Using the webserver and set this webpage online

[BartPeters88]

Hey all,

I'm a 26 year old intern at a company and my project is to see information and be able to set outputs on and off via the webserver of the PLC. I'm working with Tia Portal V11 and a PLC S7-1200 CPU 1215 DC/DC/DC.

It needs to be wireless because you don't want 30 cables going through your company and you also want to be able to communicate with it via a smart phone or tablet.

So my question is what are the possibility? Can I just host the webpage(of the PLC) online? Or should I connect the PLC to the company network?

Things to keep in mind are:
- Security
- Accessibility

It's my first post and I'm pretty new to the webserver and all that stuff.

Hopefully you can help me with my issue!

Regards,


Bart

 

[BartPeters88]

bump

 

[boneless]

Hi Bart,

I am a little bit confused (its still early here )

You want to be able to control the PLC through the webserver. So you will have to connect it to your network somehow. It just takes one cable, not 30, right? If you want to separate it from your company network, you could put it in a different range to ensure no users that are not authorized can access it.

Are you wanting to access it from the WWW? If so, you will need to get through your firewall somehow. I would advice you to do this through VPN. There are many solutions that work great with phones and tablets.

Alternatively you can do it with port forwarding, but since you mention security, that is likely a no go.

Hope I am making some sense...

 

[BartPeters88]

Hey boneless,

thanks for your reply. Ye I read something about the port forwarding and that sounds a bit... not secure .

My tutor in the company already told something about VPN.

I was just thinking about what the posibilities are, and what are the pros and cons of each possibility.

and wireless.. Ye I meant to communicate via a tablet or phone and each PC without using a cable from the PC to the PLC.

I also read some stuff about routers and more but I'm not really into the networking.

So What is the best option:
- Connect the PLC to a webserver thats connected to the Company network and access it via VPN?
- Set a Router near the PLC and communicate via wifi with it.
- Webhosting? (if this is even possible)
- Any other option?

It would also be nice if someone thats not in the office still can see the overview of the PLC/Machine.

If something is not clear please tell me and I'll try to explain it as best as I can.

 

[boneless]

So if you put your PLC on your company network (hard wire) and your company has wireless access points you should be able to access the PLC wirelessly (is that a word?).

So, your PLC IS the webserver.

Then you set up VPN to access your company network, and you will be able to connect to the PLC as tho you were connected locally to the network.

 

[BartPeters88]

Yea I don't know I think I have to find stuff out about VPN aswell.

 

[boneless]

Talk to your IT people, they should be able to set it up

 

[BartPeters88]

Problem is this isn't really a big company that has his own IT specialists. So I have to solve this by myself

 

[boneless]

So there is no company that maintains your companies network? I work for a small company and we have a "go-to-guy" for our IT stuff.

Your internet provider might offer some form of VPN through their hardware.

 

[BartPeters88]

I will ask my tutor tomorrow if there is an IT guy/business that I can talk to. Thanks for the quick responds

 

[boneless]

That's the least I can do for a fellow Dutchman

 

[kallileo]

Where is the PLC located? Is it far from your network switch?
Do you have a wireless access point?

You could use two access points configured in bridge mode to integrate your PLC into your company's LAN.
http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.aspx?pid=80&vw=1&articleid=4194