BACnet Explorer for exploring and troubleshooting BACnet/IP and BACnet/MSTP network and devices. The new version 8 comes with:
NEW!Ability to adjust column size and font size
NEW in Premium Version! Now you can check that objects and properties in your BACnet device conform to BACnet standard. Run BACnet diagnostics on a live network or on a previously saved file. (Full object support for:analog-input, analog-output, analog-value, averaging, binary-input, binary-output, binary-value, calendar, command, device, file, group, life-safety-point, life-safety-zone, loop, multi-state-input, multi-state-output, event-enrollment, trend-log, structured-view, positive-integer-value, elevator-group, lift, escalator). Limited diagnostics for other objects
CAPTURE PACKETS FOR TROUBLESHOOTING (premium feature)
SUBSCRIBE TO COV (premium feature) See when the value of subscribed property/object is changed.
SNAPSHOT COMPARISON (premium feature)- with a snapshot feature you can capture what you've discovered on a BACnet network and compare with the existing BACnet Network later. Create as many snapshots as you like and save them in XML file. You can save comparison results in CSV file.
ADD NETWORKS/DEVICES/OBJECTS/PROPERTIES MANUALLY- find hidden network/devices/objects/properties. You can subscribe to COVs after re-discovering added /devices/objects/properties.
COPY RESULTS IN TABLE VIEW- copy discovered nodes from the table and paste in any file.
REFERENCES TO OTHER OBJECTS WITHIN THE OBJECTS- Ability to access referenced properties and go back to original ones.
PREMIUM VERSION:
Please keep in mind that the license for the paid explorer is: - Not Transferable - Not Replaceable
Because of these reasons, we are able to keep the price low.
Your license includes: - upgrades and updates - you can download and install all BACnet Explorer versions, released during your License period. - technical support - you can ask the BACnet Explorer Team any questions regarding BACnet Explorer. support@cimetrics.com.
Premium features:
COV Subscription
Ability to access referenced properties and go back to original ones
Snapshot comparison
Option to save to .csv format with extensive filtering options (premium version);
Option to save a network to xml file and restore from this file (premium version).
Option to save to Engineering Data Exchange format (.EDE)
One year technical support and upgrades
Check Free Explorer version vs Premium comparison chart:
See what you can do with our Explorer:
Explore your BACnet network
With “plug-and-play”, BACnet Explorer for BACnet/IP you can discover BACnet devices on connected networks. Connect Explorer to a BACnet Network and it will automatically discover and display a listing of all BACnet devices on that network. Once a device is discovered, you can enumerate the BACnet Objects in that Device. Devices on different networks can also be discovered if the networks are connected by a BACnet Router or BACnet Broadcast Management Device (BBMD). It will also display BACnet devices as they join networks in real-time.
BACnet Explorer can be downloaded and run for free. This version comes without support, and shows Cimetrics advertisements. A Premium paid version, which includes one years' support and shows no advertisements, is available for $199.00.
BACnet Diagnostics
Check that objects and properties in your BACnet device conform to BACnet standard. Run diagnostics on a live network or on a previously saved file.
Adjust Column and Font size
Adjust column and font size and save your setting for future use.
Read and Write to Lift/Escalator/Elevator objects
Reading and Writing to Lift, Elevator and Escalator objects. Premium Version
Add device manually
Manually add the device without using Who-Is. For the devices who do not answer Who-Is request.
File Transfer You can transfer files to or from a File Object in a BACnet Device using Cimetrics BACnet Explorer. Please note you can only transfer files using Stream File-access-method. Premium Version
Packet Capture
You can capture packets with BACnet Explorer Premium version and use them for troubleshooting or record keeping.
Subscribe to COV COV reporting allows it to send out notices when a change occurs. Explorer will show the changed value in the COV subscription table. Premium Version
Snapshot Comparison feature With a snapshot feature you can capture what you've discovered on a BACnet network and compare with the existing BACnet Network later. Premium V
View BACnet Devices Display all the devices and their objects in a tree view and in a table view for better analysis, with direct access to all their properties.
Read and Write Users can read the values of all object properties, and some writable property values can be modified with a selectable priority.
Capture and Save Site Data Everything can be saved to an .XML or .CSV file for later loading and analysis, off-line review, printout, or comparison. Premium Version
Troubleshoot See all the BACnet devices and their objects on your network and their values. Be alerted if you have duplicated devices on a network. Our extensive library of notifications will alert you about successful/unsuccessful read/write operations and about the status of different nodes on your network.
Analyze Analyze your site with our extensive filtering and sorting features - you can sort all devices, objects and properties by names, IDs, Descriptions etc...
Support Detailed manual and help file. Forum for the users Immediate email and phone support for the paid version users.
Calendar View
See the list of dates, such as holidays or special events. Premium Version
Who-Has Request
Find out which BACnet devices contain a particular Object.
Schedule View View Schedule objects using a calendar-style interface. Premium Version
Export to .EDE format Export BACnet data to Engineering Data Exchange (.EDE) format. Premium Version
Add nodes manually Ability to add networks/devices/objects/properties manually in case there are hidden nodes.
Copy and paste to file Copy data from the table view and paste it in any file (Excel, Word, Notepad etc...)
Supports the following BACnet BIBBS
Read Property DS-RP-A
Read Property Multiple DS-RPM-A
Write Property DS-WP-A
Dynamic Device Binding DM-DDB-A
Dynamic Device Binding (Server) DM-DDB-B
Dynamic Object Binding DM-DOB-B
Additionally:
Supports Foreign Device feature to connect to BACnet Broadcast Management Devices (BBMDs).
Runs on both 32- and 64-bit platforms: Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012/R2, Windows 10
NULL, Boolean, Unsigned, Integer, Signed Integer, Real, Double, Character String, Enumerated, BACnetObjectIdentifier, Date, Time, DateTime, OctetString, BIT STRING, OptionalUnsigned, OptionalCharString, BACnetClientCOV, BACnetLandingCallStatus, BACnetAssignedLandingCalls, BACnetLandingDoorStatus, BACnetLiftCarCallList, BACnetObjectPropertyReference, Array of any types
Discover BACnet devices on connected networks
The Cimetrics BACnet Explorer is a BACnet client that supports the BACnet/IP data link layers. Using the BACnet Explorer, users can discover every BACnet device on the directly-connected network. Devices on different networks can also be discovered if the networks are connected by a BACnet Router or BBMD.
With BACnet Explorer, users can auto-populate BACnet device information with just a few mouse clicks. Objects within discovered devices can be queried for their properties and values. Some property values can also be changed using the Explorer.
Capture, Save and restore your BACnet Network Configuration
The BACnet network configuration can be saved in an XML format file:
This enables users to read/edit the configuration and to provide the configuration to others.
Browse / discover specific BACnet devices and objects
BACnet Explorer also allows the user to discover just one specified device without exploring the whole network. The user does this by specifying the Device ID or the BACnet network address of the target device.
The BACnet Explorer also allows discovery of just one specific object within a discovered device if its object ID is known. This allows an object to be read even if it is not included in the device's object list, Likewise a proprietary property that was not automatically discovered by the Explorer can be read if its property ID is known.
You can read and write to writable properties BACnet Elevator objects (Elevator Group, Lift, and Escalator) with a Premium Version
If the device does not answer Who-Is request you can add it manually, read its objects and properties and then subscribe them to COV.
With a snapshot feature, you can capture what you've discovered on a BACnet network and compare with the existing BACnet Network later. Create as many snapshots as you like and save them in XML file. You can save comparison results in CSV file.
You can transfer files to or from a File Object in a BACnet Device using Cimetrics BACnet Explorer. Please note you can only transfer files that have Stream File-access-method.
You can capture packets with BACnet Explorer Premium version and use them for troubleshooting or record keeping.
A short intro to the Explorer - features overview. See what you can do with it. All your BACnet devices at your fingertips.
How to configure BACstac - BACnet Protocol Stack. In order to work, the Explorer requires BACstac which needs to be properly configured in order to work.
How to send BACnet Who-Has Request with the Explorer. You can easily find out which BACnet devices contain a particular Object.
Viewing BACnet Calendars with Cimetrics BACnet Explorer. With the BACnet Explorer you can see the list of dates, such as holidays or special events.
Writing to the BACnet properties with Cimetrics Explorer. You can write to any writable property supported by the Explorer.
How to configure BACstac for BACnet MS/TP - BACnet Protocol Stack. In order to work, the Explorer requires BACstac which needs to be properly configured in order to work.
Exporting BACnet data to Engineering Data Exchange .EDE file with Cimetrics BACnet Explorer. You can export your devices, objects and properties to an .EDE format file.
Sometimes there are BACnet devices which do not answer Who-Is request; Devices which have BACnet objects not included in the object list; Objects with hidden properties. In this case you can use our manual adding node feature.
Licensing for Premium version
Please keep in mind that the license for the paid explorer is:
Not Transferable
Not Replaceable
Because of these reasons, we are able to keep the price low.
Your license includes:
your license is valid forever for the version you have purchased - updates and upgrades are only available within a year of purchase
upgrades and updates - you can download and install all BACnet Explorer versions, released during your License period.
Your license is valid for ONE YEAR only from a time of purchase - you can not upgrade to a newer version after your license expires. You need to buy a new one.
technical support - you can ask the BACnet Explorer Team any questions regarding BACnet Explorer. support@cimetrics.com..
A: Our BACnet Explorer is used to "auto-discover" all of the devices, objects, properties and current status of all BACnet parameters on a network. This is done by actively interrogating all of the devices on the network. While Explorer is very tolerant to "strange behavior" by other devices, the devices must significantly comply with the BACnet standard.
BAS-o-matic is used to diagnose and verify the communications on the network. This acts as a "sniffer" and it shows EVERY packet that is on the wire so that you can see EXACTLY what is happening, even if packets are from non-BACnet traffic or products that do not conform to BACnet. Even if you don't have the skills to diagnose communications issues, you can EASILY record the information on the wire and send this file to support personnel for analysis. We recommend that All networks should be checked for error messages "on the wire" during commissioning.
A: Clicking on "Refresh All" under File menu will initiate sending out a Global “Who-Is” broadcast on all reachable networks. All the BACnet devices that respond to this “Who-Is” with an “I-Am” will be displayed on the Explorer. Devices will be displayed according to a network hierarchy i.e. the devices will be listed under their respective network numbers.
A: In the right pane of the Explorer, select the required property, right click on it choose "Write Property". In this window, enter the desired new value and choose the priority for writing this request and click on “Write”. This should send a “Write-Property” request to the property and the value will be changed if the access rights allow this or else there will be a message displayed.
A: To manually add a device, in the left pane of the Explorer select the network number for the device to be added and click on Edit | Add Device. In the new window, enter the device ID along with the MAC address. This will result in the addition of the new device to the desired network.
A: To add a new Network to the existing network manually, go to Edit | Add Network. In the new window, add the network number and click on “OK”. This will result in the addition of the new network.
A: This is a message that one sees on the lower left hand corner of the BACnet Explorer in certain situations.
The situations is
- you have the Explorer configured to use BACnet/IP
- you have the BACnet explorer configured to act as a Foreign Device
- You have entered the IP address of a remote BBMD
Once you start the Explorer and try to establish communication with the BBMD and cannot do so, you will see this message.
The reasons why the communications are not established could be due to
- incorrect IP address of the BBMD
- the BBMD may not be set up to accept Foreign Device connections
- you may not have a phyical connection to the BBMD etc
A: For BBMD configuration within a BACnet Explorer go to Tools - Settings – BACnet Protocol configuration. Navigate on the port you want to edit and click on Edit. Click on BBMD tab. Check BACnet Broadcast Management Device and put an IP address of the BBMDs you would like to maintain in your BBMD table.
Configure for FD:
Within a BACnet Explorer go to Tools - Settings – BACnet Protocol configuration - Edit - Foreign Device tab
Check the Foreign Device and put the IP of the remote BBMD to which you want your foreign device to get attached.
A: The paid and free versions are functionally the same. The major differences are that, with the free version, Cimetrics advertisements are shown and technical support is not provided.
A: No. Most, if not all, BACnet Workstations have capabilities such as graphics displays, alarming, trending, and scheduling. Explorer does not implement these features.
A: When BACnet Explorer is first executed on a PC, a character string is generated. This string, together with payment, is sent to Cimetrics support group. In return, a license key is sent to the new owner, enabling his/her Explorer installation to run, without advertisements and with support, on that computer.
Note that, since the license key is valid only for that computer, care should be taken to identify one that will be usable for that pupose for as long as necessary.
A: It is likely that BACnet Explorer and another BACnet protocol stack running on the same computer will interfere. Cimetrics does not recommend such a configuration. For best results BACnet Explorer should run on a Windows computer (or Windows Virtual Machine).
A: 1. You should be able to write to the Object ID property. Navigate to the Device - Object ID property in the right pane and right click on "Object-identifier" . Choose Write-Property... The window will open and you can write the value in the "Property Value" window.
2. BACnet Explorer doesn't currently support MSTP. Just BACnet/IP.
A: This feature we have doesn't actually add any objects or properties to the device. It allows you to add in your Explorer any objects/properties which are hidden within a device and then send the Read Property request to find out the value.
For example, let's say your device doesn't have a certain object in its' object list. But you know it has this objects outside of object list. Then you can manually add this object in Explorer and read the value.
The same if for some reason a device doesn't answer Who-Is request then Explore wouldn't show it. You can add this device manually to your network if you know its' MAC address or ID and then read it.
A: In the product drop-down list choose Free Explorer, ads, no support and click on Buy it now. Follow the prompts and you will get the link to the free Explorer.
A: To change the APDU timeout parameter, go to Tools| Settings | APDU Settings. Often times this needs to be increased depending on the response time of all or a few of the devices on the network. Some devices take a long time to respond and in such situations, it is appropriate to increase this parameter so the Explorer can wait a longer time for the response from the device. If the device response is slow and the APDU Timeout parameter is not increased, there is a chance that the response from the slow device may be ignored if it comes in too late and this can cause unnecessary problems.