A PanelView Plus 7 terminal that shows no live values usually has one of four causes: the display object itself, the Ethernet link, the terminal's IP settings, or the communication shortcut inside the runtime application. The checks below follow that order and use only what Rockwell Automation publishes for the terminal and for FactoryTalk View Machine Edition (ME).
1. Make sure it really is a communication problem
Asterisks on a numeric display do not by themselves mean that the PLC is lost. FactoryTalk View ME help states that a numeric display is filled with asterisks (*) when its Value connection is unassigned, and also when the value has more digits than the object's "Number of digits" setting allows (FactoryTalk View ME 16.00 help, "How the numeric display works at runtime").
If only one object shows asterisks while the rest of the screen updates, check that object's connection and digit settings before looking at the network.
2. Read the diagnostic messages
- The Diagnostics List Setup editor in the ME application decides when diagnostic messages are shown at runtime and which graphic display shows them (FactoryTalk View ME help, "Set up runtime diagnostics").
- Long messages can appear truncated in the diagnostics window. The full text can be read in the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer; for PanelView Plus 6 and 7 the viewer has to be set to accept messages from Windows CE devices (Tools > Message Routing) (same help page).
Write down the exact message text: it is the fastest way to find the cause.
3. Check the Ethernet link
On the terminal's Ethernet port, the green Link Integrity indicator is on when a link is present, and the yellow Activity indicator blinks when activity is detected (2711P-UM008K, Table 18, p. 41). No green light points to the cable, the switch port or the far end, not to the application.
4. Check the terminal's IP settings
- The terminal's automatic address setting is on by default, so the terminal asks for a dynamic IP address (2711P-UM008K, p. 48). On a control network without a DHCP server, or where the PLC expects a fixed address range, this alone can stop communication.
- The settings are under Terminal Settings [F4] > Networks and Communications > Network Connections > Network Adapters (2711P-UM008K, p. 49).
- After a firmware update the terminal starts in Configuration mode by default (2711P-UM008K, p. 16), so check that the right application is set to run.
5. Check the communication shortcut in the runtime application
FactoryTalk Linx communication setup has two tabs, and only one of them reaches the terminal:
- Only the shortcuts on the Runtime (Target) tab are copied into the runtime (.mer) file; the communications configured on the Design (Local) tab are not used for the runtime project (FactoryTalk Linx help, FTSP 6.60, "Design (Local) and Runtime (Target) tabs").
- In the Runtime (Target) path, the ",1" after the controller is the slot address in the backplane, so it must match the slot the controller is actually in. The shortcut is not saved until Apply is clicked (FTSP 6.60, "Create a FactoryTalk View ME runtime application").
6. Reload the application with the right communication settings
When a .mer file is loaded, the terminal asks: "Do you want to replace the terminal's current communication configuration?" Answering Yes applies the Runtime (Target) settings stored in the .mer file (FTSP 6.60, same page). If the answer was No, the terminal keeps its previous communication configuration.
Before calling for help
Collect the terminal catalog number and firmware, the FactoryTalk View ME version used to build the .mer, the exact diagnostic message, the terminal's IP settings, the controller's IP address and slot, and photos of the Ethernet indicators. TDL engineers can then check the case remotely or on site.
Frequently asked questions
What do asterisks on a PanelView Plus 7 numeric display mean?
Asterisks do not by themselves mean that the PLC is lost. According to FactoryTalk View ME 16.00 help, a numeric display is filled with asterisks when its Value connection is unassigned, or when the value has more digits than the object's "Number of digits" setting allows.
What should I check first when a PanelView Plus 7 is not communicating with the PLC?
Work in order: the display object, the diagnostic messages, the Ethernet indicators, the terminal's IP settings, then the communication shortcut in the runtime application. No green Link Integrity light points to the cable, the switch port or the far end, not to the application (2711P-UM008K p. 41).
Where do I set the IP address on a PanelView Plus 7?
The settings are under Terminal Settings [F4] > Networks and Communications > Network Connections > Network Adapters (2711P-UM008K p. 49). The automatic address setting is on by default (p. 48), so on a network without a DHCP server, or where the PLC expects a fixed address range, this alone can stop communication.
Why does the shortcut configured in FactoryTalk View ME not work on the terminal?
Only the shortcuts on the Runtime (Target) tab are copied into the .mer file; the Design (Local) tab is not used for the runtime project, and the shortcut is not saved until Apply is clicked. When the .mer file is loaded, answer Yes to replacing the terminal's communication configuration, otherwise the Runtime (Target) settings are not applied.
Sources
- Rockwell Automation, 2711P-UM008K-EN-P, PanelView Plus 7 Performance Terminals User Manual, 04/2024 — pp. 16, 41, 48–49
- Rockwell Automation, FactoryTalk View ME 16.00 help: "How the numeric display works at runtime"; "Set up runtime diagnostics" (rockwellautomation.com)
- Rockwell Automation, FactoryTalk Services Platform 6.60 / FactoryTalk Linx help: "Design (Local) and Runtime (Target) tabs"; "Create a FactoryTalk View ME runtime application"
Read 24 October 2026. This article paraphrases the sources and does not quote them; read the original documents before designing or working on a system. Links open the latest edition in Rockwell's literature library; page numbers refer to the edition cited.