Serial or USB MPI converter

I have a couple of S7-400 PLC's that I occasionally have to go online with. I am currently using a RS232 - MPI converter along with my USB - Serial converter (my laptop has no serial ports).

The connection seems painfully slow. If I were to purchase a Siemsns USB - MPI converter would I see a substancial increase in connection speeds?

Does anyone other than Siemens make one of these (I use it so rarely I would rather not break the bank).

I have one from these guys: http://www.process-informatik.de/

It works pretty well, but the cable connectors could have been a little more robust (I've had to take it apart a couple of times). It also doesn't work very well with the Siemens 840D, but that probably isn't an issue with you. Other than those two things, I have had no problems at all. I'd buy one again.

allscott said:

The connection seems painfully slow. If I were to purchase a Siemsns USB - MPI converter would I see a substancial increase in connection speeds?

Click to expand...

YES, definitely. The speed for the RS232 side of the RS-MPI converter is limited to 19200 (for older interfaces) or 38400 baud, while the speed at the MPI side is 187500 baud, so this is the bottleneck in the communications chain. The USB-MPI adapter can go up to 12MBaud at the MPI/Profibus (yes, it talks Profibus too!) side, while the USB side keeps up with it. The USB-MPI converter firmware can also be updated (for free!!!), so my choice has been made clear the day I first got an USB-MPI converter in my hands.

Kind regards,

Hi!

Could I ask the siemens product code for the USB MPI adapter? I know of serial ones, the V1.2 and the V2.0, and I've had endless trouble with downloading the drivers for it and getting it working on Step 7 V5.4 SP3. I remember it was a seperate installation package, but I lost my notes on what I did to get it working.

Problem is I often have to climb onto old systems where clients have not updated their software, and I can't upgrade them.

I've found this one:
6ES7972-0CB20-0XA0

Are there other options?

I saw the 5711 released 2009 - 6GK1571-1AM00 - what are the pro's and cons?

6ES7972-0CB20-0XA0 sounds right.
The CP5711 is a yet more powerful adapter, and can be used with Simatic Net - for example for OPC connections. It is much more expensive, and clunky as well.

The USB adapter is OK, but I would consider one of the 3rd party ethernet adapters. The USB adapter requires that you sit right by the PLC you want to program.
here are a couple of links:
http://www.deltalogic.de/content/view/144/128/lang,en/
http://www.ibhsoftec-sps.de/english/IBH_Link_S7_Plus_Plus.htm
http://www.traeger.de/industrial-ethernet/s7-lan-mpi-lan.html
(not sure if they are identical, I think that at least the firmware is not identical).

Oh by the way.

If you consider one of the 3rd party adapters, and you want to work with 64-bit windows, then you should check that the adpater supports this.
I know that deltalogic supports 64 bit with STEP7 v5.5 and they are working on 64 bit support for TIA Portal.
Dont know about the other 3rd party adapters.

Thanks!