethered to the driver station.

[EHaskins]

Originally Posted by Bharat Nain

A hub will work. I have tested it. Under most circumstances switches offer better performance, but with the amount of data being transmitted and the number of devices it will not cause any issues.

BTW, I've been using a switch I got a Goodwill for $0.50.

[EricVanWyk]

Some very cheap hubs do not offer ESD protection.

[byteit101]

Someone on our team found out that most of the people with problems on the eth ports were using cat5, and people with no problem were using cat6, which has better shielding and grounding. Our team is ordering a switch and cat6's.

[rsisk]

Quote:
1) Buy a decent SWITCH. We bought the Linksys 5-port Switch. Link. Apparently, a HUB will not work.

2) Plug one ethernet cable from the Driver station (Any port) to any port on the SWITCH except the Uplink.

3) Plug the laptop and cRio using a Crossover/Ethernet into any open ports on the SWITCH except the Uplink.

Question: How do you power the Switch when you are on the practice field? Do you wire it into the cRIO with the router? Do you have some other source of power for it?

[Alexa Stott]

Originally Posted by rsisk

Question: How do you power the Switch when you are on the practice field? Do you wire it into the cRIO with the router? Do you have some other source of power for it?

Like the driver station, the switch will also require an external power supply. We brought along a power strip. If you have a decent inverter, you can use one of your 12v batteries and power it from that.

[charrisTTI]

Over the past 30 years, I have never seen a network card, hub, switch, or router fail due to static discharge. I have seen plenty of static discharges, which have done plenty of damage to other components, but the ethernet connections seem to always survive. This years DS being the exception.

[EricVanWyk]

I played with a switch and a 30kV ESD gun. I recommend using a switch to isolate your DS from your robot while in the pit.

BTW - 12kV to the finger is an experience not worth repeating, at least not with my own finger.

[Bharat Nain]

Originally Posted by charrisTTI

Over the past 30 years, I have never seen a network card, hub, switch, or router fail due to static discharge. I have seen plenty of static discharges, which have done plenty of damage to other components, but the ethernet connections seem to always survive. This years DS being the exception.

Just as a note, one of the ports on our linksys 5-port switch did die due to ESD towards the end of NJ. Luckily, we could just plug this into another port and it worked fine.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by byteit101

Someone on our team found out that most of the people with problems on the eth ports were using cat5, and people with no problem were using cat6, which has better shielding and grounding. Our team is ordering a switch and cat6's.

Garden variety Cat6 is highly unlikely to have better grounding or shielding than Cat5. I can categorically declare this because most common Cat6 and Cat5 cables are Unshielded Twisted Pair. You can get it in Shielded Twisted Pair, but it's much harder to find and isn't going to make a difference unless you're also using shielded connectors.

The primary difference between Cat6 and Cat5, is that Cat6 meets higher standards for crosstalk and various things, and usually has a higher gauge wire. These things may make a difference in ESD protection, but any ESD protection isn't due to increased shielding.

[Chris_Elston]

We are not having a problem with static, but rather the port itself needs to be mounted to the board more firmly. What I saw was there are only two plastic post that are through holes to the bottom side of the board. When you insert the cat5 cable repeatedly, you seem to cause stress on these anchor posts. When these anchor posts give or break loose, your in trouble because then the connections in the back tip up and break off the pads on the surface mount. You can attempt a trace repair. It's quite alot of work but I believe if that is the only thing wrong, it can be done. Since we had the cover off, we went ahead and put hot clue on the second working port along the sides and the posts on the bottom to give it extra strength. As well as the advice already given, don't take the cat5 cable in and out unless you have to. Take the other end out. You can see from my pictures just how bad the trace pads lift. I lit the board from the bottom side so you can see the traces and how tiny and fragile the trace wires are.

1. So my advice if you have the cover off, hot glue the working ethernet port for extra strength.

2. Don't take the cable in and out unless you have too.

3. Order a spare DS anyway, because you don't want a $162.00 part causing an end to your robotics season.

4. Configure your spare ready to go just in case something bad happens at the competition and get it firmware upgraded and ready to drop in and go.

[Mr. Lim]

Originally Posted by Chris_Elston

We are not having a problem with static, but rather the port itself needs to be mounted to the board more firmly. What I saw was there are only two plastic post that are through holes to the bottom side of the board. When you insert the cat5 cable repeatedly, you seem to cause stress on these anchor posts. When these anchor posts give or break loose, your in trouble because then the connections in the back tip up and break off the pads on the surface mount.

We've also run into physical port damage through daily wear-and-tear as well. We've had traces lifted as well as the plastic posts wear and release from the board, leaving the connector to essentially float on the leads alone. Eventually the leads bend or lift the traces off the board.

Beyond connecting and disconnecting cables from the DS once or twice a day, there hasn't been any unusual or unreasonable stress on the connectors.

Curious to know if others are also encountering physical wear and tear issues with the DS ethernet ports? Some early indicators are the port having more freedom of movement in the up/down direction - or when you insert a cable, the entire port seems to flex backwards and upwards a bit.

[Travis Hoffman]

I wonder if anyone would take issue with combining something like this and something like this such that you'd NEVER have to remove the cable from your DS at a competition....