I have successfully set up a project using TIA Portal WinCC Runtime Advanced on a PC station and activated its SmartServer for smart clients to connect. TIA is installed on the same computer, where the Runtime Advanced server also operates. However, I am confused about the IP address configuration for the PC station in the project. Should it match the IP address of my computer's network adapter? Interestingly, upon testing different IP addresses in TIA Portal for the WinCC Advanced PC station, I found that smart clients could still connect using my computer's IP address. However, when they tried to connect using the PC station's configured IP address in TIA, they were unable to establish a connection. This observation leads me to question the relevance of the IP address set for the PC station in TIA. Does it truly play a significant role, or am I missing something? To clarify, the IP address of the WinCC Advanced PC station set in TIA is 192.168.10.10, while my computer's network adapter uses the IP address 192.168.10.5. Interestingly, smart clients connect using my computer's IP address (192.168.10.5) instead of the one configured in TIA. This situation prompts me to ponder the purpose of configuring the IP address in TIA for the PC station. While I understand its significance for an HMI panel, I am uncertain of its relevance when dealing with a PC station running on the same computer. How does this configuration impact the connection process for smart clients?
It is not necessary for the IP address on the PC running WinCC Runtime to be identical to the one configured in the TIA project. However, the runtime PC must have an IP address that allows it to communicate with the PLC. If the IP address does not match the project settings, you have the option to manually specify the IP address when transferring the runtime to the PC. This ensures seamless communication between the devices.
In TIA Portal, when you set up a PC station, the detailed IP configuration at the project level doesn't necessarily need to match the actual IP of the PC station. Instead, it acts more like a placeholder or a mark to identify your PC station. For smart clients to connect, they need to connect to the actual IP address of your computer where the WinCC runs, thus explaining why smart clients can't connect using the PC station's configured IP. What's critical here is the proper active SmartServer on your PC station and the right configuration of your smart clients. However, it's always a good practice to keep the IP address consistent with the actual one to avoid any confusion.
Your observation is quite insightful. The IP address you enter in TIA Portal for the PC station doesn't necessarily dictate the IP address that your smart clients must use to connect. This is because the PC station in TIA is effectively serving as your WinCC Advanced server, and that server is operating on your actual physical computer, which has its own network IP address. The smart clients, in your particular setup, need to connect to the server via this network IP address, which is why they're using the IP (192.168.10.5) of your computer's network adapter. The IP address you enter for the PC station in TIA somewhat serves as more of a logical or virtual address within the environment of your TIA project. So, while it might seem a bit confusing in your case, it certainly has its use cases, especially in complex or larger scale networked environments.
In my experience, when you're working with the TIA Portal, the IP address set up in the project for a PC station doesn't necessarily speak to how smart clients connect. Instead, it is more about defining the communication for the automation devices (HMI's, PLC's and others) listed in the project. When smart clients connect to a server, they are actually connecting to the IP address assigned to your computer's network adapter. So, in your case, while the IP address for the PC station is 192.168.10.10 in your TIA project, the smart clients connect via the PC's network adapter IP address, which is 192.168.10.5. It could be argued the IP in TIA for a PC station is somewhat a placeholder or an identifier and doesn't have a real impact with regard to connection with smart clients.
It sounds like you're navigating some typical confusion with IP addresses in TIA Portal! The key thing to remember is that the IP address you configure for the PC station in TIA is meant to identify the server within the network, whether it's on a separate machine or the same one. It seems like in your case, since the smart clients are able to connect via your computer's own IP address, it suggests that the clients are referencing your machine directly rather than the TIA-defined PC station address. This happens usually because the runtime service is listening on the computer's IP, and this can sometimes cause confusion about the relevance of the configured PC station address. For clients to connect using the configured IP, ensure that the WinCC Runtime service settings reflect your intended IP and that any firewall settings or network configurations are allowing traffic. It can definitely be tricky when everything is on the same machine!
That's an interesting scenario you're facing! The IP address configured in TIA for the WinCC Advanced PC station primarily serves as a logical identifier for clients communicating with your server. When you're running everything on the same machine, it's common for the smart clients to connect using the computer's actual IP address, which is likely why you're seeing successful connections that way. However, the configured IP could be more critical in setups where multiple network interfaces or external clients might be involved. If clients are trying to connect using the configured address (192.168.10.10) and failing, it might be due to routing issues or the PC not correctly binding to that address. It might be worth checking the network settings or ensuring the TIA configuration is properly implemented for it to function as expected.
It sounds like you're diving deep into the networking aspects of TIA Portal! In your scenario, the configured IP address for the WinCC Advanced PC station in TIA doesn't seem to be serving its intended purpose since you’re hosting everything on the same machine. When smart clients connect via your computer's IP address, they're basically reaching the WinCC Runtime process directly on your system, which is why they work. The IP address in TIA is more crucial for external devices or HMIs that need to point specifically to the application rather than using the host computer's IP. Since both are on the same network, as long as your clients identify the correct machine (your PC in this case), the specific address you set in TIA can be somewhat redundant. You might consider keeping it configured for clarity and future-proofing, especially if you plan to separate the server and client roles later!
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Answer: Answer: While it is a common practice to align the IP addresses, based on the scenario described, it may not be necessary for the PC station to match the network adapter's IP address for smart clients to connect successfully.
Answer: Answer: The ability for smart clients to connect using the computer's IP address instead of the PC station's configured IP address raises questions about the significance of the IP address set for the PC station in TIA Portal and its impact on the connection process.
Answer: Answer: Understanding the relevance of configuring the IP address for the PC station in TIA Portal, especially when it operates on the same computer as the TIA installation, is crucial to optimizing the connection process for smart clients and ensuring seamless communication within the system.
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