300+ SCADA Protocol Articles & Guides
Deep dives on Modbus, DNP3, IEC 60870-5-101/104, IEC 61850, OPC UA, Profinet, MQTT, IEC 62443, and substation automation — written for practicing engineers.
HTTP vs MQTT: Which to Use for Real-Time Messaging
HTTP vs MQTT compared for real-time messaging: long polling, SSE, WebSockets, and MQTT weighed on latency, scale, direction, and delivery guarantees.
Open Source MQTT Broker: Mosquitto vs EMQX vs HiveMQ CE vs VerneMQ
Open source MQTT brokers compared: Mosquitto, EMQX, HiveMQ CE, and VerneMQ. Features, licenses, clustering, Sparkplug B, and honest guidance on when to pick each.
SCADA and ICS: The Difference and How They Fit Together
SCADA and ICS are not the same thing: SCADA is one type of ICS. See how SCADA, DCS, and PLC systems fit inside ICS and OT, per NIST and IEC definitions.
Free FTP Clients: Which One Fits the Job You Do
FileZilla, WinSCP, curl, lftp, Cyberduck — all free. Which FTP client fits your job, which support SFTP, and which to use for scripts and field work.
FTP Explained: How File Transfer Protocol Works
How FTP really works: the two-connection model, active vs passive mode, commands, reply codes, and why FTP fails security audits. Plus FTP vs FTPS vs SFTP.
EtherNet/IP vs Modbus TCP: Complete Comparison Guide
EtherNet/IP vs Modbus TCP: detailed comparison of data models, performance, ports, security, deployment scenarios. When to choose which protocol.
MQTT 5 vs MQTT 3.1.1: Differences, Features & Migration
MQTT 5 vs MQTT 3.1.1 compared: every difference, every new feature, behavioral changes, packet-level changes, and how to decide which version to use.
RS-232 DB9 Pinout: Signal Reference, Wiring, and Field Troubleshooting
he full RS-232 DB9 (DE-9) pinout with signal directions, voltage levels, null modem vs straight-through wiring, and industrial troubleshooting.
CIP Safety vs PROFIsafe: An Honest Comparison of SIL3 Safety Protocols
CIP Safety vs PROFIsafe: real technical differences in addressing, time monitoring, engineering tools, ecosystem, and when to pick which. Vendor-neutral.
Top 10 Free Modbus Simulators
Top 10 free Modbus simulators for RTU and TCP testing — slave and master tools with setup steps, command-line examples, and download links.
PROFINET vs EtherNet/IP: Complete Comparison for Industrial Engineers
PROFINET vs EtherNet/IP compared: protocol architecture, real-time performance, GSDML vs EDS, PROFIsafe vs CIP Safety, installed base, and when to choose each.
OPC UA vs OPC DA: The Full Comparison Every Engineer Needs
OPC UA vs OPC DA compared across security, platform, data model, and more. See the full table, key differences explained, and when to use each protocol.
SCADA Security: Complete Guide to Protecting Control Systems
Learn how to secure SCADA systems from cyber threats. Covers network segmentation, remote access, IEC 62443 zones, real attacks, and a practical checklist.
How to Configure DNP3 Communication Between Master and Outstation
Learn how to configure DNP3 master and outstation communication step by step. Covers addressing, polling, unsolicited responses, TCP/IP setup, and security.
OPC Classic vs OPC UA: Key Differences and Migration Guide
OPC Classic vs OPC UA: compare security, platform support, and data modeling. Plus a practical migration guide with three strategies to fit any situation.
OPC UA vs MQTT vs Modbus: Which Protocol Should You Use?
OPC UA vs MQTT vs Modbus: Which protocol fits your project? Compare security, speed, data modeling, and scalability to pick the right one for your IIoT system.
Coding Modbus TCP/IP for Arduino: A Complete Technical Guide
Complete guide to coding Modbus TCP/IP on Arduino. Learn protocol structure, implement client/server, practical examples, troubleshooting. Perfect for industrial automation projects.
PROFIBUS vs Modbus: Complete Technical Comparison for Engineers
A thorough technical comparison of PROFIBUS vs Modbus — covering protocol architecture, message framing, function codes, CRC methods, speed, diagnostics, network topology, and when to choose each. Based on the original Modicon Modbus specification and IEC 61784-1.