1. Introduction
This manual describes how to connect controllers to the driver, and how they communicate via WAGO addressing. The driver works as master. Addressing an item is made in the WAGO way. For information about the controller, refer to the manual for the current system.
2. Release Notes
| Version | Release | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5.11 | July 2025 | Added support for new HMI platform. |
| 5.10 | June 2017 | Added support for new HMI platform. |
| 5.09 | June 2016 | Added support for new HMI platform. Corrected issue when using index. |
| 5.08 | November 2015 | The range of MX is increased from 0..1274 to 0..3327. Corrected reconnect problem. |
| 5.07 | May 2012 | Corrected performance issue when reading many IX or QX devices at the same time. |
| 5.06 | April 2011 | Added unicode string support for certain HMI models. |
| 5.05 | September 2010 | Support for new HMI models. |
| 5.04 | April 2010 | Corrected startup problem when using certain HMI models. |
| 5.03 | October 2009 | Fixed reading of MX-devices. Changed analog input/output modules setting to analog input/output words. |
| 5.02 | August 2009 | Fixed string swap for analog devices. Added column for analog input/output modules in the stations property to get the same addressing in the HMI as in the controller configuration program. |
| 5.01 | October 2008 | Added controller clock support. Changed default port number. Added support for new HMI models. Added support for single coil actions through the new devices SQX, SMX and SIX. Added devices W and B for standard Modbus communication. |
| 5.00 | January 2007 | Initial version. |
3. Disclaimer
Please note that changes in the controller protocol or hardware, which may interfere with the functionality of this driver, may have occurred since this documentation was created. Therefore, always test and verify the functionality of the application. To accommodate developments in the controller protocol and hardware, drivers are continuously updated. Accordingly, always ensure that the latest driver is used in the application.
4. Limitations
WAGO addressing is used in this driver. This means that if you have an old project that uses another kind of addressing, the addresses must be converted.
5. Connecting to the Controller
5.1. Ethernet
5.1.1. Ethernet Connection
Connection in a network is made according to Ethernet standards. To extend the network a switch may be used.
A network diagram illustrates a connection where a central device (labeled TCP/UDP) is connected to multiple other devices, representing controllers. A dashed line indicates the possibility of extending the network using a switch.
When connecting to the controller, all included symbols are uploaded. Depending on the number of symbols, there could be a delay before the values are shown in the HMI.
For further information about settings in the controller, cable specifications and information about connecting the controller to the HMI, refer to the manual for the current controller.
6. Settings
6.1. General
| Parameter | Default value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Default station | 0 | The station address of the default controller. |
| Clock register (MW) | 0 | Register address in the controller where clock data is stored. |
6.2. Advanced
| Parameter | Default value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable unicode | False | Enables read/write of unicode characters to the controller. Note that each character in a unicoded string will use two bytes of the memory in the controller. |
| Byte order | Intel | Sets the byte order of the unicode character. |
| Timeout | 400 | The number of milliseconds of silence on the port before the next retry is sent. |
| Retries | 3 | Number of retries before a communication error is detected. |
| Offline station retry time | 10 | How long to wait after a communication error before trying to restore communication. |
| Hide comm error | False | Hides the error message that is displayed on communication problem. |
| Command line options | Special commands that can be passed to the driver. Available commands are described in the chapter Commands below. |
Certain functions use the HMI as a gateway for passing on communication. These functions, including Transparent mode, Routing, Passthrough mode, Modem, and Tunneling, might need a higher timeout value.
6.2.1. Commands
No commands are available for this driver.
6.3. Station
| Parameter | Default value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Station | 0 | The reference number used in the devices. Maximum number of stations that can be configured: 20 Value range: [0-255] |
| IP address | 192.168.1.1 | The IP address of the connected station. |
| Port | 502 | The port number of the connected station. Value range: [0-65535] |
| Analog input | 0 | The number of analog input words used in the connected station. Value range: [0-65535] |
| Analog output | 0 | The number of analog output words used in the connected station. Value range: [0-65535] |
Set the number of analog words in each station to match the addressing in the controller. The controller sorts the addresses starting with the analog modules followed by the digital modules. To get the same addressing in the HMI as in the controller software, the number of analog words must be configured for each station. For example: Set the analog output to 2 will make the digital devices to start at QX2.0 and the analog devices will be QW0-QW1.
Trying to read/write an address below the limit of the digital device area may cause unwanted behavior.
7. Addressing
The driver can handle the following data types in the controller.
7.1. Digital Signals
| Name | Address | Read / write | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Outputs | QX0.0 - QX31.15 * | Read / write | Digital |
| Physical Inputs | IX0.0 - IX31.15 * | Read only | Digital |
| Volatile PLC output variables | QX256.0 - QX511.15 | Read only | Digital |
| Volatile PLC input variables | IX256.0 - IX511.15 | Read / write | Digital |
| Remanent memory | MX0.0 - MX3327.15 | Read / write | Digital |
* Start and end address depend on the number of analog words configured for the controller.
The Remanent memory digital devices work with the read before write method. This means that when a bit is modified, the whole word is read, the interesting bit is modified in the word, and the whole word is written back to the controller. This leaves a potential risk that any changes done to the 16 bits by the controller itself during this procedure may be lost.
Using the prefix S to the digital devices will use the function single coil write instead. This ensures that no other bits are affected when the write takes place. The drawback is that only one bit can be written at the time and may thus cause a performance hit when modifying several bits within the same word. Example: writing to the MX12.3 bit will write all the bits MX12.0 to MX12.15, but writing to SMX12.3 will only write to the MX12.3 bit.
7.2. Analog Signals
| Name | Address | Read / write | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Outputs | QW0 - QW255 | Read / write | Analog 16-bit |
| Physical Inputs | IW0 - IW255 | Read only | Analog 16-bit |
| Volatile PLC output variables | QW256 - QW511 | Read only | Analog 16-bit |
| Volatile PLC input variables | IW256 - IW511 | Read / write | Analog 16-bit |
| Remanent memory | MW0 - MW4095 | Read / write | Analog 16-bit |
7.3. Special Addressing
| Name | Address | Read / write | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coils | B | Read / write | Digital |
| Holding registers | W | Read / write | Analog |
The special addresses B and W can be used if the Wago-controller is programmed to use standard Modbus communication (Intel data format). The B-register is mapped to Modbus coil addresses (00000-) where B0 = 00000, B1 = 00001 etc. and the W-register is mapped to the holding registers (40000-) where W0 = 40000, W1 = 40001 etc. Note that only Modbus slave station 0 can be used.
7.4. Station Addressing
For communication with stations other than the default station, the station number is given as a prefix to the device.
Example: 05:QX3.6 addresses Physical Output QX3.6 in station 5. 03:IX23.8 addresses Physical Input IX23.8 in station 3. QW262 addresses PFC OUT variable QW262 in default station.
7.4.1. Broadcast Station
Station number 0 is reserved for broadcast, which means that writing to address 0 will affect all slaves at the same time. Since it is only possible to write to station 0, objects referring to station 0 will be empty until a value is entered.
7.5. Performance
The following table shows the maximum number of signals per message for each address and type of operation. For information how to optimize the project for best performance please see chapter Efficient communication.
| Addresses | Read | Write | Waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| MW/IW/QW/W | 125 | 100 | 20 |
| B/MX/SMX/IX/QX | 125 | 1 | 20 |
8. Routing
The driver does not support any routing mode.
9. Import Module
The driver does not support any import module.
10. Efficient Communication
10.1. Packing of Signals
When tags are transferred between the driver and the controller, all tags are not transferred simultaneously. Instead, they are divided into messages with several tags in each message. By decreasing the number of messages that have to be transferred, the communication speed can improve. The number of tags in each message depends on the used driver.
ASCII Strings and arrays are packed into one message for each object.
Having different poll groups will affect how requests are generated.
10.2. Waste
To make the message as efficient as possible, the waste between two tag addresses must be considered. The waste is the maximum distance between two tag addresses that you can have and keep them in the same message. The waste limit depends on the used driver.
Waste is only valid for number-based addressing, not for Name-based addressing.
Waste can only be calculated between two similar datatype tags, not between different datatypes tags.
Scenario 1
When integer tags with address 4, 17, 45, 52 are used with waste limit of 20, this will end up creating two messages. First message with address 4 and 17 (tag address difference is 13 <= 20). Second message with address 45 and 52 (tag address difference is 7 <= 20). Reason: Difference between 17 and 45 is more than the waste limit of 20, hence creating 2nd message.
Scenario 2
When integer tags with address 4, 17, 37, 52 are used with waste limit of 20, this will end up creating one message. Reason: Difference between the consecutive tags is less than or equal to the waste limit of 20, hence creating one message.
Conclusion: Scenario 2 is more efficient than scenario 1.
11. Troubleshooting
11.1. Error Messages
The meaning of error messages from the controller shown by the driver.
| Error message | Description |
|---|---|
| Bad Reply | The driver received an unexpected response. Verify that the devices exist and that their addresses are within a valid range for the connected controller. |
| Comm Err | Communication fails. Check communication settings, cable and station number. |
| Illegal station | The driver is trying to access a device in an Ethernet station that is not defined in the Stations configuration. |
