PLC Remote Connection

Hi folks,

Just wondering if anyone can advise me on a remote connection from my laptop to local PLC network in the plant. There is currently an outside contractor that can connect to them via a VPN that is set up. I am looking to connect similarly but will not be using the VPN as I am in the plant and already connected to the plants WIFI network and hence don't have to worry about any firewall concerns. I could just plug into the ethernet switch that all the PLC's feed into but I want to be able to accomplish this wirelessly. Can anyone offer some input on how this could be accomplished? Your help is greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
J

Jeremy Pollard

If you have a work station in the plant already I would suggest evaluating MobiKEY from Route1 .... easy peasey ... and totally secure ... like secure... have used it and fully endorse it.

Cheers from: Jeremy Pollard, CET The Caring Canuckian!
Crisis, necessity, change

Integrator, Educator, Consulting, Columnist - Control Design
 
Is your PLC Switch on the same network as your wifi AP? Your IT department might segment or segregate this traffic. They could open a route between the two to allow your machine to connect to the wifi and the route to 'see' the PLC network.

If the PLC Switch is a network island that connection might need to be made physically, running a cable, before they could make such a route available. Typically there is a FW that will prevent controls traffic from hitting the enterprise network and keeping enterprise services and internet from the manufacturing network.

-Mike
 
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