Hi,

We're developing a SCADA app in which the user should be able to access other web apps we have in the factory by clicking buttons over the process synoptic.

For example, by clicking one IO display field that shows the value of a process variable, the user should be able to navigate to a specific interface in our SPC app. Or by clicking an equipment, the student should access a wordpress page with documentation or instructions.

We used the WebControl (HmiWebControl) to implement this feature. We had success on browsing apps that are deployed in the IED (we tested with the FlowCreator, for example). But we had no access on accesing apps that are deployed external to the IED.

It means if I try to browse www.google.com, or any other url for an app that is accessible in the network, the WebControl component displays a message that says the connection has been refused.

Is there any default restriction that we must disable or configure?

Hi denisleite,

Internet browsers for WinCC Unified PC

WebControl

Hi. 

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I had a look at the material you sent. But they do not refer to our issue.

I'll bring more specific information so you can better help us:

1) We're using WinCC Unified in an Industrial Edge Device Virtual Machine (IEDVM).

2) We fond no issues on using the Web component to browse a URL that leads to a resource deployed within the IED, such as the FlowCreator(image attached).

3) We can't browse a resource that is external to the IED, such as www.google.com (image attached).

It seems the issue is related to some restriction of WinCC Unified for IED on accessing resources that are external to the IED. But we can not know for sure.

We can share access to this resource in case you can go deeper on it with us. 

Hi denisleite,

www.siemens.com/supportrequest

Thanks for your attention.

We checked the points you recommended.

Not only the VM but also the apps within it can access resources in the internet.

The attached image shows 2 flows in FlowCreator. On the upper part, it's a flow that successfully accesses a SQL database in MS Azure.

On the bottom part, it's a flow that embeds webpages. It works when I embed WinCC Unified, which is an app deployed within the IED. But it doesn't work when I define targets out of it (such as google.com and https://142.250.78.228).

We also tried embedding the IEM, which is in the same LAN as the IED and is used to configure the IED. But also it didn't work.

It's like there is some restriction, or some configuration we haven't found, that prevents resources internal to the IED to access embed web apps that are external to the IED.

Hi denisleite,

How to get data from Website Using Node-Red

Hi.

Thanks again for the reply.

I'd like to bring us back to the main topic which is browse external web apps using the WinCC Unified WebControl.

The reason I did an experiment using FlowCreator was to verify if the issue was isolated in the WinCC Unified or in the WebControl within the WinCC Unified. As you could see, the issue was the same in both cases.

Anyhow, following your recommendation, I did a test using a http request node the way it's done in the video you suggested watching and I could get a response.

Answering your question, the node i'm using is the node-red-node-ui-iframe : ui_iframe.

But not to miss the point, our necessity is to browse an external web app with WinCC Unified WebControl. Up to now, I can browse apps that are deployed within the IED but nothing out of it. I even tried the IEM login page, since it is in the same network as the IED, but it didn't work also (images provided in the previous message).

Hi,

I received a feedback from the support and performed further tests.

The issue is not related to security policies, but instead it refers to limitatios of the WebControl component regarding javascript. So some applications open and some others don't.

One suggestion is to implement some other more specific error/feedback codes and information to the WebControl component that enable diagnosing.