Siemens S7-1200 / Simatic Step 7

Hey All,

We recently acquired a new used machine off the surplus market.
there are two sections to the machine, each with its own PLC/HMI and connected to each other through a router.

The PLCs are Siemens S7-1200, which of course I have absolutely no experience with.
I little research told me I needed Simatic Step 7 as programming software, so I bought a single license copy of Ver15.1

My only goal at this point would be to upload the programs from the PLC's for my archives (as I typically do when we get something new), and of course learn a new technology.

I have installed the software on my laptop and let it make all the system changes that it wanted....
I have set my network card to a static IP in the same subnet as PLC's and router,
I see that the install has added some items to my network card configuration for Simatic Industrial Ethernet
and Profinet.

It seems that I should just have to connect my laptop to the router, and from the TIA Portal under Online & Diagnostics, select "Accessible Devices", and after choosing PN/IE interface and pointing to my network card, I should just do "Start Search" and everything should show up on the list, but it doesn't.

Anyone have experience with this stuff that can shed a little light on this??

Regards,
JohnR

Hello,

Normally you would be able to at least "see" the devices even if the ip/subnet doesn't match.
But maybe try different approach, go to "project view" then in left pane select "online access" and under your network card do "update accessible devices"

When ip/subnet do match, can you ping the device(s)? How do you know their IP/mask anyway?
What is this router (switch?) doing? maybe it is blocking you somehow (or you can only connect to certain port), try connecting directly to the PLC.

grtz

The router has a port designated for "network connection" as labeled on the electrical drawing. and the IP is scribbled in sharpie on the front of it.

The HMI's allow you to change the IP settings by OEM's design....

no reply from a ping.... I'll try a direct connection tomorrow

You can't do the scan through a router. You should be able to connect if there is a free port on the internal side of the router, or directly into the PLC.


Depending how far back the PLC is, you might need an older version of TIA Portal to upload the existing program. The license you have for 15.1 should cover older versions, if needed.


You probably won't be able to upload the HMI project in a format you can edit, but you should be able to do backups that can be loaded into a replacement HMI.

Hmmm....

Well I was sent down the "router" path by a comment made by a field tech that I talked to from the OEM of this machine.
Perhaps he doesn't really know the difference...

I looked up said router, MikroTik RB951G-2HnD, and it's a simple home gb switch with a wireless AP.
Perhaps the IP scribbled on the front is for the AP?

That said, if this is a simple switch, it should not be blocking my connection.

Now, the IP's I have for the PLC's came from a setup screen on each HMI, and as I look at that a little deeper,
I think these are the IP's for the Profinet comms between the two PLC's

Perhaps there is another IP for this PN/IE connection with the TIA Portal??
I'll have to dig around through the config screens and see what else I find....

JohnR

AHRGGG..... DUH.....

Finally got a chance to plug in straight to one of the PLC's
Connection popped right up.....

Plugged the PLC back into the switch, then plugged my laptop into the only other port on the switch (not the one labeled "network connection"), and there I have connection to both PLC's and both HMI's.

Connected my network line to this port, and now I can connect from my workstation across the plant.....

Bad switch port, go figure....

Now I just gotta figure out how to use this Step 7 software...

Thanks all for the suggestions.

JohnR

Maybe Siemens PRONETA can be of some assistance.

And in any hard case you could try somethink like wireshark. For example you can have it sniff the network while the devices start up. in most cases they broadcast their IP adresses at that point.


grtz

JohnRatHolten said:

AHRGGG..... DUH.....

Finally got a chance to plug in straight to one of the PLC's
Connection popped right up.....

Plugged the PLC back into the switch, then plugged my laptop into the only other port on the switch (not the one labeled "network connection"), and there I have connection to both PLC's and both HMI's.

Connected my network line to this port, and now I can connect from my workstation across the plant.....

Bad switch port, go figure....

Now I just gotta figure out how to use this Step 7 software...

Thanks all for the suggestions.

JohnR

Click to expand...

Ah good to see it works.
In a quick glance at the microtik software manual I read "VLAN" and such so it seems like this router (it is) can be configured in numerous ways. Maybe this "network connection" port is configured as "WAN" port or something.

grtz

Yes, I had wondered if that port had been configured differently as it originally had some sort of Verizon wireless device connected there, but after looking at the QuickGuide for that MikroTik I got the feeling it was just a simple switch. perhaps it can be reconfigured as a router with a firmware update or something. Anyway, I have connection now.....

Now my next issue is;

This Siemens software is confusing.....

I have this TIA Portal up, and I can see the two PLC's and the two HMI's...
Ok, I relate this to RSLinx in A-B world, but now what?

How do I get to this Step 7 program where I can upload a program from a device and save it?
Again comparing to A-B RSLogix "Who Active Go Online"....

I'm sure I'm missing something obvious here, and The Help section seems to be a No Help section,
it talks in circles like you already understand what you are trying to lookup.....


JohnR

JohnRatHolten said:

Yes, I had wondered if that port had been configured differently as it originally had some sort of Verizon wireless device connected there, but after looking at the QuickGuide for that MikroTik I got the feeling it was just a simple switch. perhaps it can be reconfigured as a router with a firmware update or something. Anyway, I have connection now.....

Now my next issue is;

This Siemens software is confusing.....

I have this TIA Portal up, and I can see the two PLC's and the two HMI's...
Ok, I relate this to RSLinx in A-B world, but now what?

How do I get to this Step 7 program where I can upload a program from a device and save it?
Again comparing to A-B RSLogix "Who Active Go Online"....

I'm sure I'm missing something obvious here, and The Help section seems to be a No Help section,
it talks in circles like you already understand what you are trying to lookup.....


JohnR

Click to expand...

You're right, the help is more of a reference than a how to Siemens Tech support is pretty good, though, if you're stuck.



Step 7 and WinCC are embedded into Portal. If you're doing PLC stuff inside Portal, it's Step 7. If you're doing HMI stuff, it's WinCC, but it's all in Portal either way.



See the following two videos for help on uploading. There are two methods. If you can, you want to Upload as New Station (first video) which pulls in the HW and software. The second video shows you how to detect the HW and then upload the software. This would be a backup plan if you're having trouble with the first method.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uKE07X9jLY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1a3C2f2O_8



I've sometimes had trouble going online with units that were programmed in an older version of TIA, which means you may need to download the older version and install it as well.

mk42, thanks for the videos


I tried the first method and got an error about the version

it says to download the config to edit then upload again


What does that mean?

tried to upload screenshot but it turned into jibberish

What's the part number of your S7-1200? Does is also have a firmware version printed on it?

print says it's a 1214C DC/DC/DC, 6ES7214-1AE30-0X80
if there is a label on the side it is hidden by terminal strip butted up against it....


will continue tomorrow, my day here is done.....

That CPU was programmable from STEP 7 V10.5, which was the first version of the TIA Portal version of STEP 7. The firmware version of the CPU would give a clue as to its vintage, and we can better suggest which version of STEP 7 to try. The newest license (V15.1) covers the older versions.