Configuring WinCC Sm@rtServer for Runtime Advanced: Setup Guide

Overview

WinCC Sm@rtServer is the remote-control option embedded in SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Advanced and on Comfort Panels (KTP / TP / MP series). It exposes the active runtime screen as a TCP/IP service so that an authorized Sm@rtClient viewer can mirror the operator screen, request control of inputs, and observe alarms from any workstation, tablet, or smartphone that can route to the panel or PC runtime. The feature is licensed per device (HMI tag-based or runtime PC) and is configured entirely from TIA Portal project settings plus the on-device Control Panel applet WinCC Runtime Advanced Internet.

This reference consolidates the TIA Portal V20 documentation path for Configuring Sm@rtServer for remote control and the field-proven configuration sequence used in commissioning workflows. It also isolates a frequently mis-ordered licensing trap: a Sm@rtServer license is valid only against Runtime Advanced projects or Comfort Panels; if your TIA Portal project is compiled against WinCC Runtime Professional, the service is unavailable and the only Siemens-supported remote path is WinCC/Web Navigator, which is a separate, more expensive option.

Licensing Boundaries: RT Advanced vs. RT Professional

Before opening TIA Portal, confirm which WinCC runtime the HMI device is actually compiled against. Mixing the wrong license family is the single most common cause of "Sm@rtServer will not activate" symptoms.

Prerequisites

1. TIA Portal version: V16 or later recommended; this article targets the V20 documentation set. Mixed-version TIA Portal / WinCC engineering is not supported for Sm@rtServer.
2. Runtime: WinCC Runtime Advanced installed on the target PC, or a Comfort Panel with firmware matching the TIA Portal project version. Mismatched firmware will refuse the project download.
3. License: A valid Sm@rtServer license key for the panel or PC runtime. Keys are transferred via the Automation License Manager on the runtime host.
4. Network: TCP/IP reachability between the runtime host (panel or PC) and each Sm@rtClient operator station. Default Sm@rtServer port is 5900 (RFB / VNC-derived); configurable from 1024-65535.
5. User Administration: At least one operator user with a known password defined in the TIA Portal project.
6. Operating-system firewall: Allow inbound TCP on the configured Sm@rtServer port (default 5900) and on the HTTP/HTTPS port if the Web Server is also used (default 80/443).

Step 1 — Configure the TIA Portal Project for Runtime Advanced

If your device was added as "WinCC RT Professional", right-click the HMI device and either delete and re-add as "WinCC RT Advanced", or change the device type through the device properties. After the change, validate:

• The "Runtime" node under the HMI device now exposes Services, User Administration, and Web Server children consistent with RT Advanced.
• The supported screens, tags, and alarms all remain within the RT Advanced limits (e.g., 800 power tags for V20, 4,096 external tags — verify against your specific RT Advanced version catalog).
• The compiled runtime is reinstalled on the PC; existing Professional runtime files in C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC RT Advanced must be replaced by the Advanced installer.

Step 2 — Activate the Sm@rtServer Service

1. In the project tree, expand the HMI device and select Runtime settings.
2. Switch to the Services tab.
3. Tick the Sm@rtServer checkbox.
4. Configure the port if 5900 collides with another VNC service on the host.
5. Compile (Build → HMI → Rebuild all) and download the project to the panel or start the PC runtime.

When the runtime starts with Sm@rtServer enabled and licensed, the "Service" page in the Control Panel applet WinCC Runtime Advanced Internet will populate with the active server parameters.

Step 3 — Configure the HTTP Server for User Administration

Sm@rtServer authentication is keyed against the TIA Portal User Administration. The HTTP server is the mechanism that carries user/password provisioning to the runtime.

1. Open the HMI device → Runtime settings → Web Server tab.
2. Enable the Web Server and choose HTTP-only or HTTPS as required. For non-trivial plants, HTTPS is mandatory because credentials traverse this channel.
3. Click User Administration in the Web Server tab.
4. Specify the password that operators will use to configure the connection via the SIMATIC HMI HTTP Protocol.
5. Save, recompile, and download the project.

Reference: the documented procedure is documented under Setting WinCC Runtime Advanced Internet (Panels, Comfort Panels, RT Advanced).

Step 4 — Set Sm@rtServer Passwords on the Runtime Host

1. On the runtime host, open the Control Panel applet WinCC Runtime Advanced Internet.
2. Switch to the Remote tab.
3. Click Change Settings; this requires the configured Web Server password from Step 3.
4. On the Server tab, enter the Sm@rtServer operator passwords. Two distinct passwords are typical:
   • View-only password — read-only mirror, no input control.
   • Full-control password — operator can input values, acknowledge alarms, and trigger configured buttons.
5. Choose whether the runtime accepts multiple simultaneous Sm@rtClients (default: yes, subject to licensing tag count) and whether remote input is locked while a client is active.
6. Apply changes; the service restarts automatically with the new credentials.

Step 5 — Open the Firewall and Validate the Port

Sm@rtServer listens on the configured TCP port. The Windows Defender Firewall default blocks inbound traffic; either add a per-app rule for HMIRTM.exe (PC runtime) or open the chosen port.

# PowerShell: validate Sm@rtServer is listening
Test-NetConnection -ComputerName <runtime-IP> -Port 5900

# PowerShell: open TCP 5900 inbound
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "WinCC Sm@rtServer 5900" \
  -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 5900 \
  -Action Allow -Profile Any

If the operator station reaches the panel through a routed network (e.g., plant WAN), mirror the same allow rule on each intermediate firewall and pin the source IP if possible.

Step 6 — Connect from a Sm@rtClient

1. Install Sm@rtClient on the operator PC (bundled with WinCC Advanced / Professional engineering, or from the runtime install media under "Sm@rtClient").
2. Launch Sm@rtClient and create a new connection. Enter the runtime host IP and the configured port (default 5900).
3. Provide the operator password (view-only or full-control) when prompted.
4. Confirm the live runtime screen appears; test input control with a screen element that is enabled under User Administration and whose access protection does not block the remote user.

Network and Address Parameters

Security Best Practices

• Use HTTPS for the Web Server so that user administration changes are not sent in clear text across the network.
• Distinct operator accounts per role. Avoid a single "admin" user shared across shifts.
• Strong passwords: Sm@rtServer passwords are not policy-enforced in the runtime — enforce length and complexity in the TIA Portal user administration.
• Restrict by source IP at the perimeter firewall; never expose port 5900 directly to the internet.
• Disable Sm@rtServer during maintenance windows if remote input is not required.
• Audit Sm@rtClient sessions: the Control Panel → Remote tab displays active sessions; review periodically.

Verification Checklist

1. The Sm@rtServer checkbox is enabled in the project, and the project was recompiled and downloaded after that change.
2. The Automation License Manager shows the Sm@rtServer license as valid on the runtime host.
3. The Control Panel applet WinCC Runtime Advanced Internet reports Sm@rtServer as active on the chosen port.
4. Test-NetConnection from a client workstation returns TcpTestSucceeded: True.
5. Sm@rtClient displays the live screen and accepts inputs under the full-control password.
6. User Administration prevents unauthorized users from triggering controlled buttons (verify with a non-privileged user).

Troubleshooting Matrix

Migration Note — When the Customer Demands Professional Remote

If a project is genuinely bound to WinCC RT Professional (for example, because of multi-user client/server topology or > 800 power tags), Sm@rtServer is not an option. The supported path is WinCC/Web Navigator, which carries its own license, web server configuration, and editorial runtime on a separate web client. For low-cost single-user remote viewing on a Professional project, a third-party VNC server (TightVNC, RealVNC) is sometimes used, but the customer is then responsible for security patching, authentication, and any side effects on the WinCC Professional runtime — Siemens does not document or warranty this configuration. Where SCADA remote access is required, the supported route remains the Web Navigator license family.

Reference Manual Cross-links

• Remote Access to WinCC Runtime Advanced (PDF manual, entry ID 109476153) — comprehensive configuration reference covering Sm@rtServer, Web Server, and access protection.
• Configuring Sm@rtServer for remote control (TIA V20 cloud docs) — TIA Portal → Runtime settings → Services → Sm@rtServer.
• Setting WinCC Runtime Advanced Internet (TIA V20 cloud docs) — Control Panel applet workflow including the Web Server password step.