Remote Access for Siemens PLC

How to get secure remote VPN access to Siemens PLC

Using IXON Cloud you can instantly access your Siemens PLC or HMI securely remotely over a secured VPN connection through the remote service portal. Configure the IXrouter with our wizard, connect it to your Siemens PLC, and it’ll be automatically accessible for remote access, remote programming and remote monitoring. It’s as easy as that and enables troubleshooting from remote.

1. Introduction into IXON Cloud: Remote Service and IIoT platform
2. Edge connectivity for Siemens PLC
3. How to connect the Siemens PLC with the IXON Cloud
4. Get remote VPN access to Siemens PLC
5. Remote control of Siemens HMI and other connected PLC equipment
6. How to read and write data from Siemens PLCs with IoT
7. Create a dashboard from Siemens PLC data
8. Set up predictive maintenance alarms for Siemens PLCs
9. Try IXON Cloud 30 days with our Starter Kit

Explore IXON Cloud for remote VPN access to Siemens PLC

IXON offers a powerful industrial remote access and industrial IoT platform for the Siemens PLC range: IXON Cloud. It offers machine builders, system integrators and OEMs easy, fast and secure remote VPN access across the world, for remote maintenance, monitoring and support.

Get instant remote access to the programming software and network of Siemens. Benefits of IXON Cloud for Siemens PLC devices:

• Support for Ethernet (LAN), 4G/LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity with the IXrouter
• Plug & Play setup and no additional software needed (fully web-based)
• Secure VPN connections on desktop and mobile
• Top-notch security level
• Scalable to your (customers’) needs with additional IoT features for data logging, storage, alarms and visualisation.

Sign up for the Free Product Tour to experience our remote service platform or discover all features.

Edge connectivity for Siemens PLC

The IXrouter is IXON’s edge gateway and fully compatible Siemens PLCs. It integrates the connected machine with the IXON Cloud for remote PLC/controller programming over VPN and provides VNC functionality and data logging capabilities.

IXrouter: Industrial VPN router for Siemens PLC

The IXrouter is a combined industrial VPN router and edge gateway, designed to connect any PLC to the IXON Cloud. It is fully compatible with Siemens PLCs to get secure access remotely.

It’s ready to handle almost any kind of situation conceivable. There’s even a special cellular (4G/LTE) version for remote installations.

Siemens PLCs supported by IXON

• Siemens S7-200
• Siemens S7-300
• Siemens S7-400
• Siemens S7-1200
• Siemens S7-1500
• And other Siemens PLCs with an ethernet module.

If your type isn’t listed here, please get in touch with us to check the compatibility of your product.

How to connect the Siemens PLC with the IXON Cloud

To make use of the IXON Cloud you need to create a free company account and connect your industrial robots to this platform using an IXrouter. 

Each IXrouter has four ethernet ports for connecting machines (PLCs) and robots and one WAN port to connect it to the internet. There are multiple versions of the IXrouter supporting additional ways to get internet access:

• Ethernet only
• Ethernet & 4G Global
• Ethernet & Wi-Fi
• Ethernet, 4G Global & Wi-Fi

Each device includes lifetime free VPN / VNC access and support and the option to activate Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify. Simply choose a way to get internet access, connect your PLCs and you’re all set and ready.

In this video we briefly explain how to connect the IXrouter to the IXON Cloud platform in just 3 simple steps.

Get remote VPN access to Siemens PLC

Once your IXrouter device is activated, you can log into your IXON Cloud account to set up a secure VPN connection to your Siemens PLC. Choose the device you want to connect to and press the VPN button. Now, a secure VPN tunnel is created from your computer, via the IXON Cloud to your connected machine. You’ll have full network access to your PLC for remote PLC troubleshooting, monitoring and to publish new programming software releases.

Remote control of Siemens HMI and other connected PLC equipment

With VPN access you get secure and full network access to the PLC network remotely. To give you more options we support the VNC and HTTP protocols to remotely access any industrial control panel and system connected to your Siemens PLC. This functionality is included and free of charge.

Remote monitoring Siemens SIMATIC HMI via VNC

An HMI remote monitoring option is available using the VNC protocol. View, access, service and fully control your HMI screen (like SIMATIC Comfort Panel, DiagMonitor, WinCC) remotely via your browser or mobile apps.

Access to Siemens PLC web server

Connect your Siemens PLC web server easily using the HTTPS protocol. Just configure the location of your web server and open it securely from anywhere.

How to read and write data from Siemens PLCs with IoT

The IXrouter supports several industrial protocols to automatically read data from Siemens PLCs for remote monitoring. Data can be transmitted to the IXON Cloud to make it available for alarm notifications and visualisation, or analysis/machine learning on external platforms via the API:

Supported protocols for Siemens PLC:

• Siemens S7 (supported by Siemens Step 7 Serie: S7-300/400/1200/1500)
• OPC-UA (compatible devices)

Using Cloud Logging you can configure the data protocol and device address from your IXON Cloud account without any coding whatsoever. Push the configuration settings to the IXrouter and it will automatically read the data and store it on the IXON Cloud. This opens advanced IoT functionality for data logging, alarms and trend analysis. Watch this short (1 minute) explanation video of Cloud Logging.

Related article: How to write data to Siemens PLCs from the IXON Cloud

Create a dashboard from Siemens PLC data

Once your data is collected from your PLC (e.g. variables), and securely transmitted and stored in IXON Cloud, you can use it to configure your custom dashboards. Using our drag & drop editor, you can add widgets and build multiple dashboards based on the collected data. Add a gauge, period, tables or graph widget to create a data report or live monitor for your machines. If you want to combine data with data from other sources, you can use our API, which makes all data accessible for whatever use case you have in mind. Remember, we’re an open platform.

Set up predictive maintenance alarms for Siemens PLCs

To create and receive alarms from your machines you need to activate Cloud Notify in your account. Alarms can be created based on the condition of a parameter, like when PLC program state is equal to “SUCCESS”.

In the IXON Cloud you can add alarms in the Cloud Notify section. Choose the variable, the priority, set the condition and instructions for the operator. Next, you define who must receive a smartphone push message or email when the alarm is triggered.

Try IXON Cloud for remote maintenance of Siemens PLC

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