As directly mountable or firmly attachable DIN rail device, the adaptors netLINK-MPI and netTAP-MPI replace expensive CP communication processors. The adaptors allow the programming, the visualization and the control of S7-200^®, S7-300^® or S7-400^® PLCs via Ethernet.

The provided driver integrates into all well-known SIMATIC S7^® engineering tools like STEP7^® or TIA portal as a PG/PC programming interface. The device is set up with the engineering tool or conventional web browsers via the integrated web configuration pages.

The adaptors are suitable to program or change S7-PLC control programs and may serve to engineer HMI devices with the visualization software WinCC. By supporting the ”ISO on TCP“ RFC1006 Ethernet protocol, any third party or SIMATIC^® visualization station can be coupled to the PLC. Once integrated into the office or plant network and connected to the internet, remote maintenance and logging over a router are also possible since plain TCP/IP protocol access mechanisms are used.

Organized in a network, direct communication between two or several PLCs via Ethernet can be realized. Even a coupling of PLCs without Ethernet port is possible using two adapters in conjunction. Fully integrated PROFIBUS diagnostics and Master Class 2 DPV1 services allow the unrestricted DP Slave device configuration and parameterization in STEP7^®.

Power is supplied by a 24 V DC connector. If supported by the S7 PLC, the netLINK-MPI adaptor may be powered via the D-Sub9 connector and its extra feed-through D-Sub9 connector allows the connection of further devices to the same MPI/DP network.