Industrial networks · Free · ₹0
Industrial Communication: Serial, Fieldbus, Ethernet, Modbus, PROFINET and OPC UA
Every network a PLC engineer meets, from RS-485 and Modbus to PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and OPC UA, with hands-on PLC-to-PLC and Modbus configuration in TIA Portal.
What you will learn
Explain the OSI model, Ethernet, IP and subnets, RS-232, RS-485 and Modbus RTU, ASCII and TCP, fieldbuses and industrial Ethernet, remote and distributed I/O, configure PROFINET devices and GSD files, PUT/GET and open user communication, Modbus RTU and TCP on an S7-1200, Modbus on other PLC families, OPC UA, industrial wireless and IIoT, and the web server, routing and backup tools.
- Explain the OSI model, Ethernet, IP addressing and subnets
- Wire RS-485 and read a Modbus frame, function code and address
- Place PROFIBUS DP and PA, DeviceNet, AS-i and IO-Link
- Compare PROFINET and EtherNet/IP and keep both healthy
- Configure PROFINET devices, distributed I/O, shared devices and GSD files
- Exchange data between PLCs with PUT/GET and TSEND_C/TRCV_C
- Run Modbus RTU and TCP as master, slave, client and server
- Explain OPC UA, industrial wireless, IIoT and edge computing
Course content
18 modules · 75 lessons · 14h 40m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last, and a short quiz.
- 01Networks, the OSI Model, Ethernet, IP and Subnets4 lessons43m
- 02Serial: RS-232, RS-485 and Modbus4 lessons36m
- 03Modbus RTU and TCP in Depth4 lessons21m
- 04Fieldbuses: PROFIBUS, DeviceNet, AS-i, IO-Link6 lessons47m
- 05PROFIBUS Wiring and Network Health3 lessons20m
- 06Industrial Ethernet: PROFINET and EtherNet/IP3 lessons20m
- 07Remote and Distributed I/O4 lessons33m
- 08PROFINET in TIA Portal5 lessons1h 25m
- 09PLC to PLC: PUT and GET3 lessons41m
- 10Open User Communication: TCP4 lessons60m
- 11Modbus RTU on the S7-12005 lessons1h 19m
- 12Modbus TCP on the S7-12003 lessons1h 7m
- 13Modbus in Practice on Other PLCs5 lessons1h 19m
- 14Modbus Remote I/O and ASCII5 lessons1h 23m
- 15OPC UA4 lessons36m
- 16Wireless and IIoT6 lessons51m
- 17Web Server, Routing, Backup, Node-RED and Single-Pair Ethernet6 lessons1h 20m
- 18Final Assessment1 lesson12m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Intermediate. You should already program one PLC.
- Software
- TIA Portal (trial from Siemens) for the hands-on modules; free Modbus simulators and Wireshark
- Hardware
- None required. Two S7-1200 or PLCSIM instances help for PLC-to-PLC.
Industrial Communication: Serial, Fieldbus, Ethernet, Modbus, PROFINET and OPC UA at a glance
Industrial Communication: Serial, Fieldbus, Ethernet, Modbus, PROFINET and OPC UA is a free, self-paced online industrial networks course from EDWartens India with 18 modules, 14h 40m of video lessons, written notes, practice tasks and assessments, and an optional verifiable certificate.
- Price
- ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card.
- Format
- 18 self-paced modules, 14h 40m of video, written notes, a quiz per module and a final assessment.
- Level
- Intermediate. Intermediate. You should already program one PLC.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- TIA Portal (trial from Siemens) for the hands-on modules; free Modbus simulators and Wireshark
- Hardware
- None required. Two S7-1200 or PLCSIM instances help for PLC-to-PLC.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹700, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- RealPars, Hegamurl, iipd Global, ACC Automation (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and you can buy a certificate for ₹700. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up.
- Add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
- Link it from a CV or portfolio, the URL is permanent
- Publicly verifiable by code, not a PDF anyone can edit
- Issued by EDWartens India, the training centre itself
The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.
Stuck? Ask a practising engineer
A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.
- Questions answered in the context of the module you are on
- The same engineers who teach the AEP programme
- Career tools, CV help and public job listings included
- Your progress and notes stay in your account for good
Pairs well with
PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.
PLC programming · FreeSiemens S7-300 with STEP 7The classic Siemens PLC, from an empty SIMATIC Manager project to a commissioned, diagnosed, running machine.
PLC programming · FreeAllen-Bradley Studio 5000CompactLogix and ControlLogix from the wiring up: tags, instructions, timers, data, drives, messaging and Modbus, in Rockwell's Studio 5000.
PLC programming · FreeAllen-Bradley RSLogix 500 and MicroLogixThe MicroLogix and SLC 500 on real hardware: file-based addressing, every instruction group, analog scaling, faults and forces, in RSLogix 500.Learning paths with this course
- PLC foundations · 4 coursesOne PLC from scratch, the networks it talks over, the HMI on the door and the panel it lives in. The four things a maintenance engineer meets on day one.
Common questions
Is this a Siemens course?
The hands-on modules use TIA Portal because two of the source series do, but the protocols, Modbus map design and network principles apply to every brand. One module shows Modbus on AutomationDirect PLCs for contrast.
Do I need hardware?
No. The concept modules need nothing; the TIA modules can be followed with the trial and PLCSIM, and Modbus can be tested against a free simulator on your PC.
Do I need to know a PLC already?
Yes, at least one. This course teaches how PLCs talk, not how to program them. Any of the free PLC courses on this site is enough.
What is covered in the wireless and IIoT modules?
Industrial wireless, modulation, Wi-Fi versus industrial wireless, ISA100, IIoT, edge computing, OPC UA, Node-RED and single-pair Ethernet.
What computer do I need?
A 64-bit Windows 10 machine with 8 GB of RAM if you install TIA Portal; any machine for the rest.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
What certificate do I get, and is it a Siemens or any vendor qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Siemens or any vendor credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- RealParsthe Industrial Networks series
- Hegamurlthe TIA Portal Industrial Communication series
- iipd Globalthe S7-1200 Modbus RTU and TCP tutorials
- ACC Automationthe Learn Modbus Protocol series
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.