Using the datastation (or many of the cheap HMI's that allow dual protocol) you can use the programming port or the BD adapter or the ENET card for Ethernet, if the interface is local to the FX3 then the programming port could be used, if further away then the ENET card using the programming protocol. Just be aware that the programming port of the FX3 defaults to 9600 on power up & I don't think you can configure it to any other baud rate, Mitsubishi (and some HMI's) are capable of forcing the FX3 to change it's baud rate, found this out using an ethernet to 422 converter & kepware, it appears that only some HMI's & the Mitsubishi IDE is capable of forcing the FX programming port to other Baud rates. I came across this problem I configured the converter to talk at 115kb & it was fine until the PLC was powered down & back up, the only way to get it back was to use GXDeveloper or GXWorks to talk to the PLC then after that it was fine. Spoke to kepware & they were aware that the PLC defaulted to 9600 on power up, they were looking into finding out how the Mitsubishi IDE was able to force the FX to a different rate, but that was a few years ago.