Set up s7-1200 to IoT (MQTT)

Hi,
I'm not good at networking so bare with me.
What I want to do is connect a S7-1200 to AWS.
I have a s7-1200 and an ****** cosy 131 4G as the setup is now.

1. I have to use the eCatcher software on my computer to access the PLC. I guess that I have to open up the LAN side of my ****** Cosy to the internet so be able to communicate to the AWS. What risk comes with this? Or is there better solutions? I must use SIM card modem.

2. the s7-1200 can handle Publish MQTT, but Siemens also have it's CloudConnect 7 series to connect s7 PLC to MQTT. Why would I use that instead of the built in MQTT in the S7-1200?

3. I think ****** flexy can also be used to get data from the s7-1200 and then publish MQTT. I guess that with the flexy I get a better protection?

I'm trying to wrap my head around how to do this, PLC -> cloud connection thing

rQx said:

Hi,
Why would I use that instead of the built in MQTT in the S7-1200?

Click to expand...

Part of it is what you said below:

rQx said:

I guess that with the flexy I get a better protection?

Click to expand...

Having a gateway gives you some protection by preventing access to the PLC.


Also, the CloudConnect gateway is probably more configuration than programming, which could save time. I've heard getting all the necessary certificates to line up between the cloud and the PLC is a huge pain.

You cannot use cosy to send data to IOT(mqtt).
Yes Flexy can get data from S7 1200 and send to IOT(mqtt).
Here's how to youtube link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSZPyL_gxAg&feature=emb_logo

I have set this up on 2 Flexy's so far and it works great.

Ranjith said:

You cannot use cosy to send data to IOT(mqtt).
Yes Flexy can get data from S7 1200 and send to IOT(mqtt).
Here's how to youtube link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSZPyL_gxAg&feature=emb_logo

I have set this up on 2 Flexy's so far and it works great.

Click to expand...

But I can configure the cosy to give the LAN side internet access. So I should be able to send MQTT to Cloud from s7-1200 but with no firewall?

mk42 said:

Part of it is what you said below:






Having a gateway gives you some protection by preventing access to the PLC.


Also, the CloudConnect gateway is probably more configuration than programming, which could save time. I've heard getting all the necessary certificates to line up between the cloud and the PLC is a huge pain.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

1. I have to use the eCatcher software on my computer to access the PLC. I guess that I have to open up the LAN side of my ****** Cosy to the internet so be able to communicate to the AWS. What risk comes with this? Or is there better solutions? I must use SIM card modem.

Click to expand...

You need to set FwrdToWAN = 1, that should allow LAN traffic on to the WAN. You are transmitting data out so I don't see any risk in this. Yes you will need to add a SIM to the e_WON and probably enter the SIM APN settings. The e_WON doesn't give you a DNS server so the data might have to go to a fixed public IP address, it depends on what is available in the S7-1200 MQTT software. A DNS server translates a human type website name to a computer type IP address, I don't know if MQTT needs a DNS server or if it always goes to known IP address.

2. the s7-1200 can handle Publish MQTT, but Siemens also have it's CloudConnect 7 series to connect s7 PLC to MQTT. Why would I use that instead of the built in MQTT in the S7-1200?

Click to expand...

As ever with the S7-1200 the built in MQTT server will probably use a lot of resources and will be limited in scope. But it is free. Have no information on CloudConnect.

3. I think ****** flexy can also be used to get data from the s7-1200 and then publish MQTT. I guess that with the flexy I get a better protection?

Click to expand...

I can't see that protection will be any different but it may be more flexible and easier to set up.

BryanG said:

You need to set FwrdToWAN = 1, that should allow LAN traffic on to the WAN. You are transmitting data out so I don't see any risk in this. Yes you will need to add a SIM to the e_WON and probably enter the SIM APN settings. The e_WON doesn't give you a DNS server so the data might have to go to a fixed public IP address, it depends on what is available in the S7-1200 MQTT software. A DNS server translates a human type website name to a computer type IP address, I don't know if MQTT needs a DNS server or if it always goes to known IP address.

As ever with the S7-1200 the built in MQTT server will probably use a lot of resources and will be limited in scope. But it is free. Have no information on CloudConnect.

I can't see that protection will be any different but it may be more flexible and easier to set up.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this also, I agree with that the build in code can require some more fiddling.