For Live data, Historical data logging, Datalogging to MQTT broker, and Alarms & Notifications you'll need to set up a data source and add variables. This article shows you how to do this for communication via Modbus TCP. The IXrouter will function as the Modbus Master and the machine will be the Modbus Slave.

Manufacturers that support Modbus TCP: Beckhoff, Fanuc, Omron, Siemens LOGO! and more.

For help and solutions with issues, see Modbus TCP data source issues and solutions.

• Prepare the machine
• Add a data source
• Add variables
• Live data, Historical data logging, Alarms & Notifications

• Remove a data source

Prepare the machine

Some machines need to be prepared to enable communication.

Add a data source

The machine will need to be added as a Modbus TCP data source.

1. Go to Fleet Manager > Devices and click on your device name.
2. In the left menu, go to Data sources.
   • Tip: You can switch between the Card view , with useful data source information at a glance, and the List view . For more information, see Data sources overview FAQ.
3. Click onAdd data source and select Modbus TCP.
4. Enter the requested information (details below) and click on Add.

   Field	Description
   Name	Enter a name for the data source.
   Identifier	The identifier is entered automatically and ensures that every data source remains unique, even if they share the same name.
   IP address	Enter the IP address of your machine. Leave empty for localhost, if you're using an IXagent, or if you're adding this data source for a Docker container on a SecureEdge Pro.
   Port	The port number will be entered automatically (port 502 for Modbus). Using a Siemens LOGO! and is 502 not working? Try port 510 instead.
   Slave & Byte order	Enter the Modbus server's slave ID and byte order. The byte order determines how the bytes in a register are translated to a numerical value.
   Read mode	Supported hardware SecureEdge and SecureEdge Pro, firmware 5.0 and up (upgrade) IXrouter3, firmware 3.22 and up (upgrade) IXrouter2 (unsupported) The read mode determines how data is requested from the machine. Optimized Variables with adjacent addresses are grouped together in data requests. Only variables configured in the IXON Cloud are requested from the machine and then logged to the IXON Cloud. Optimized - Gapped (default) Variables are grouped together in data requests as much as possible for efficient communication. This means that intermediate addresses are included as well. This mode may result in errors if intermediate variables do not actually exist in the machine (please use "Optimized" instead if this is the case). Variables configured in the IXON Cloud, as well as intermediate addresses, are requested from the machine, but only the configured variables are logged to the IXON Cloud.
   Polling sleep time	The edge gateway will continuously request data from the machine. This then enables you to log aggregated values, like the average value or the maximum value that occurred, and to trigger alarms when certain conditions are met. The polling sleep time is the time that the edge gateway waits before asking data again, after it just received data from the machine. A polling sleep time of 100ms is recommended to minimize CPU load on the edge gateway and machine. In the rare case that you are experiencing a high CPU load on the machine, you can increase this setting to reduce the load. Make sure it's shorter than your shortest logging interval to prevent missing data.
   Error grace period	Supported hardware SecureEdge and SecureEdge Pro, firmware 5.0 and up (upgrade) IXrouter3, firmware 3.25 and up (upgrade) IXrouter2 (unsupported) In rare situations, mainly during the startup period of a PLC, the PLC might already accept communication attempts from the edge gateway, but it may not be fully ready yet. It might then return errors or 0-values instead of the actual values. This may result in no data (missing data) or incorrect data being read. The error grace period can be configured to bridge this moment and only start polling variables after the configured time, granting the PLC sufficient time to fully start up and maintaining the reliability of the machine data. An error grace period of 0 seconds (Off) is recommended. In the rare case that you are experiencing no data (missing data) or incorrect data during startup you can increase this setting to bridge that period.
   Use custom broker	Leave this unchecked unless you are following instructions for Datalogging to MQTT broker.

Add variables

Once you've added a data source, you can start adding variables.

5. The Variables tab of your data source should have automatically opened.
   • If it didn't: Go to Fleet Manager > Devices, click on your device name, go to Data sources, click on your data source, and go to the Variables tab.
6. Click onAdd variable.
7. Enter the requested information (details below) and click on Add.

   Field	Description
   Name	Enter a name for the variable.
   Identifier	The identifier is entered automatically and ensures that every variable remains unique, even if they share the same name.
   Type	Select the variable's data type (bool, int, float, etc).
   Function Code	Enter the variable's function code (details below).
   Address	Enter the variable's address. If the variable consists of two Modbus registers, enter the address of the first Modbus register. General Base address Modbus addresses in your machine start at 0 or at 1. This differs per Modbus server (depends on the offset conversion) and is called the base address. The base address in the IXON Cloud is 0. If the base address in your Modbus server is 1, you need to subtract 1 from the address when you enter it in the IXON Cloud. For example, if your base address is 1 and the variable's address is 65, you enter 64 as address in the IXON Cloud. Address notation A Modbus address can have a number or function code notation. The IXON Cloud uses the function code notation. Use the table with examples below to translate from one notation to the other. "Number" notation "Function code" notation Number Function code Address 000010 1 - Coil 10 100010 2 - Discrete input 10 400010 3 - Holding register 10 300010 4 - Input register 10 Siemens LOGO! Open LOGO!Soft Comfort. Go to Tools > Ethernet Connections > Modbus address space to view the address mapping for your PLC. Below is an example from LOGO!Soft Comfort V8.3. Lookup the address type and number in the table that you wish to log (e.g. AM3) and find its mapped Modbus address (e.g. Holding register 531). In the IXON Cloud, at address, you enter the address - 1. So, if in the above table the address is "Holding register 531", you enter "Holding register 530". This is because the base address in IXON Cloud is 0, while the base address in a Siemens LOGO! is 1.
   Bit	Supported hardware SecureEdge and SecureEdge Pro, firmware 5.2 and up (upgrade) IXrouter3, firmware 3.26 and up (upgrade) Read a specific bit (0-15) of the Modbus register. If left empty, the first bit will be read. Only available with data type Boolean and Register function codes.
   Factor	Multiplies the value. Leave empty if the data type is boolean. For information on where this factor is and isn't used, see How to use factors in Live Data and Historical data.
   Unit	Displayed behind the value (e.g. kg).

8. Repeat the previous steps for every variable you want to add or click Import from CSV-file near the top right corner to add variables in bulk instead.
   • The structure of the CSV file is explained here: Import variables: CSV file structure.
   • Using Export to CSV-file and Import from CSV-file enables you to easily copy variables from one device to another device. Alternatively, you can also use device templates.

You have now made the changes in the IXON Cloud, but these are not yet active in your device. You will need to push your changes to your device for them to take effect.

9. Click on Push device config in the top right corner.

Live data, Historical data logging, Alarms & Notifications

Now that the data source and variables have been set up, you can continue below.

10. Click below to continue in the feature specific articles.
    • Live data
    • Historical data logging
    • Datalogging to MQTT broker
    • Alarms & Notifications

Remove a data source

Deleting a data source is permanent and cannot be undone. All logged data that is linked to this data source or its variables will also be permanently removed.

1. Go to Fleet Manager > Devices and click on your device name.
2. In the left menu, go to Data sources.
3. Click on the data source you wish to remove.
4. In the top right, open More optionsand select Remove data source.