Remote access to a PLC Panel

Bullzi

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Jun 2012
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Colorado
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Hi everyone,

I am not very well versed in the IT stuff. I know enough to be dangerous and to be able to tell the IT people what I need.

I am building a couple of panels that have a Red Lion HMI on them. The customer wants to use the built in web browser on the HMI to look at the system from a remote location. The site does have internet.

They don't have a IT department to help me at all. So how do I get things set up so they can access the panel? What questions do ask the ISP? Is there anything I can put in the panel that would make things easier? I know Stride Linx and E W O N offer devices that might do this but the customer doesn't want to pay a fee or go through another service.

Maybe I am making this harder than needed but I want to have my ducks in a row before I install the panel.

Thanks for the help!!
 
You might want to take a look at the mGuard solutions from Phoenix Contact. I believe they offer a free cloud-based VPN option, or you could install hardware at the panel and at the remote site to provide a direct VPN connection between the hardware to eliminate the cloud option.

It's not easy to configure, but might be worth calling your distributor to get a demo.
 
The Spectrum Controls WebPort might be a good choice. Not super-cheap, but their VPN service is included (instead of a monthly or per-MB charge).

When there's no on-site IT department to configure and secure the connection, the only reasonable choice is to use a cloud-based VPN provider.

"But I just want to go to a web page and see my HMI" is not a reasonable demand when they also have no IT department.
 
When there's no on-site IT department to configure and secure the connection, the only reasonable choice is to use a cloud-based VPN provider.

"But I just want to go to a web page and see my HMI" is not a reasonable demand when they also have no IT department.

Ken is Sooo right on this matter, if they don't have an IT department, who's responsibility is it to set up and manage a wide area network, that requires "Security, different Subnets, VPN Tunnels, Web based pages"??

If this is part of your company growing, then you probable are ready for an IT staff. (At least a small one.)

There is a lot more behind the scenes, then just plugging in an E*** and paying for a monthly subscription.
 
We have 3 of the Stridelinx VPN routers from A/D. They're simpler to set up than even the famous e-w-o n. $450 for the wired version, and no need for a static IP address.

I can access the A/B PLC and HMI with programming software too (using the RSLinx Ethernet Devices driver), no monthly fee unless you want to use their logging capability or other paid services.

We have two customers that already had static IP addresses, and we have their HMIs connected directly with security enabled for remote access.
 
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I don't want to derail this topic but I do have a couple question on the Stridelinx... hopefully it's helpful to the OP as well.

e w o n has a several options for remotely connecting with a mobile device. There's an app to create a VPN which is great for those HMI apps like Cmore and Vijeo. They also have a webbased login (m2web) for direct webpage or vnc access over any browser.

Are there comparable options with the Stridelinx? I should buy one to play with but my purchaser grumbles when he needs to buy from AD and I don't feel like buying it out of my pocket.


And one comment to the OP. e w o n and Stridelinx both have options that don't require any monthly fees. Single purchase of hardware and you're good to go.
 
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The Webport will do exactly what you are looking to do and does not have any associated fees (other than the purchase price of course) including when doing logging, reporting, alarms, etc...
It also has a serial port that can bridge serial connections so if you have a device that configures via serial you can access it as well.

A word of caution, and this relates to any VPN solution. Regardless of how you make your connection there is always a possibility that IT will have to get involved and your customer needs to understand that. Connecting to the internet is actually a fairly complicated process when you get down to the nuts and bolts at least if you want to do it securely. To complicate it even further, getting there via a web browser on a PC is a very different (simpler) process than doing it with a VPN. A lot of people think that because they can connect to a network and get onto the internet that a remote access device shouldn’t have any problems, nothing could be further from the truth. In order to make the VPN connection there are certain "ports" that need to be available from the outside and while many times they are, sometimes they aren’t, and it takes an IT person to open them up. If you can find a box that will make a VPN connection under any condition without ever needing IT intervention you have an extremely vulnerable network that will very likely get hacked. Not knowing any of the details about you and your customer I can only say what I would do (or wouldn’t do) and that is if the customer insists that IT must not ever get involved I’d walk away or at very least have them sign “hold harmless” agreements because they are setting themselves, and possibly you, up for a possible security breach. Every once and awhile I get a customer who is in that boat. They have a customer that doesn’t want IT to be involved because a lot of IT departments make life very difficult. In those cases, I will mention the “hold harmless” agreement and when the present that idea to their customer the problem usually goes away. It can be a good attention getter.
Good luck in your project.

https://www.spectrumcontrols.com/products/webport-solutions/webport-ethernet/
 
I don't want to derail this topic but I do have a couple question on the Stridelinx... hopefully it's helpful to the OP as well.

e w o n has a several options for remotely connecting with a mobile device. There's an app to create a VPN which is great for those HMI apps like Cmore and Vijeo. They also have a webbased login (m2web) for direct webpage or vnc access over any browser.

Are there comparable options with the Stridelinx?

Yes there's an app for that. It's actually a little easier to use than the e-w on mobile app.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stride-sitelink/id1276487779?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.ixon.stridesitelink&hl=us

And there is a VPN client for PC based applications that allows you to access the remote network for PLC/HMI programming or accessing other Ethernet devices (like some of our radio modems).
 

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