Connect Your Modbus Devices
The Modbus Tab on the Deployments page lets you add, configure, and manage Modbus IP devices within your building deployment.
Onboard supports a pre-defined set of vendor templates for Modbus. To confirm if your Modbus device is supported, please review the Network & Connectivity Requirements article and verify the Connectivity Requirements section before proceeding.
Adding a New Modbus Device
- On the Modbus tab, Click “ADD NEW MODBUS” button
- This opens the launch interface where you will enter details about your device.
- Enter Device Information
- Controller IP: The IP address of your Modbus device. Ensure it is accessible to the Edge Node on your network.
- Port Number: By default, Modbus uses port# 502.
- Unit Identifier: This identifies the Modbus device on the network (often called slave ID). You can find it in your device documentation or front-end configuration.
- Vendor Device: Choose from Onboard’s supported vendor templates. These templates map registers to equipment and point types automatically.
- Polling Frequency: Define how often the Edge Node should query the Modbus device (default: 60 seconds).
- Save Configuration
- Once you save, the Edge Node attempts to connect to the Modbus device. The device will now appear under the Modbus tab with an indicated status.
Understanding Device Status
🔄 To retry the same configuration, use the refresh button under the Actions column.
🗑️ To correct configuration details, delete the device and re-add it with the proper settings (the UI does not currently support editing existing configurations).
⚠️ One Active Collector Only: To connect with a Modbus device, make sure only one Collector is active. You can disable the inactive Collectors via the Management tab or email us if you need assistance.
👉 Next Steps: Once your Modbus device shows SUCCESS, head to Staging to validate and publish its equipment and points.