These pages describe the settings, address or template rules, variable properties, dedicated debug panels, verification steps, and troubleshooting for each plugin. Configure channels, devices, common variables, forwarding groups, triggers, cache, redundancy, and enable/disable operations in Collection Configuration and Data Forwarding.
All collection and data-forwarding plugins are listed in the Plugins section of the left sidebar. Collection manuals are grouped into general protocols, PLCs and controllers, robots and motion control, instruments and sensors, and gateway or messaging access.
| Task | Plugin type | Configuration page |
|---|
| Read a PLC, instrument, robot, or field protocol | Collection plugin | Development Configuration → Collection Configuration |
| Subscribe to MQTT, OPC UA, or another server | Collection plugin | Development Configuration → Collection Configuration |
| Publish to MQTT, Kafka, RabbitMQ, ZeroMQ, or a Web service | Data-forwarding plugin | Development Configuration → Data Forwarding |
| Store current values, historical values, or historical alarms | Data-forwarding plugin | Development Configuration → Data Forwarding |
| Expose Modbus, OPC UA, IEC104, or IEC61850 services | Data-forwarding plugin | Development Configuration → Data Forwarding |
| Synchronize ThingsGateway nodes | Data-forwarding plugin | Development Configuration → Data Forwarding |
One protocol can have both a collection plugin and a server plugin. For example, Modbus Master reads a device, while Modbus Server exposes gateway data to another system. Choose the plugin according to the direction of data flow.
| Protocol or device | Manual | Main topics |
|---|
| Modbus | Modbus Master | TCP, RTU, ASCII, register addresses, and function codes. |
| Siemens S7 | Siemens S7 | PLC model, rack/slot, and DB addresses. |
| OPC UA | OPC UA Client | Endpoint, security policy, certificates, and nodes. |
| OPC DA | OPC DA Client | Windows OPC DA servers and Items. |
| MQTT | MQTT Collection Client | Broker, topics, payload parsing, and variable mapping. |
| Gateway MQTT | Gateway MQTT Collection Client | MQTT collection between ThingsGateway nodes. |
| IEC104 | IEC104 Master | General interrogation, indications, measurements, clock sync, and controls. |
| IEC61850 | IEC61850 Client | MMS, RCB, GOOSE, and SOE. |
| Custom packets | Custom Full Packet | Request packets, response parsing, and protocol debug. |
Open the Collection Plugins sidebar category to find other PLC, robot, instrument, scanner, and industry-protocol manuals.
| Plugin | Purpose |
|---|
| Modbus Server | Exposes variables through Modbus TCP, RTU, or ASCII. |
| OPC UA Server | Exposes OPC UA nodes, writes, and historical queries. |
| IEC104 Server | Provides indications, measurements, general interrogation, and controls. |
| IEC61850 Server | Provides MMS models, reports, GOOSE, and controls. |
| Plugin | Purpose |
|---|
| Sync Bridge | Synchronizes configuration and real-time variables between Hub and Edge nodes. |
- Read Purpose and Open the plugin to confirm the data direction and page entry.
- Configure the fields under Plugin properties.
- Add variable-level mapping only when the page provides Target variable properties or address rules.
- Save and enable the object, then open the dedicated Device debug or Target debug panel.
- Complete one real read, publish, database write, or server-side read using the page's verification steps.
Use approved test points for writes, RPC, remote control, start/stop, reset, motion, and raw-packet operations. Follow the site's safety procedure.
- Open Development Configuration → Plugin Management and clear the search and vendor filters.
- Search by protocol abbreviation, vendor, or plugin name.
- Confirm that the plugin is enabled and check license, platform, and AOT restrictions.
- After installing or updating a plugin, run Synchronize Plugins, then return to the configuration page.