Configuring a Siemens S7 collector
The Siemens S7 collector in Factry Historian allows you to connect directly to Siemens S7 PLCs or gateways using the native S7 protocol. It retrieves process data from the PLC, stores it in Factry Historian, and makes it available for trending, reporting, and analysis.
This collector is ideal for factories where Siemens PLCs form the backbone of the automation layer, and where you want a direct, lightweight connection without relying on an intermediary OPC server.
Prerequisites
Before configuring the Siemens S7 collector, make sure you have the following:
- Permissions in Factry Historian to manage collectors. See PrivilegesPrivileges.
- An installed Siemens S7 collector. If not yet installed, follow Installing a collector.
- Network connectivity between the collector host and the Siemens S7 PLC (port 102 must be reachable).
- Access to the PLC project in TIA Portal to verify that the required communication settings are enabled.
- A configured Time series databaseTime series database to store collected data.
If you’re setting up an S7 collector for the first time, we recommend reviewing the Siemens S7 collectorSiemens S7 collector reference documentation for background on supported firmware versions, block access settings, and communication modes.
Configure the collector
After installation, the collector appears in the Collectors overview in Factry Historian. When first started, it will show an initial state, meaning it is connected to Historian and awaiting configuration.
To begin configuration, select the Siemens S7 collector and click Edit. You can now specify the connection details.
Host
Enter the IP address or hostname of the Siemens PLC or gateway you want to connect to.
Example:
Ensure that the collector host can reach this address over the network.
Port
The TCP port used for S7 communication.
Default: 102
This is the standard port for Siemens ISO-on-TCP (RFC 1006) communication and usually does not need to be changed.
Rack and Slot
Specify the rack and slot of the CPU module in your Siemens PLC hardware configuration.
Default values (S7-300):
- Rack = 0
- Slot = 2
Slot depends on the CPU family: S7-300 uses slot 2, S7-400 uses slot 3, and S7-1200/1500 use slot 1.
Timeout and Retry settings
You can fine-tune connection stability and recovery behavior:
- Timeout – TCP connection and read timeout in milliseconds (default: 10 000).
- IdleTimeout – Idle connection timeout in milliseconds (default: 60 000, set 0 to disable).
- RetryInitialBackoffMs – Initial reconnect delay (default: 500 ms).
- RetryMaxBackoffMs – Maximum reconnect delay (default: 5 000 ms).
For most environments, these defaults are sufficient and should not be changed unless advised by support.
After entering all fields, click Save to store the configuration.
Expected outcome
After saving, a green Start button appears in the top-right corner of the collector page.
- Click Start to launch the collector.
- When the connection is established, the status changes to Collecting.
- The collector will begin reading configured measurements from the PLC and forwarding data to Historian.
If the collector remains in initial or error state, check your connection parameters or refer to the troubleshooting section below.
Adding measurements
Follow the guide on Adding measurements to a Siemens S7 collector.
Limits
A single S7 collector can handle thousands of measurements, depending on polling interval, PLC load, and network conditions. The collector automatically groups measurements and reads multiple tags in blocks to minimize communication overhead.
If you experience performance issues at high frequency (≤ 1000 ms), consider:
- Increasing polling intervals for non-critical tags.
- Splitting measurements across multiple collectors.
- Grouping related signals within the same data block to benefit from efficient block reads.
Troubleshooting Siemens S7 collector
If the collector fails to connect:
- Confirm that the PLC is reachable from the collector host on port 102.
- Ensure the rack and slot numbers correspond to the CPU configuration.
- Verify in TIA Portal → CPU Properties → Protection that “Permit access with PUT/GET” is enabled.
- Check the collector logs in the Historian web interface for specific error messages.