Commissioning and Activating CP 1613 A2 Hardnet Processors in SIMATIC PCS 7 PC Stations

In SIMATIC PCS 7, a newly installed CP 1613 A2 (6GK1161-3AA01) showing a red cross with 'CP deactivated' in SIMATIC NET Configuration Console and a yellow exclamation mark in Set PG/PC Interface is operating in an unconfigured state. CP 1613 is a Hardnet communications processor that operates in 'Configured Mode' rather than standard PG operation. To activate it, the PC station name in Windows must match SIMATIC Manager and the Station Configuration Editor exactly, the CP must be assigned to its correct index slot in the Station Configuration Editor, and the station hardware configuration must be downloaded.

Architecture of Hardnet CP 1613 Processors in SIMATIC PCS 7

The SIMATIC NET CP 1613 and CP 1613 A2 (6GK1161-3AA01) are dedicated PCI industrial communications processors:
* The Hardnet Architecture:
Unlike standard network interface cards (NICs) that rely on the host CPU for protocol processing, the CP 1613 features an onboard microprocessor and dedicated firmware. It executes ISO and TCP/IP transport protocols independently of Windows.
* Target Application:
Used on Engineering Stations (ES) and OS Servers to connect to the Industrial Ethernet Plant Bus, establishing fault-tolerant S7 connections (S7-400H) with microsecond timestamp synchronization (SOE).
* The Successor Hardware:
The modern PCIe successor to the PCI-based CP 1613 A2 is the CP 1623 (6GK1162-3AA00) or CP 1628 with onboard security firewall (6GK1162-8AA00).

Configured Mode vs PG Mode in SIMATIC NET Configuration Console

A major point of confusion during CP 1613 replacement is understanding operating modes:
* PG Mode (Unconfigured):
Used exclusively for engineering laptop field programming. The card is accessible directly via STEP 7 Set PG/PC Interface without requiring a Station Configuration Editor template.
* Configured Mode (Project Operation):
PCS 7 OS Servers and Engineering Stations operate exclusively in Configured Mode.
* The CP does not activate upon Windows boot simply by having a driver installed.
* It remains 'Deactivated' (red cross in SIMATIC NET Configuration Console) until the Station Configuration Editor binds the physical hardware to a project PC Station component index matching HW Config.

Driver Installation Pitfalls: Why External CD Drivers Break PCS 7

When replacing a defective PC or inserting a spare CP 1613:
* The External CD Mistake:
Engineers frequently insert the driver CD included in the hardware box. Installing drivers from the CD overwrites the tightly integrated, version-specific SIMATIC NET drivers already installed by the PCS 7 setup package.
* The Driver Corrupt Symptom:
The CP shifts from a dedicated 'Simatic Net' device in Windows Device Manager into a generic Windows 'Network Adapter', preventing SIMATIC NET services from controlling the card's ISO protocol engine.
* The Rule:
Never install standalone drivers from accessory CDs on a PCS 7 station. The correct drivers are pre-installed by the PCS 7 base installation.

Comparison Table: CP 1613 Hardnet vs Standard Softnet Network Adapters

The table below outlines technical and architectural differences:

Metric / ParameterCP 1613 / CP 1613 A2 (6GK1161-3AA01)Standard Softnet NIC (e.g., Intel I210)Protocol ProcessingOnboard dedicated CPU (Hardnet)Host Windows PC CPU (Softnet)Max S7 ConnectionsUp to 120 simultaneous connectionsTypically limited to 8 - 64Redundant S7-400H LinksHardware-accelerated bumpless failoverSoftware-emulated switchoverTime Synchronization (SOE)High-precision hardware timestamps (1 ms)Software approximation (~10 - 20 ms)Operating System DriverSIMATIC NET Hardnet Driver (CP1613.sys)Standard Windows NDIS Driver

Step-by-Step Procedure to Commission and Activate CP 1613 A2

Physical Hardware Installation:
Insert the CP 1613 A2 card into a 32-bit PCI slot with the PC powered off. Boot into Windows. Allow Windows to bind the pre-existing Siemens drivers automatically.
Verify Device Manager Status:
Open Windows Device Manager. Confirm that the card appears under SIMATIC NET as SIMATIC CP 1613 A2 PCI Adapter without error flags.
Configure Station Configuration Editor:
* Open Station Configuration Editor from the Windows taskbar.
* Verify that the Station Name matches the computer name and the PC Station name in SIMATIC Manager.
* Add the CP 1613 into the exact rack index (e.g., Index 2) matching your project HW Config:
Click Add, select CP 1613, and assign Index 2.
Configure Operating Mode in Configuration Console:
* Open SIMATIC NET Configuration Console.
* Navigate to Modules -> CP 1613 -> General.
* Ensure the mode selector is set to Configured Mode.
Download PC Station from SIMATIC Manager:
* In SIMATIC Manager, select the PC Station object.
* In Set PG/PC Interface, temporarily set the access point S7ONLINE to PC internal.local.1.
* Click PLC -> Configure and execute the hardware download to the local Station Configuration Editor.
Verify Activation:
Upon download completion, the red cross disappears in SIMATIC NET Console, the yellow exclamation mark clears in Set PG/PC Interface, and the Station Configuration Editor displays status RUN (green).

Verification

To verify CP 1613 activation and network operation:
1. Open the Station Configuration Editor. Confirm that the CP 1613 entry displays status OK with no warning badges.
2. In Set PG/PC Interface, select CP1613_ISO: or CP1613_TCP:. Click Diagnostics.
3. Execute a network test. Confirm that MAC addresses and active nodes on the Industrial Ethernet plant bus are detected.
4. Launch WinCC OS Runtime and verify that S7 connections to S7-400 controllers establish immediately with zero frame errors.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

PCI Bus Obsoletion: The CP 1613 A2 is a legacy 32-bit PCI card. Modern industrial IPCs (such as SIMATIC IPC647D, IPC847D, IPC647E) lack legacy 5V/3.3V PCI slots, requiring PCIe-native CP 1623 (6GK1162-3AA00) cards instead.
Firmware Incompatibilities: Ensure the CP 1613 firmware is compatible with your PCS 7 release. Older CP 1613 cards cannot operate on 64-bit Windows operating systems.
Licensing Disclaimer: Utilizing CP 1613 / CP 1623 Hardnet communication requires appropriate SIMATIC NET S7-1613 / Hardnet licenses (6GK1716-1CB00-0AA0) validated against the applicable Siemens catalog and authorized distributor quotation.