VPN connection to PLC's?

[MagicSmoke 2]

Just wondering if anyone has done this?? If so what is needed as far as software licences go. Looking for the most reliable connection. I have the full support of my IT dept.

[PLCinME 1]

I connect to our plant PLCs from home by connecting to my work desktop using our compnay VPN connection, and a VNC link to my own workstation. It works well, and I have access to all the software on my computer at work, as well as our entire plant network. It saves me a lot of time, I commute an hour, so if I can troubleshoot over the phone by viewing the ladder logic I can sometimes talk the shift maintenance personnel through the problem over the phone and save myself a trip in to the plant.

[MagicSmoke 2]

This is the same set up I am looking to complete. I've got the same commute. Do you need to install RSlogix on both computers?

[PLCinME 1]

No you do not have to install the software on the second computer, any software on your workstation will be available once you are connected. It is a great tool, and has saved me a ton of time, and my company a lot of downtime waiting for me to get there in the middle of the night to get something going. Just be sure you have good high speed internet access. Good Luck!

[MagicSmoke 2]

Thanks for the info.

[scootabug 0]

If you're looking for an extremely easy VPN connection (with encryption and all that guff), without needing to open your firewall or adjust any other security settings (except maybe your local PC firewall if you're unlucky), get into Google and download Hamachi. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamachi You simply install this software on both the server PC (your system at work) and on your client PC (system at home), configure yourself with an account at Hamachi, and you can then do direct IP-IP connection between these two PCs. This will be perfect if you want to RDP or VNC to your work PC. Using their free product though won't give you full routing to your work network, hence the need for RDP or VNC. You could set up some port-forwarding on your server PC though if you needed to pull a swifty for something specific. However, you've got an IT department behind you, so maybe all the hard work has already been done for you!

[paulengr 44]

I've tried it both ways. I have RS-Logix on a laptop and tried running it from home and at the parents house during Christmas. It works, but if you get even a momentary "glitch" in the connection, Logix will screw up and you will lose your changes. The second way is that I installed it on a machine I control at work (a server) and just use Dameware MRC, which is similar to RDP or VNC except that it doesn't act as screwy as RDP and gives you the display quality of RDP (VNC's displays are often sub-par). IT also uses Dameware extensively for server management and user help.

[Nathan 7]

Dameware is a great tool. Be warned that many anti-virus detection tools flag it as malware since it's equally useful for a would be attacker. VNC used to be the bomb, but as Paul suggested RDP is now a better product.

[scootabug 0]

I tend to agree...RDP outperforms VNC tenfold and I would take an RDP session over VNC anyday. VNC is a nice dirty way of getting console access (and it doesn't affect anything else relating to the session like RDP to an XP/Vista machine) and best of all can be used on Win2K Pro boxes as well, where RDP does not exist by default. It really depends on your unique circumstances. Dameware sounds good, though I've never used it, will have to keep it in mind.

[Nathan 7]

The "console" session is something that you want to be aware of. It's basically the instance that the monitor/keyboard/mouse normally connects to. Sometimes it's nice to connect to a session that nobody's on (like using RDP on Server 2003) and other times you may want to boot someone off the "console" session (VNC does this, as does running RDP with the following command "mstsc /console").

[semilogical 0]

I'm currently using a VPN with a customer and then connecting to their desktop via PCAnywhere. It's slow but still better than jumping on a plane and flying to the site. I also use the old phone modem with a plant in New Jersey. One plant I have ready access to whenever I want to be on or if they need me. I am allowed to use the system as a training defvice for my new programmers. After reading this I'm going to have to check out the other ways to connect and judge if they are better/faster, etc.

[finfin 0]

Why are you not connecting directly to the PLC? Edited 16 Apr 2008 by finfin

[MagicSmoke 2]

Supporting production and troubleshooting from home.

[Marek32 0]

I did it twice or three times, it works ok, but it is extremely slowly. All that you need is Rslinx Proffesional and of course your IT permission. Good luck

[horthek 0]

I use gotomypc to log into a pc that is connected to all of our remote PLC's. It works absolutely wonderful, no lag at all. It's just like being there. Of course there is a subscription charge but it is well worth it when it saves you a 600 mile trip to a plant.

[Nathan 7]

I like using gotomypc, but your IT department will probably be less than excited about using it for security purposes.

[finfin 0]

Our customers usually don't have the right software and don't have a PC connected to the system. We connect directly to the PLC(s) and trend/tend the units from home.

[Nathan 7]

If you're using a Windows VPN the client is built in - it's a lot like setting up the old "Dial Up Connections". You don't need a PC connected to the system - your client PC connects to the network directly. For some hardware VPNs you need to install a small utility like the Cisco VPN client, which isn't a big deal. Edited 30 Apr 2008 by Nathan

[kaiser_will 65]

All of the excellent strategies put forth so far involve a PC with the Allen-Bradley programming and communication software running at a remote site (and plugged into that site's PLC network) with user remotely connecting into the network through a hosting software package. What if the remote site has its PLC network hanging off of their network and I want to remotely connect up to a PLC and monitor it's program? I have such a scenario and have found I cannot successfully ping the Allen-Bradley CompactLogix 1769-L32E CPU or the PanelView 1000 Plus (but I can ping some of the other Ethernet-enabled devices). I am tending to think this is possible if I setup the Gateway IP address in the PLC (I/O Configuration, Port Configuration tab).