Restoring CP 1623 Communications and Multi-Monitor Display in SIMATIC PCS 7 OS

In SIMATIC PCS 7 Operator Stations (OS), when CP 1623 communication cards fail to establish an active connection to S7-400 controllers—evidenced by a blank 'Conn' column for the WinCC Application in the Station Configuration Editor—the issue is caused by an un-downloaded PC Station configuration, computer name mismatches between Windows and SIMATIC Manager, or missing SIMATIC NET S7-REDCONNECT licenses. To resolve this, verify that the Windows computer name matches the PC Station name in HW Config, execute 'PLC > Configure...' and 'PLC > Download' from SIMATIC Manager to initialize the virtual backplane, and verify license keys in ALM. Furthermore, when utilizing multi-monitor Matrox graphic adapters where only one screen renders runtime graphics, engineers must run the WinCC OS Project Editor, select the 'Multi-VGA' layout in the Layout tab, and verify Extended Desktop mode in Windows.

Architecture of the Station Configuration Editor and CP 1623

In SIMATIC PCS 7 Operator Stations (OS Servers, OS Single Stations, and OS Clients), high-performance communication with Automation Stations across the Industrial Ethernet Plant Bus is established using specialized communication processors:
$$\text{Hardware Module: } \textbf{SIMATIC CP 1623 } (6\text{GK1162-3AA00})$$

The CP 1623 card features an onboard microprocessor that offloads ISO transport protocol and S7 communication stacks from the host computer's CPU.

The software interface between WinCC and the physical CP 1623 cards is coordinated by the Station Configuration Editor (s7config.exe). The virtual PC Station backplane must be populated with:
- Slot 1: WinCC Application (WinCC Appl.)
- Slot 2 or 3: CP 1623 (Interface 1 connected to Plant Bus A)
- Slot 4: CP 1623 (Interface 2 connected to Plant Bus B in redundant topologies)

In the Station Configuration Editor, the Conn column indicates whether active, configured S7 Named Connections are bound to the WinCC runtime application. A yellow checkmark icon appears when connections are operational; a blank field indicates communication is completely uninitialized.

Why the 'Conn' Column Remains Blank

When an engineer inspects the Station Configuration Editor and observes that the CP 1623 cards display their IP addresses but the Conn column in the WinCC Application row is blank:

PC Station Never Downloaded from ES: Configuring IP addresses in Windows Network Connections or SIMATIC NET Configuration Console initializes the physical card, but does NOT configure the virtual backplane. The S7 Named Connection table generated in NetPro must be compiled and downloaded directly into the Station Configurator.
Computer Name Mismatch: If the physical PC's Windows hostname (e.g., SERVER01) does not match the name of the PC Station object in SIMATIC Manager HW Config (e.g., OS_SRV1), the download loader rejects the configuration, leaving the Conn table blank.
Missing S7-REDCONNECT License: Communicating over CP 1623 with fault-tolerant S7-400H controllers requires the SIMATIC NET S7-REDCONNECT software license. Without this license, the communication driver halts connection establishment.
Access Point Misalignment: The S7 protocol suite requires S7ONLINE to be mapped to CP1623(ISO) or CP1623(RFC1006).

Step-by-Step CP 1623 Communication Restoration

To restore CP 1623 communication and establish active connections in the Station Configuration Editor:

Step 1: Verify Windows Hostname and Project PC Station Name

Open Windows System Properties (sysdm.cpl) and verify the exact Computer name.
In SIMATIC Manager, select the PC Station object. Verify that its name matches the Windows computer name exactly (case-sensitive).

Step 2: Configure Slots in HW Config and NetPro

Open HW Config for the PC Station.
Ensure Slot 1 contains WinCC Appl. and Slot 2 contains CP 1623.
In NetPro, select WinCC Appl. and verify that an S7 Connection (or S7-H connection) is configured to the S7-400 CPU.
Select menu Network > Save and Compile.... Choose Compile and check everything.

Step 3: Download Configuration to the PC Station

In SIMATIC Manager, select the PC Station.
Select menu PLC > Configure...: Select the target computer and click Configure.
Select menu PLC > Download: Confirm the download prompt.
Open the Station Configuration Editor: The WinCC Application row will now display the yellow connection icon in the Conn column, confirming active S7 connection binding.

Configuring Multi-Monitor Displays with Matrox Video Adapters

A frequent secondary issue on operator consoles using multi-screen graphics adapters (such as Matrox Extio, C-Series, or M-Series multi-display cards) is that Windows displays on both screens, but WinCC Runtime only opens on a single monitor, leaving the second monitor blank.

Resolution Steps:

Windows Display Configuration:
- Right-click the Windows desktop and select Display Settings (or open Matrox PowerDesk).
- Ensure the monitors are configured in Extend these displays mode (do NOT select Duplicate / Mirror).
- Verify that both monitors share identical vertical screen resolutions (e.g., $1920 \times 1080$).
WinCC OS Project Editor Configuration:
- In WinCC Explorer on the OS, double-click OS Project Editor.
- Select the Layout tab.
- Under Available layouts, select the multi-screen template matching your physical monitor count:
- SIMATIC Standard 1920x1080 2 Monitors (or Multi-VGA 2 Monitors).
- Select the Message display tab: Configure which monitor hosts the permanent alarm overview line.
- Click OK to generate the multi-screen runtime environment.
Graphics Runtime Activation:
- Launch WinCC Runtime: The graphics subsystem automatically spans across both physical monitors, dedicating Monitor 1 to process overviews and Monitor 2 to detailed faceplates and alarm logs.

Station Configuration and Multi-Monitor Parameter Matrix

The following matrix outlines configuration parameters for PC Station communication and multi-screen operation:

Configuration AreaParameter SettingRequired ValueDiagnostic PurposePC Station BackplaneSlot 1 ComponentWinCC Appl.Hosts WinCC runtime channelsPC Station BackplaneSlot 2 ComponentCP 1623Binds physical Industrial Ethernet adapterStation ConfiguratorConn Column StatusActive Icon PresentConfirms NetPro S7 connection table is loadedAutomation License ManagerLicense KeySIMATIC NET S7-REDCONNECTMandatory for S7-400H fault-tolerant communicationWindows Display SettingsMultiple DisplaysExtend these displaysEnables independent 2D desktop spanningWinCC OS Project EditorLayout SelectionSIMATIC Standard 2 MonitorsConfigures split-screen runtime picture containers

Verification

To confirm that communication and multi-monitor displays are fully functional:
1. Open the Station Configuration Editor: Verify that Slot 1 displays the connection icon in the Conn column and status is RUN.
2. Launch WinCC Runtime: Verify that process graphics span seamlessly across both monitors.
3. Open a faceplate on Monitor 1: Drag it across the boundary onto Monitor 2; verify smooth rendering without display clipping.
4. In WinCC Explorer, open Tag Management > SIMATIC S7 Protocol Suite > Named Connections:
- Right-click the connection and select Status.
- Verify that connection status indicates a green checkmark (Connected) with active data telegram counters.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Observe the following engineering constraints:
- Identical Monitor Resolutions: Multi-monitor operator stations require identical screen resolutions and scaling factors ($100\%$) across all attached displays. Mixing different display resolutions causes coordinate displacement in WinCC picture windows.
- CP 1623 Driver Installation: Never install generic network adapter drivers for the CP 1623. Always allow the SIMATIC NET PC Software setup to install the certified Siemens NDIS/NDIS-WAN drivers.
- Dual CP 1623 Card Identification: In workstations equipped with two CP 1623 cards, verify physical MAC address assignments in SIMATIC NET Configuration Console to ensure Cable A and Cable B connect to the intended physical cards.

Engineer FAQ

Why is the Conn column blank even though my CP 1623 has an IP address?

Configuring an IP address only establishes basic network connectivity. The Conn column remains blank until the complete PC Station hardware configuration and NetPro S7 connection tables are downloaded from SIMATIC Manager.

What software license is required for CP 1623 communication with S7-400H?

Communication with fault-tolerant S7-400H controllers over CP 1623 requires the SIMATIC NET S7-REDCONNECT license installed in Automation License Manager.

Why does WinCC only display on one monitor when two are plugged in?

WinCC does not automatically span multiple monitors unless configured in the OS Project Editor. You must select a multi-monitor layout (e.g., '2 Monitors 1920x1080') in the OS Project Editor and ensure Windows is set to 'Extend these displays'.