I require remote access to my projects that are away from home.
I did some homework and decided that Weintek looked to have a good solution.
Set up my first Weintek touch screen yesterday.
I set up a domain on Weincloud - free. A secure VPN connection.
I had purchased a remote access card when I purchased the screen - about $90 AUD.
I set up the screen with appropriate IP addresses - modem was connected complete with an inexpensive data only SIM card - entered modem IP address as appropriate - rebooted the touch screen and clicked add screen on the cloud interface.
I added the hardware number of the screen and the serial number on the access card and viola - I was connected to the screen via EasyAccess software and Weintek CMT viewer. Operating switches and the like. The hardware number and access card number are locked together.
My PLC was connected to the second Ethernet port on the touch screen and my laptop was connected to the PLC as well through a switch and I was online to the PLC.
I clicked on 'pass through' on the cloud connection - added the IP address of the PLC - the software noted that there already was a connection to the PLC (my laptop) - said it would be disconnected - clicked OK - my laptop Ethernet connectiion was disconnected and was then connected through the modem/cloud connection - absolutely seamless.
I think back to how I used to have to connect with expensive Extranet cards - having to use a DNS server to find out the public IP address or have an expensive VPN account and program the modem mystery bag - do routing tables in the PLC software - painfull.
Very impressed and the screens are not expensive - graphics pretty good as well - a heap of drivers for just about any PLC brand.
I did not have to do any programming in the modem either - its default IP address was out of the way of everything so no need. In this case I used a Teleorigin modem but guess that probably any brand would do. Many have a default IP address of 192.168.1.1 which is inconvenient as that is the default address of most routers as well so the IP address would need to be changed before connecting to anything.
Now on to discovering about the email feature from the screen through Weincloud using a SMTP mail server.
Then on to push messages to mobiles with EasyAccess running on them.
My customer will also have access to the screen from mobile phones and computers using the EasyAccess app - everyone is happy.
Next one will be setup next week - will have to put together a detailed instruction sheet for my colleagues.
Red Lion have a solution of course but it is so expensive and does not appear to have all the features Weintek does have.
Recommended.
Apparently they have a special solution for CODESYS and Seimens PLCs as well - no experience there as I do not use either of them - currently doing this with Omron PLCs.
It is necessary to add a DNS server apparently - just used the Google default DNS 8.8.8.8 - easy.
I did some homework and decided that Weintek looked to have a good solution.
Set up my first Weintek touch screen yesterday.
I set up a domain on Weincloud - free. A secure VPN connection.
I had purchased a remote access card when I purchased the screen - about $90 AUD.
I set up the screen with appropriate IP addresses - modem was connected complete with an inexpensive data only SIM card - entered modem IP address as appropriate - rebooted the touch screen and clicked add screen on the cloud interface.
I added the hardware number of the screen and the serial number on the access card and viola - I was connected to the screen via EasyAccess software and Weintek CMT viewer. Operating switches and the like. The hardware number and access card number are locked together.
My PLC was connected to the second Ethernet port on the touch screen and my laptop was connected to the PLC as well through a switch and I was online to the PLC.
I clicked on 'pass through' on the cloud connection - added the IP address of the PLC - the software noted that there already was a connection to the PLC (my laptop) - said it would be disconnected - clicked OK - my laptop Ethernet connectiion was disconnected and was then connected through the modem/cloud connection - absolutely seamless.
I think back to how I used to have to connect with expensive Extranet cards - having to use a DNS server to find out the public IP address or have an expensive VPN account and program the modem mystery bag - do routing tables in the PLC software - painfull.
Very impressed and the screens are not expensive - graphics pretty good as well - a heap of drivers for just about any PLC brand.
I did not have to do any programming in the modem either - its default IP address was out of the way of everything so no need. In this case I used a Teleorigin modem but guess that probably any brand would do. Many have a default IP address of 192.168.1.1 which is inconvenient as that is the default address of most routers as well so the IP address would need to be changed before connecting to anything.
Now on to discovering about the email feature from the screen through Weincloud using a SMTP mail server.
Then on to push messages to mobiles with EasyAccess running on them.
My customer will also have access to the screen from mobile phones and computers using the EasyAccess app - everyone is happy.
Next one will be setup next week - will have to put together a detailed instruction sheet for my colleagues.
Red Lion have a solution of course but it is so expensive and does not appear to have all the features Weintek does have.
Recommended.
Apparently they have a special solution for CODESYS and Seimens PLCs as well - no experience there as I do not use either of them - currently doing this with Omron PLCs.
It is necessary to add a DNS server apparently - just used the Google default DNS 8.8.8.8 - easy.
Last edited:
