Configuring Siemens MP277 Smart Server with Smart Client Access

Overview

The Siemens Multi Panel 277 (MP277) is a 7th-generation HMI from the WinCC flexible era, released in 2007–2008 and produced through approximately 2014. Despite its age, the MP277 remains common in brownfield installations and supports remote access through the legacy Sm@rtAccess and Sm@rtService options. Sm@rtAccess provides remote control and observation of the HMI from a PC running the Sm@rtClient viewer, while Sm@rtService adds remote administration, project transfer, and firmware update capabilities over Ethernet.

The modern equivalent on Unified Comfort Panels (UCP) is the Smart Client add-on app. The conceptual model is identical: the panel hosts a Smart Server, and a remote PC runs a Smart Client that connects over TCP/IP to view or operate the panel's runtime project. The same app philosophy is documented in the Siemens TIA Portal documentation under Operating the control panel → Apps → Add-ons → Smart Client.

For the MP277 specifically, two practical realities govern a successful deployment:

1. The MP277 firmware/runtime is configured with WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 (or earlier SP). It cannot host the modern Unified-style Smart Client app.
2. Siemens changed the SmartClient communication in TIA Portal V15. A SmartClient compiled with V15 or newer may not connect to a Sm@rtServer running on an MP277. The proven workaround is to use a SmartClient built with TIA V14 SP1 or older, or the original WinCC flexible Sm@rtClient viewer.

This article covers the full commissioning workflow, licensing, network parameters, and the TIA V15 compatibility workaround with verified procedures.

System Architecture and Component Roles

A complete remote-access installation consists of three functional blocks:

Two distinct flavors of the option exist:

• Sm@rtAccess — remote viewing and control. Required for the basic SmartClient use case.
• Sm@rtService — remote maintenance: project transfer, recipe download, firmware update, and diagnostic buffer read. Adds the "Sm@rtService" entry in ProSave.

For an MP277 used for observation-only or operator-mirror screens, Sm@rtAccess alone is sufficient. For commissioning or service interventions across a VPN, add Sm@rtService.

Prerequisites

Verify the following before starting configuration:

• MP277 with Ethernet interface (PN or PN/DP variant). 6AV2 643-2xx30-0AX0 series or similar.
• WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 installed on the engineering station (last SP supporting MP277 cleanly).
• MP277 image / runtime version 12.0.0.x or later loaded via ProSave (Sm@rtServer code is in base firmware; the license key activates it).
• Valid Sm@rtAccess license key transferred to the panel. The key is hardware-bound to the MP277's serial number and is non-transferable.
• Ethernet reachability between panel and remote PC: same subnet (Layer 2) or routed path with allowed TCP ports.
• For SmartClient compiled with TIA V15+: a stand-alone engineering PC that can install both the modern TIA SmartClient and an older viewer as fallback.

License Part Numbers (WinCC flexible era)

Transfer the license through the Automation License Manager or ProSave under Options → Sm@rtAccess / Sm@rtService → License. The license is written to a non-volatile area on the MP277 and survives firmware updates but is erased by a factory reset.

Network Configuration on the MP277

Sm@rtServer binds to the MP277's PROFINET/Ethernet interface and listens on TCP ports that must be reachable from the remote PC. Configure the panel's network parameters through the WinCC flexible project or directly on the panel under Control Panel → Network and Dial-Up Connections → PN/IE.

Recommended IP Settings

TCP Ports Used by Sm@rtServer

When crossing a firewall, allow the dynamic range or pin the server-side port via the WinCC flexible project setting Device Settings → Sm@rtServer → Port (available in SP2 and later).

Enabling Sm@rtAccess in the WinCC flexible Project

Open the WinCC flexible 2008 project that compiles onto the MP277 and configure the Sm@rtServer properties.

1. In the project tree, right-click the MP277 device and select Device Settings.
2. Switch to the Options tab. Tick Sm@rtAccess and, if required, Sm@rtService.
3. Open Device Settings → Sm@rtServer and configure:

4. Compile the project and transfer to the MP277 through ProSave or the WinCC flexible Transfer dialog.
5. Verify the panel reboots into the new runtime and the license counter shows a green tick for Sm@rtAccess in Control Panel → License.

Configuring User Accounts and Access Rights

Sm@rtServer authenticates clients with the same user database that WinCC flexible uses for local operator logon. Define users in the project under Project → Users → User Administration and assign them to a group with the right to remote-control the panel.

Required Permission Mapping

Passwords are case-sensitive, minimum 6 characters on the MP277 firmware, and stored as plain MD4-derived hashes in the project's user database. For plant-floor deployment, segment the panel network and never expose the Sm@rtServer directly to a corporate LAN without a VPN.

Starting the Sm@rtServer on the MP277

Two methods are available to start the server:

1. Automatic: the option "Start Sm@rtServer at runtime startup" was enabled during project compile. The server runs as soon as the runtime finishes loading.
2. Manual from the panel: on the MP277, open Control Panel → Sm@rtServer (icon visible only when the option is licensed) and tap Start.

When the server is active, the Sm@rtServer icon in the taskbar changes to a green status, and the panel accepts incoming SmartClient connections. Confirm by running the Windows-side viewer (next section) and checking the live state.

Installing and Starting the Sm@rtClient

Two generations of the SmartClient application exist. Pick the one that matches your engineering toolchain:

Connection Procedure (legacy Sm@rtClient)

1. Launch [email protected] from C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC flexible\SmartClient\.
2. Click New Connection and enter:

• Connection name: arbitrary (e.g., "Line 3 MP277").
• Host address: MP277 IP, e.g., 192.168.10.50.
• Port: leave default unless the panel's port was pinned.
• Username / Password: a user defined in the project with operator or administrator rights.

3. Click Connect. The client renders a live screen of the panel and accepts input if remote control is enabled.
4. To verify the link, switch to a screen with an animated indicator (motor running icon, level bar) on the panel and observe the same movement in the client.

TIA Portal V15 Compatibility Issue and Workarounds

Starting with TIA Portal V15, Siemens restructured the SmartClient's communication stack to support Unified Comfort Panels' new runtime architecture. The legacy Sm@rtServer protocol on the MP277 is no longer fully implemented by the V15+ SmartClient. Symptoms include:

• Connection attempt hangs in "Connecting…" state.
• Authentication completes but the client shows a black canvas.
• Error "SmartServer not compatible" in the client log.

Workaround Matrix

Verification and Diagnostics

After commissioning, run the following checks to confirm the system is healthy.

Panel-Side Verification

1. Open Control Panel → License on the MP277; confirm a green tick for Sm@rtAccess (and Sm@rtService if licensed).
2. Open Control Panel → Sm@rtServer; the status field should read "Running" and show the current client count.
3. Use the panel's on-screen diagnostics: Control Panel → System → Information to confirm uptime and runtime build.

PC-Side Verification

1. From the engineering PC, ping the panel: ping 192.168.10.50.
2. Confirm TCP reachability with PowerShell: Test-NetConnection 192.168.10.50 -Port 102.
3. Launch the Sm@rtClient and connect with operator credentials.
4. Drive a state change on the PLC and confirm the screen updates within one second.

Logging Locations

Troubleshooting Matrix

Security Considerations

The MP277's Sm@rtServer predates modern zero-trust networking and should be treated as a legacy remote-access surface. Apply the following hardening measures in production:

• Place the panel on an OT VLAN with no direct Internet routing.
• Front the connection with a VPN or jump-host; do not publish the panel IP to a public network.
• Use strong, per-user passwords; rotate them on a 90-day cycle.
• Disable the on-board Web Server unless explicitly needed for other functions.
• Restrict SSH/Telnet on the panel (port 22/23) to local subnet only.
• Enable the panel's screen saver with password reactivation to lock unattended operator sessions.

For an in-depth look at the modern equivalent on Unified Comfort Panels, see the Siemens TIA Portal documentation page on the Smart Client add-on, which uses encrypted HTTPS and user-group-based RBAC.

Migration Path to Modern SmartClient

If the application is approaching end-of-life on the MP277, plan a migration to a Comfort Panel (TP700 Comfort or larger) running WinCC V15 or later. Migration preserves the Sm@rtAccess use case while gaining:

• TLS-encrypted SmartClient sessions.
• Modern SmartClient compatibility across TIA V15 through V18.
• Sm@rtClient app on iOS / Android for mobile observation.
• Native OPC UA server for direct SCADA integration without the screen-stream overhead.

Plan the cut-over during a planned downtime, transfer the converted project, and validate all Sm@rtClient connections from the same set of operator PCs to keep the operator experience identical.