Hello everyone interested in Märklin Digital World, especially intereted in CS3 Master and Slave

I start this thread because I think that we all get more information asking and answering about CS3 Master and Slave issues.

I have now two CS3Plus devices because one experiment went wrong few weeks ago. I want to get all benefits from these two devices before I sell the other device ( at the moment I cannot see so much benefits that use of two same kind of devices would be worth.

I hope you can give me ideas what I should test now with those two devices.But first I tell you what I have found until now:

First: even though I have two "same kind of" devices they are not similar. Older device (serial 1133) has been in Märklin Service Shop for repairing, they said that they have changed mother-board, well I don't believe them. I think they have just changed one or two component because although it works fine it have similar differences which were before repairing. It is really differs from new device which I bought three weeks ago( serial 8115). New device is faster than older one, and as I in some earlier thread mentioned backups don't fit to each other. And one thing more, if they had changed the whole motherboard why serial number is still the same. ( I might be wrong but his is my feeling).

And now to my experiences of making master and slave:

If you want to connect two similar CS3Plus together you have to make network connection to both devices ( I used DHCP and it went ok. I don't use WiFi but cables, I don't trust WiFi).

You don't have to use able 60123 at all at least when you connect two CS3Plus together, but definitely you need Network.

First I tried only with 60130 but connection failed every time device didn't see each other. I tried all combination of 60123 connections, no succeed.

Then I put Network to both devices and now both devices were Master and connection didn't succeed. then I had to configure Slave device so that first I tell it Master-devices address and click Auxiliary device. After that Slave told that it will boot to Slave mode and that's it.

Now there is Master-Slave combination which works fine. The I tried how this combination would work if I take 60123 away,,, well it works fine. If you take cable away it takes sometime before master and slave will work to Layout( so that your trains will run).My analyze in this situation is that Master must see that CAN-Bust has been cut and it find another way to communicate with slave.

If you take all connection away from Salve then you have to boot device and it goes to master mode and now very interesting thing: When Master-Slave combination is working Slave device is only User Interface, Slave device don't copy any permanent information from Master, My conclusion is that SLAVE-DEVICE use all masters connections and information all other but not User interface.

So far this much for you now.

Please tell me what kind if simple test you want me to do with Master-Slave CS3Plus.I will try to fulfill your information desire.


Question: Is it worth to have two CS3 devices at all. Because it seems now that Slave device don't participate in the processors' load sharing at all.

Jukka

Hope, just hope were my expectation.
Now I know that CS3Plus processor is much better than old CS2 but it is not very fast still.
I tested the Master and Slave configuration today and noticed that the new CS3Plus is not that fast. In my configuration there is a newer CS3Plus master and the older device is then a slave.

All the functions work well, but in some cases it must be patient that the master device does everything. in my tests it was just about running the trains on the track (two trains at the same time) and manually changing a few steps and following the contacts on the screen.

The web servers of both devices were on and on the PC screen were the master and slave in their own windows. Controlling through the web server and using the functions went well, though the slow speed of the master was seen on the delayed screens.

The machines were online and the CAN bus was not connected.

I didn't get WiFi-usb-token on either device. Now I would like to ask: What kind of USB stick should it have to work as a WiFi network connector. Or should I have to purchase some extra device to get the machines on the Wi-Fi network. The actual WiFi network I already have and all the PC devices are here.

I would like to hear experiences of how You have used WiFi-network (I have said that I don't trust WiFi and that is because few years ago when I had CS2 there was significant problems with that kind of network using CS2).

Jukka