Written by Miloslav Bien, Friday 20 June 2025

Advantech is pleased to announce the release of a new Router App: Modbus & DI/DO to IEC104, designed specifically to meet the interoperability needs of modern energy systems. This latest addition enables seamless communication between traditional Modbus-based field devices and supervisory control systems operating on the IEC 60870-5-104 protocol commonly used in substations, distribution automation, and other smart grid infrastructures.

With digital input/output support, this Router App goes beyond basic Modbus mapping. It allows the direct integration of I/O signals into the IEC 104 protocol, streamlining data acquisition and improving response times in energy monitoring and control systems.

Key Benefits:

• Simplified integration of Modbus sensors and I/O devices into SCADA systems.
• Improved interoperability with IEC104-based control centers.
• Reduced development overhead, thanks to a user-friendly interface and flexible configuration.

A Complete Router App Portfolio for Energy Market Needs

The release of this Router App complements Advantech’s comprehensive portfolio of user-configurable Router Apps, all tailored to enhance compatibility, data flow, and control efficiency in the energy market. The following Router Apps are available and fully supported across Advantech’s industrial router platforms:

• DNP3 Outstation
  Communicate with DNP3 SCADA systems as a remote outstation, ideal for electrical utility applications.
• Modbus Logger
  Automatically logs data from Modbus devices and exports it to local or remote servers for historical analysis and fault tracking.
• Modbus to LwM2M
  Enables Modbus devices to be integrated into Lightweight M2M (LwM2M) systems, suitable for cloud-based device management and telemetry.
• Modbus to MQTT
  Facilitates communication with modern IoT platforms using MQTT, supporting lightweight messaging and cloud scalability.
• Modbus & DI/DO to IEC104
  Converts Modbus registers and discrete I/O into IEC 104 protocol messages, optimized for grid communication and energy automation.
• Protocol IEC101-104
  Provides interoperability between IEC 60870-5-101 and IEC 60870-5-104, enabling legacy and modern devices to coexist.
• Protocol MODBUS-RTU2TCP
  Bridges serial Modbus RTU devices to Modbus TCP/IP networks, expanding network reach.
• Protocol MODBUS-RTUMAP
  Allows customized mapping of Modbus RTU data, enhancing flexibility in protocol translation.
• Protocol MODBUS-TCP2RTU
  Converts Ethernet-based Modbus TCP messages to Modbus RTU, ideal for integrating newer systems with existing serial devices.

Designed for Industrial-Grade Reliability

All Router Apps are developed with industrial reliability in mind and are supported across Advantech’s ICR series of industrial cellular routers. The modular software architecture ensures consistent performance, quick deployment, and reduced integration times for system integrators and OEMs working in power distribution, renewable energy, substation automation, and utility-grade IoT applications.

For more details and configuration guidance, please visit the Router Apps section on the Advantech website.