Overview
The Siemens CP 1613 A2 is a PCI-based communications processor for connecting PCs to SIMATIC S7 automation systems over Industrial Ethernet. It is the second-generation successor to the CP 1613, distinguished primarily by a hardware-level PCI bus revision upgrade from PCI V1.0 to PCI V2.x. Functionally, the two modules are drop-in compatible: the same Windows applications, configuration files, and STEP 7 hardware catalog entries apply to both. The CP 1613 A2 is supported by SIMATIC NET CD V6.2 SP1 and higher; earlier SIMATIC NET versions do not include the driver stack required for the A2 hardware.
This reference covers the compatibility boundary between the CP 1613 and CP 1613 A2, explains why the hardware catalog in STEP 7 does not list a separate A2 entry, and documents the hardware/software prerequisites for migrating a host PC from a CP 1613 A2 to the later CP 1623 PCIe communications processor.
CP 1613 vs CP 1613 A2: Technical Comparison
| Parameter | CP 1613 | CP 1613 A2 |
|---|---|---|
| Article number (6GK1 161-3) | 0AA0 (A1) / 0AA1 | 0AA2 |
| Bus interface | PCI V1.0 (5 V, 32-bit, 33 MHz) | PCI V2.x (3.3 V/5 V universal, 32-bit, 33 MHz) |
| Host slot keying | 5 V keyed PCI slot | Universal keyed PCI slot (3.3 V or 5 V) |
| Ethernet interface | 10/100 Mbit/s RJ-45, ISO/IEC 8802-3 | 10/100 Mbit/s RJ-45, ISO/IEC 8802-3 |
| Supported protocols | S7 communication, S5-compatible communication (SEND/RECEIVE), PG/OP routing, PROFINET IO controller (with SIMATIC NET ≥ V6.0) | Identical to CP 1613 |
| Microprocessor | 32-bit RISC, on-board firmware | 32-bit RISC, identical firmware image |
| On-board memory | 2 MB SDRAM | 2 MB SDRAM |
| Diagnostics LEDs | LINK, ACT, FAULT | LINK, ACT, FAULT |
| Configuration software (minimum) | SIMATIC NET CD V5.x (for legacy installations) | SIMATIC NET CD V6.2 SP1 or higher |
| STEP 7 HW catalog entry | "CP 1613" | "CP 1613" (shared entry, no separate A2 part) |
| User software changes required | None | None |
The decisive engineering difference is the PCI bus interface. The CP 1613 was designed for legacy 5 V PCI slots, which are absent from most motherboards manufactured after approximately 2003. The CP 1613 A2 introduced a universal PCI edge connector that accepts either 3.3 V or 5 V signaling, allowing the card to be installed in modern PCI slots without an adapter. Aside from the connector keying and the PCI specification level reported in the card's configuration space, the modules are functionally identical from the perspective of STEP 7, S7-communication OPC servers, and SIMATIC NET applications.
SIMATIC NET CD Version Requirements
The CP 1613 A2 requires SIMATIC NET CD V6.2 SP1 as the minimum installation baseline. Earlier SIMATIC NET CDs (V6.0, V6.1, V6.2 without SP1) ship drivers targeted at the original CP 1613 PCI V1.0 hardware and will not initialize the A2 module's configuration space correctly. The release line is:
- SIMATIC NET CD V6.0 / V6.1: supports CP 1613 only.
- SIMATIC NET CD V6.2 SP1: introduces A2 support while maintaining A1 compatibility.
- SIMATIC NET CD V7.x and later: continues to support both CP 1613 and CP 1613 A2, and adds CP 1623 PCIe support.
Because the A2 module is treated as a transparent PCI revision of the original card, the SIMATIC NET installer does not surface a separate driver selection prompt. The driver package detects the card via its vendor/device ID and loads the appropriate module. Verify installation integrity in Device Manager → Network adapters; the entry should display as Siemens CP 1613 A2 (SIMATIC NET) with no error code (Code 31 / Code 10 indicates driver mismatch).
STEP 7 Hardware Catalog Behavior
Engineers migrating from the A1 (or original CP 1613) to the A2 frequently search the STEP 7 HW catalog for a dedicated CP 1613 A2 entry. No such entry exists by design. The STEP 7 catalog lists a single CP 1613 article under SIMATIC PC Station → CP Industrial Ethernet → CP 1613, and this same entry is used for both A1 and A2 revisions.
The rationale is twofold:
- Backward-compatible configuration: Project files (.s7p, .pc) generated against the A1 can be reloaded onto a station equipped with the A2 without modification. The slot index, IO base address, and protocol configuration are interpreted identically.
- Functional equivalence: Since the A2 introduces no new logical interface, opcode, or register, the STEP 7 configuration interface would expose no additional parameters to the engineer.
The same convention applies to the CP 5614 / CP 5614 A2 pair (PCI variant) and to the CP 1613 / CP 1623 transition (PCI to PCIe), where the A2 generation remains transparent at the STEP 7 level. The trade-off is that the catalog cannot be used to verify which physical revision is installed; this must be confirmed by inspecting the card edge label, the Device Manager device instance string, or the SIMATIC NET diagnostics tool (SIMATIC NET Configuration Console → Modules).
Installation Procedure (CP 1613 A2)
- Confirm the host PC has a free PCI slot capable of accepting a universal (3.3 V/5 V keyed) card. A 64-bit PCI-X slot is also valid; the card negotiates down to 32-bit/33 MHz.
- Power down the PC and insert the CP 1613 A2 into the PCI slot. Secure the bracket screw.
- Boot the PC, enter BIOS, and confirm the slot is recognized and not disabled. PCI Power Management should be enabled (not strictly required, but recommended for ACPI S1/S3 states).
- Install SIMATIC NET CD V6.2 SP1 or later. The installer registers the network protocol driver (
sntioracpldepending on the SIMATIC NET version line) and configures the PC station. - Open the SIMATIC NET Configuration Console (or Station Configuration Editor for PC station deployment) and confirm the CP 1613 A2 is listed under index 1 (or the slot index assigned by your STEP 7 project).
- Import the existing PC station configuration from STEP 7 (HW Config → Station → Export to the host PC). The same XML/import file is valid for A1 and A2.
- Assign an IP address to the CP 1613 A2 via Configuration Console → Properties → TCP/IP, or via the central STEP 7 PC station project.
- Verify link integrity: connect a known-good patch cable to an S7 PLC (e.g., S7-300 CPU with PN/IE interface) and observe the LINK LED on the card bracket. A solid LINK LED and periodic ACT flash confirm physical and data-link layer reachability.
Migration to CP 1623: Hardware and Software Requirements
When the host platform is being upgraded beyond PCI (for example, to a PCIe-only industrial PC or a SIMATIC IPC with no legacy PCI slots), the CP 1613 A2 must be replaced with a CP 1623 PCIe communications processor. The CP 1623 preserves the same PROFINET IO controller and S7 communication functionality but uses a PCIe x1 edge connector. Siemens documents the migration requirements in entry 50710358 on the Siemens Industry Online Support portal.
Hardware Requirements
- Available PCIe x1, x4, x8, or x16 slot on the host motherboard (open-ended PCIe slots are not compatible).
- CP 1623 module (6GK1 162-3AA00) installed per the operating instructions.
- If the host PC previously used the CP 1613 A2, the legacy PCI slot may be left empty or reused for other I/O.
Software Requirements
- SIMATIC NET CD V8.x or higher (the V7.x line is the final branch that supports the CP 1613 A2; V8.0 onward is required for CP 1623 device drivers). Confirm the precise minimum version against the SIMATIC NET release notes for your target Windows version (Windows 7 SP1 / Windows 10 LTSC / Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 / 2019 / 2022 are the currently supported operating systems for SIMATIC NET V18 and later).
- STEP 7 (TIA Portal) V13 SP1 or later, or STEP 7 V5.5 + SPx with the CP 1623 HSP (Hardware Support Package) installed.
- If the PC station is configured via the legacy STEP 7 V5.x HW Config path, the catalog entry
CP 1623must be present. In TIA Portal, the device is added under Devices & networks → PC station → Communication modules → CP 1623. - PROFINET IO configuration and GSDML files for any PROFINET devices must be compatible with the firmware version of the CP 1623 (refer to the CP 1623 firmware release notes for the bundled PROFINET stack version).
Configuration Migration Steps
- Export the PC station configuration from the existing project. Note the slot index, the configured IP address, subnet mask, router, and any PROFINET IO device names assigned to the CP 1613 A2.
- Shut down the host, remove the CP 1613 A2, and install the CP 1623 in a free PCIe slot.
- Boot the host. Windows Plug and Play detects the new device; install SIMATIC NET V8.x drivers if not already present.
- Open the PC station project in STEP 7 / TIA Portal. Replace the
CP 1613entry with theCP 1623entry at the same slot index. The IP address and PROFINET device name parameters are preserved on the substitute object. - Recompile and download the PC station configuration. Restart the SIMATIC NET service (
S7dosoracpldepending on the release) to activate the new configuration. - Verify PROFINET IO controller startup via the Configuration Console diagnostics or via the connected S7 CPU's online diagnostics (online → PROFINET IO diagnostics).
Diagnostics and Verification
After installation, perform the following verification checks:
| Check | Method | Pass Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Device enumeration | Device Manager → Network adapters | "Siemens CP 1613 A2" listed, no warning icons |
| Module status in PC station | Configuration Console → Modules | Module present, status Configured and OK |
| Link layer | Bracket LINK LED | Solid green when connected to a switch/PLC port |
| TCP/IP reachability |
ping <CP IP address> from host |
Reply <1 ms, 0% loss |
| S7 communication | STEP 7 online → accessible nodes | CP 1613 A2 IP shown with MAC and PROFINET device name |
| PROFINET IO (if used) | PROFINET diagnostics in TIA Portal / STEP 7 | All configured IO devices in Running state, no station failure |
Troubleshooting Matrix
| Symptom | Probable Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Card not detected in Device Manager; Code 10 | PCI slot not enabled in BIOS, or card not fully seated | Reseat card; enable the slot in BIOS; clear CMOS if required |
| Card detected but yellow bang (Code 31) | SIMATIC NET version < V6.2 SP1 or driver mismatch | Upgrade to SIMATIC NET V6.2 SP1 or later; reinstall driver |
| LINK LED off after cable connection | Wrong port type, crossed vs straight cable, or port disabled on switch | Confirm auto-negotiation on switch; try alternate patch cable |
| PC station shows module "Not Configured" | STEP 7 project not downloaded, or slot index mismatch | Download PC station configuration; verify slot index in HW Config matches physical installation |
| PROFINET IO devices in "Station failure" | PROFINET device name not assigned or duplicate on network | Assign unique PROFINET device name via Configuration Console; check for duplicate MAC/name on the network segment |
| STEP 7 HW catalog has no CP 1613 A2 entry | By design — A2 uses the shared "CP 1613" entry | Insert the standard "CP 1613" entry; no separate selection is required for the A2 |
| Migrating to CP 1623: driver not found | SIMATIC NET V7.x or earlier installed | Upgrade to SIMATIC NET V8.0 or later; see SIOS entry 50710358 |
| Migration to CP 1623: PCIe slot not recognized | BIOS PCIe configuration disabled, or open-ended slot used | Enable PCIe slot in BIOS; move card to a closed-ended x1/x4/x8/x16 slot |
Firmware and Driver Compatibility Notes
The CP 1613 A2's on-board firmware is identical to that of the CP 1613; firmware updates are not applicable to either card via the standard SIMATIC NET firmware update tool. Both cards rely on the host-side SIMATIC NET driver stack to expose the PROFINET IO controller and S7 communication interfaces. This is the key reason the A2 required no new catalog entry: the firmware-side interface is unchanged.
When the CP 1623 is introduced, the PCIe module carries its own firmware (versioned independently of the host SIMATIC NET release) and the PROFINET stack is updated to support current PROFINET specification versions. The Siemens PROFINET IO controller stack version is tied to the SIMATIC NET release, so migrating to the CP 1623 also implies accepting the PROFINET stack version of the new SIMATIC NET baseline (e.g., V8.x).
Documentation References
For detailed installation, configuration, and firmware version data, consult the official Siemens documentation set:
- CP 1613 A2 Operating Instructions (PDF) — installation, configuration, and diagnostics for the A2 module.
- SIOS entry 50710358: Requirements for changing from CP1613 A2 to CP1623 — hardware and software prerequisites for the PCIe migration.
FAQ
Why is there no separate "CP 1613 A2" entry in the STEP 7 hardware catalog?
By design. The CP 1613 A2 is functionally identical to the CP 1613; the only change is the PCI bus revision (PCI V1.0 to V2.x). Both revisions use the same firmware image and the same STEP 7 catalog entry (CP 1613) to preserve backward compatibility of existing project files.
What is the minimum SIMATIC NET version for the CP 1613 A2?
SIMATIC NET CD V6.2 SP1 is the minimum. Earlier versions (V6.0, V6.1, V6.2 without SP1) ship drivers targeted at the original CP 1613 PCI V1.0 hardware and do not initialize the A2 module correctly.
Can an existing STEP 7 PC station project be reused after a CP 1613 A2 to CP 1623 migration?
Yes, with a slot substitution. Replace the CP 1613 catalog entry with the CP 1623 entry at the same slot index; IP address, PROFINET device names, and IO configuration are preserved. Recompile and download the PC station configuration after the hardware swap.
What software is required to migrate a host PC from CP 1613 A2 to CP 1623?
SIMATIC NET CD V8.x or higher (the V7.x line is the final branch with CP 1613 A2 support), STEP 7 V5.5 with the CP 1623 HSP or TIA Portal V13 SP1 or later, and a Windows version supported by the chosen SIMATIC NET baseline. See SIOS entry 50710358 for the complete prerequisite list.
Is the CP 1613 A2 supported on PCIe-only industrial PCs?
No. The CP 1613 A2 is a universal-keyed PCI card (3.3 V/5 V, 32-bit, 33 MHz) and cannot be installed in a PCIe slot. For PCIe-only hosts, use the CP 1623 communications processor, which uses a PCIe x1 edge connector.