Connecting to Siemens S7-PLCSIM Advanced

Connectivity
1

It is possible to connect to a simulated Siemens PLC over TCP/IP when using PLCSIM Advanced. This short guide explains how to setup and connect to a simulated PLC using the Siemens S7 protocol, however it should also be possible to connect using OPC UA or Modbus TCP/IP.

Start PLCSIM Advanced, enable TCP/IP with a single adapter and set the adapter to the local network. Enter an IP address and subnet mask for the simulated PLC.

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Configure the Siemens PLCSIM Virtual Ethernet Adapter to have the same IP Address.

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Click the “Start” button in PLCSIM Advanced to start the simulated PLC instance.

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In Siemens TIA Portal, you need to configure the ethernet IPv4 address for the PLC to match.

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You also need to permit access with PUT/GET communication from remote partner. This permits ProtoTwin Connect to read/write the PLC tags.

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Right-click on the project in TIA Portal and select Properties. In the Protection tab, enable the option to support simulation during block compilation.

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Download the configuration to the PLC. Select the Siemens PLCSIM Virtual Ethernet Adapter as the PG/PC interface and search for the simulated PLC. Select the simulated PLC from the list and click Load.

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Select to start the modules after downloading has finished, and click Finish.

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The simulated PLC should now display as running (green indicator) in PLCSIM Advanced.

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You should be able to ping the simulated PLC.

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In ProtoTwin Connect, add a Tag Server, select the Siemens S7 protocol and enter the IP address for the simulated PLC.

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Finally, you can add the tags and bindings as usual.

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2

when i put the same adress in PLCSIM than the virtual adapter, it is instantly in error mode. Is there something i missed ? i also cant change the IPV4 adress of the virtual adapter, i can only look at it

3

Hi Leo,

You need to ensure that the IP address of the PLC in TIA Portal matches the IP addresses in both PLCSIM Advanced and the Siemens PLCSIM Virtual Ethernet Adapter.

To change the IP address of the Virtual Ethernet Adapter, you just need to ensure that you select “Use the following IP address”, rather than “Obtain an IP address automatically”. That should allow you to change the IP address.

Without changing the IP address of the Virtual Ethernet Adapter to match the IP address configured on the PLC in TIA Portal, you won’t be able to connect. Windows will probably assign a private address in the range 169.254.X.X, and you won’t be able to connect to that.

4

thanks for the fast reply. i figured it out by myself, i just didn’t click on the right thing… Awesome software btw, how much more time do you think it will stay free ?

5

That’s great to hear!

We’re planning on releasing V1.1 in the next few days. After this, we’re going to give a 2-week notice period before the free period ends. We’ll still be completely free for education, and there will be a 14-day free trial available along with a much cheaper individual license for hobbyists and freelancers.