Find PROFINET devices and assign IP settings over VPN

16 Jul 2026
Knowledge

Description

Supported hardware

SecureEdge and SecureEdge Pro, firmware 5.7 and up (upgrade)
IXrouter3, firmware 3.4 and up (upgrade)
IXrouter2, firmware 2.9 and up (upgrade)

Do you have a Siemens device that does not have valid IP settings, but you do need to remotely access it? Or do you simply want to use PROFINET to find your device? This article explains how you can remotely access it and assign IP settings using TIA Portal and PRONETA.

Only devices connected to the edge gateway's default LAN network (or bridged LAN Wi-Fi hotspot) can be found in this manner. Devices connected to a Multiple LAN network cannot.

Are you instead looking to go online with or download your project to your Siemens device? Take a look here: Connect to your Siemens.

Set up a VPN connection to your IXrouter.
Use either TIA Portal or PRONETA to find your device and assign IP settings. For detailed steps, click below.

TIA Portal

Open TIA Portal.
Make sure that a static IP address is configured in your Device configuration, accessible from the Project tree, before continuing.
Right-click your device in the Project tree and select Download to device > Hardware configuration.
At PG/PC interface, select the TAP-Windows Adapter and then click Start search to search for your device.
- If no devices are found, this can have several causes:
  - TIA Portal may not send its PROFINET discovery packet (PN-DCP) over the VPN connection. Try restarting TIA Portal and if that doesn't resolve the issue, restart your computer entirely. Do not skip this step, as it has proven to resolve the issue in many situations.
  - If your PLC is connected to a Siemens switch, that may unintentionally prevent your devices from being found. Try connecting the PLC directly to the edge gateway or replace the switch with that of a different manufacturer.
  - If you have another IXON edge gateway's on-site that you have connected with their LAN to each other, that may unintentionally prevent your devices from being found. Disconnected the LAN of one of the edge gateways.
  - Your device may not be in the edge gateway's default LAN network. Only devices connected to the default LAN network can be found in this manner. Devices connected to a Multiple LAN network cannot.
Select your device and click Load to download your IP settings to your Siemens.
Continue following the on-screen instructions.

PRONETA

Open PRONETA.
Go to Settings > Network Adapter and select the VPN adapter.
- If the VPN adapter is greyed out, make sure you have set up a VPN connection and restart PRONETA.
Go to Network Analysis > Online and search for your device(s).
- If no devices are found, this can have several causes:
  - PRONETA may not send its PROFINET discovery packet (PN-DCP) over the VPN connection. Try restarting PRONETA and if that doesn't resolve the issue, restart your computer entirely. Do not skip this step, as it has proven to resolve the issue in many situations.
  - If your PLC is connected to a Siemens switch, that may unintentionally prevent your devices from being found. Try connecting the PLC directly to the edge gateway or replace the switch with that of a different manufacturer.
  - If you have another IXON edge gateway's on-site that you have connected with their LAN to each other, that may unintentionally prevent your devices from being found. Disconnected the LAN of one of the edge gateways.
  - Your device may not be in the edge gateway's default LAN network. Only devices connected to the default LAN network can be found in this manner. Devices connected to a Multiple LAN network cannot.
Once your device is found, double-click your device, enter an IP address, and click Set.
- If you see error "IP configuration was not set", then the IP address was already set by downloading a TIA Portal project.
  
  The setting "Set IP address in the project" in the TIA Portal project prevents the IP address from being changed via PRONETA or other software. The IP address can then only be changed using TIA Portal.

Title

Find PROFINET devices and assign IP settings over VPN

URL Name

Find-PROFINET-devices-and-assign-IP-settings-over-VPN

Find PROFINET devices and assign IP settings over VPN

Introduction

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Find PROFINET devices and assign IP settings over VPN

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