Configuring Hardware and Communication Connections STEP 7.pdf

12.12.4 Configuring Connections for a SIMATIC PC Station
Configuring Connections
You can configure connections for SIMATIC PC stations. Depending on which
interfaces are available on your PC (communication processors, CPs), you can
configure the corresponding connection types.
If you want to create or modify connection types other than S7 connections (such
as fault-tolerant S7 connections), you must make sure you have installed the
corresponding optional package.
Requirements
You have configured a SIMATIC PC station with all the communication end points
(applications, OPC servers, software PLCs or slot CPUs) and PC communication
cards. You have also configured all the stations that are supposed to be the
communication end points of the connections.
To configure connections, you must note the following, depending on the
components that you are using:
• WinLC (V3.0): This version does not support any configured connections.
• Slot PLCs (CPU 41x-2 PCI): You can configure connections for these CPUs
only by means of exactly one of the configured CPs.
• Applications and OPC servers: Please see the documentation for the
applications or programming interfaces that you are using.
How to Configure a Connection
1. Select the communication end point in the SIMATIC PC station in the network
view, so that the connection table is visible.
2. Double-click an empty row in the connection table or highlight a row and select
the menu command Insert > Connection.
3. Select the required connection partner in the "New Connection" dialog box.
You can find help on selecting the connection partner in the online help for this
dialog box.
4. Define the type of connection.
Special property of the connection: In contrast to S7 stations, STEP 7 assigns
a name instead of a numerical value for the local ID (connection ID). You can
change this name in the object properties of the connection.
New connections are always two-way connections; that is, STEP 7
automatically enters a connection to the local station in the connection table of
the partner.
5. Select the menu command Network > Save and Compile.
On compilation, a configuration file ("XDB file") is generated for the PC station.
This contains the name of the PC station, the connection descriptions, and the
assigned parameters and subnet information for the PC communication cards.
You enter the path for the configuration file in the "Configuration" tab (object
properties of the SIMATIC PC Station).
6. If the PC stations are configured with the Station Configuration Editor, you can
load the PC station (see Downloading a PC Station).
Otherwise, continue with step 7.
Configuring Hardware and Communication Connections with STEP 7
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