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EtherNet/IP Overview

The ETHERNETIP route enables communication with CIP (Common Industrial Protocol) compatible devices using EtherNet/IP explicit messaging. It provides access to device attributes using CIP addressing (Class, Instance, Attribute) and supports Allen-Bradley PLCs and other EtherNet/IP devices.
EtherNet/IP uses CIP addressing which provides structured access to device data. Use this route when you need explicit messaging to specific CIP objects.

Basic Syntax


Connection Configuration

ETHERNETIP_CONFIG Parameters

IP
string
required
EtherNet/IP device IP address.
PORT
integer
EtherNet/IP port. Default: 44818.
POLLING_MS
integer
Polling interval in milliseconds. Default: 750.
CONNECTION_TIMEOUT
integer
Connection timeout in milliseconds. Default: 5000.
READ_WRITE_TIMEOUT
integer
Read/Write timeout in milliseconds. Default: 3000.
RETRY_ATTEMPTS
integer
Number of retry attempts. Default: 3.
RETRY_TIME_SECONDS
integer
Retry delay in seconds. Default: 5.

Connection Example


CIP Addressing

EtherNet/IP uses CIP addressing in the format: ClassID.InstanceID.AttributeID.AttributeIndex

Common CIP Classes


Data Types

DATA_TYPE
string
required
CIP data type for the attribute:

TAG Configuration

Complete TAG Example

TAG Parameters

ADDRESS
string
required
CIP address in format: ClassID.InstanceID.AttributeID.AttributeIndex
DATA_TYPE
string
required
CIP data type: BOOLEAN, BYTE, INT16, UINT16, INT32, UINT32, INT64, UINT64, FLOAT32, FLOAT64, ASCII, STRING.
LENGTH
integer
String length (for STRING type only).
SCALING_FACTOR
decimal
Scaling multiplier for the value.
OFFSET
decimal
Value offset applied after scaling.
DEADBAND
decimal
Suppress updates if change is less than threshold.
SOURCE_TOPIC
string
Topic where PLC values are published. Subscribe here to receive sensor data.
PUBLISH_MODE
string
Output format: JSON, RAW, or BINARY. Default: JSON.

Event-Based Operations

For on-demand EtherNet/IP operations (not polling), use the EVENT syntax. Publish a message to SOURCE_TOPIC to trigger the operation; the route executes it and publishes the result to DESTINATION_TOPIC.

Supported Operations

Query Parameters

Read Example

Read an analog input point value on demand:

Write Example

Write to an analog output point on demand:

Complete Examples

Read device identity information:

CIP Object Reference


Troubleshooting

  • Verify IP address is correct
  • Check firewall allows port 44818 (TCP and UDP)
  • Ensure device supports EtherNet/IP explicit messaging
  • Try increasing CONNECTION_TIMEOUT
  • Verify ClassID.InstanceID.AttributeID format
  • Check CIP object exists on device
  • Consult device documentation for valid paths
  • Instance usually starts at 1, not 0
  • Verify DATA_TYPE matches attribute definition
  • Check device documentation for correct types
  • Some devices use INT16 instead of FLOAT32 for analog
  • Increase READ_WRITE_TIMEOUT
  • Check network connectivity
  • Reduce polling rate if device is slow
  • Verify device is not overloaded with connections

Next Steps

Allen-Bradley

Tag-based access to Allen-Bradley PLCs.

FINS (Omron)

Connect to Omron PLCs.
Last modified on May 22, 2026