Siemens LOGO! 230RCE OBA7: Configuring Ethernet for Mobile App Status Monitoring

The Siemens LOGO! 230RCE (order code 6ED1052-1FB08-0BA1, generation 0BA7) is a logic module with an integrated Ethernet interface, 230 V AC power supply, and relay outputs. Engineers frequently need to expose digital and analog I/O status, flag states, and function block values to a mobile phone or tablet for remote monitoring and control. This reference covers the network configuration, communication protocol selection, mobile client setup, and verification steps required to push LOGO! status variables to a Java-based or native Android application.

1. Hardware Identification and Communication Capabilities

Before configuring the Ethernet port, confirm the module variant. The 230RCE designation breaks down as:

• 230: 115 V AC / 230 V AC power supply input
• R: Relay outputs (8 A)
• C: Clock/calendar model (real-time clock, eight digital inputs, four digital outputs, four analog inputs)
• E: Ethernet interface (RJ45, 10/100 Mbit/s)

The 0BA7 generation integrated Ethernet natively on the base unit, eliminating the LOGO! Ethernet extension module required by earlier 0BA6 systems. The integrated port supports the following protocols:

2. Default IP Address and Subnet

Out of the box, the LOGO! 230RCE ships with a static IP address. The factory default is:

This default allows any device in the 192.168.0.0/24 subnet to communicate with the LOGO! without further configuration. The PC used for programming must occupy a free address in the same range, for example 192.168.0.10.

3. Prerequisites

Confirm the following before starting configuration:

1. LOGO! Soft Comfort V8.0 or later installed on the engineering PC (matches 0BA7 firmware generation).
2. An Ethernet patch cable (Cat 5e or better) for direct PC-to-LOGO! or switch connection.
3. A smartphone or tablet with Android OS for the mobile client.
4. The mobile device must be on the same logical subnet (192.168.0.0/24) as the LOGO! — either via Wi-Fi to the same access point or via a small travel router.
5. The LOGO! program is loaded and at least one variable tag exists (I/O, flag, or function block output).

4. Step-by-Step IP Configuration on the LOGO!

4.1 Configure from the LOGO! Onboard Display

1. Power on the LOGO! 230RCE.
2. Use the cursor keys to navigate to Network from the main menu.
3. Select IP Address and enter the desired static IP (e.g., 192.168.0.3 to keep the default, or 192.168.1.50 to fit an existing scheme).
4. Select Subnet Mask and enter 255.255.255.0 (or the mask appropriate to the chosen IP block).
5. Optionally enter a Gateway address if the mobile client must reach the LOGO! across a routed network.
6. Press OK to apply. The LOGO! will reboot the Ethernet subsystem.

4.2 Configure from LOGO! Soft Comfort

1. Open LOGO! Soft Comfort and load the current program from Tools → Transfer → PC ↔ LOGO!.
2. Open Tools → Ethernet Connections (or Options → Ethernet depending on the version).
3. Set the IP address and Subnet mask fields.
4. Click PC → LOGO! to transfer the new network parameters.

5. Variable Address Mapping for External Clients

The LOGO! exposes its inputs, outputs, flags, and function block results to S7 communication clients through a fixed address map. The table below summarizes the relevant areas for a Java or Android client.

Third-party libraries that speak the S7 protocol over TCP (port 102) — such as libnodave, Snap7, or Moka7 — read directly from these addresses. A Java-based Android client using the S7Droid framework inherits the same mapping.

6. Mobile Client Option 1: S7Droid (Android)

S7Droid is a native Android application that speaks the S7 protocol to the LOGO! directly. It requires no PC intermediary or webserver.

6.1 Variants

6.2 Connection Setup

1. Install S7Droid Lite from Google Play (search "S7Droid") and launch it.
2. Open the project screen and add a new connection.
3. Enter the LOGO! IP address: 192.168.0.3 (or the configured address).
4. Set the rack/slot to 0/0 or 0/1 (S7Droid presets usually work for LOGO!).
5. Set connection type to S7 (ISO-on-TCP).
6. Tap Test Connection. A successful test returns a green status indicator.

6.3 Variable Polling

For continuous status updates, define tags using the address map in Section 5. Typical configuration for a digital input read cycle:

1. Add a tag with name Input1.
2. Type: Bool.
3. S7 Address: DB1.DBX0.0.
4. Poll interval: 500 ms (default; reduce for faster update, but do not go below 100 ms to avoid CPU saturation on the LOGO!).

For an analog value (AI1):

1. Add a tag with name AnalogIn1.
2. Type: Int (16-bit signed).
3. S7 Address: DB1.DBW32.

S7Droid's screen designer binds these tags to visual widgets (LEDs, gauges, numeric displays). Polling occurs in the background; the S7Droid service wakes on the configured interval and pushes updates to the UI thread.

7. Mobile Client Option 2: Logo!Monitor as a Webserver Bridge

If a browser-based dashboard is preferred over a dedicated Android app, a Windows PC running Logo!Monitor acts as a polling intermediary and exposes a smartphone-friendly web interface. The LOGO! itself is not the webserver in this topology — the PC is.

7.1 Topology

+----------+      S7/Modbus TCP      +----------------+      HTTP       +-----------+
|  LOGO!   | <---------------------> |  Logo!Monitor  | <------------> |  Phone    |
| 230RCE   |    192.168.0.3:102     |   (Windows PC)  |   192.168.x.x  |  Browser  |
+----------+                         +----------------+                 +-----------+

7.2 Setup Steps

1. Install Logo!Monitor on a Windows host that shares a subnet with the LOGO! (or can route to it).
2. Configure the LOGO! connection: IP 192.168.0.3, protocol S7.
3. Define variables in Logo!Monitor that mirror the S7 address map.
4. Activate the embedded web server in Logo!Monitor (port 80 by default).
5. Use the bundled SmartPhone Designer to lay out a mobile-friendly page — auto-resizing tiles for I/O state, analog gauges, and digital controls.
6. From the phone browser, navigate to http://<PC_IP>. The page scales to the phone viewport.

This option is preferred when the deployment is mixed-OS (iOS, Android, Windows) or when the LOGO! does not run the latest firmware with native webserver support.

8. Network Verification Checklist

Run the following checks from the engineering PC after IP configuration:

1. Ping test: ping 192.168.0.3 from a command prompt. A reply within 5 ms confirms L3 connectivity.
2. LOGO! Soft Comfort online test: Tools → Transfer → PC ↔ LOGO!. Online view should populate live I/O status.
3. S7 connection test: Use S7Droid's built-in test or a tool such as Snap7 snap7client example to confirm port 102 is open and the LOGO! returns a valid S7 communication record.
4. Modbus TCP test (if used): mbpoll -m tcp -a 1 -t 0 -r 1 -c 1 192.168.0.3 should return coil 1 state.

9. Troubleshooting Matrix

10. Field-Proven Caveats

• Concurrent S7 sessions: The 0BA7 firmware typically caps simultaneous S7 connections at 4. Sharing across TIA Portal, S7Droid, and a SCADA client requires careful management.
• Write access: Writing outputs from a mobile client bypasses the LOGO! program logic. If the program controls Q1 via latching logic, a manual write is overwritten on the next scan. Use a flag (M) and read it in the program instead, or use a non-coil address.
• Subnet boundaries: If the mobile phone joins a guest Wi-Fi on a different subnet, traffic to 192.168.0.3 will not route. Use a dedicated SSID or a small travel router.
• Java-based custom clients: When writing a custom Java client (rather than S7Droid), use libnodave-Java or Moka7. Both speak S7 over TCP and target the LOGO! profile directly. Modbus TCP is simpler to implement and recommended for read-only status polling if write access is not required.
• Firmware updates: Always update LOGO! 0BA7 base units to the latest released firmware. Siemens has released patches that improve Ethernet stability, fix connection drops after 24 h uptime, and expand the function block address range.

11. Recommended Path by Use Case

12. Verification

After completing configuration, confirm the system end-to-end:

1. Toggle a digital input wired to the LOGO!. The S7Droid display updates within one poll interval (default 500 ms).
2. Apply a varying voltage (0–10 V) to AI1. The analog widget on the phone reflects the change in real time.
3. Write a flag from the mobile client (Pro/Logo!Monitor) and confirm the program logic responds.
4. Reboot the LOGO! and the phone. The connection re-establishes automatically without manual reconfiguration.
5. Leave the system running for 24 hours and verify continuous data flow — exercises the firmware stability patches.