IEC 60870‑5‑101, IEC 60870‑5‑103 and IEC 60870‑5‑104 are standardized, vendor-independent protocols. With SIPLUS RIC, they can be parameterized with the SIMATIC Manager or TIA Portal V13 SP1 without the need for additional installations.

The IEC 60870-5-101 protocol supports standard WLAN connections via dedicated lines; in the automation system, the modems are coupled via the RS 232 or RS 485 interface to the 1SI, CP 340, CP 341, CP 441, CP 1540 or CP 1541 communication modules.

The IEC 60870-5-103 protocol permits serial communication with protection devices, e.g. SIPROTEC. Coupling takes place via the 1SI, CP 340, CP 341, CP 441, CM PTP, CP 1540 or CP 1541 communication modules via the RS 232 or RS 485 interface with fiber-optic cables.

The IEC 60870-5-104 protocol supports TCP/IP-based WAN connections such as Internet/DSL or GPRS/UMTS/LTE. Either the PN interfaces of the CPUs or the CP 343-1CX10/-1EX30/-1GX30, CP 443-1EX20/-1EX30/-1GX20/-1GX30, CM 1542-1 or CP 1543 communication modules are used as interfaces. Redundancy groups and substitute routes (combinations of serial and Ethernet transmission paths) are both possible and enabled via the interfaces.

The libraries for the IEC 60870-5-101 and -104 protocols are supplied as master and slave including activation for PN-CPU and CP interface. The IEC 60870-5-103 library is only provided as master.

SIMATIC Controllers can also communicate with third-party products by means of the IEC protocols.

Information can be forwarded both from lower-level stations and protection devices to the control centers. Automatic updating of the information objects can take place which can then be forwarded with the information object and ASDU address unchanged. These addresses can however also be changed by means of parameter assignment.