Category Archives: Communication Protocols

IEC 60870-5-104 Security Explained: TLS, IEC 62351 & IEC/TS 60870-5-7 Guide

IEC 60870-5-104 (IEC-104) is one of the most widely used telecontrol protocols in electrical power systems. It plays a central role in communication between substations, RTUs, and control centers, especially in transmission and distribution SCADA systems. IEC-104 is reliable, efficient, and well understood by utilities worldwide. However, when the protocol was originally designed, cybersecurity was not a primary… Read More »

IEC 61850 Data Types Explained: The Complete Practical Guide

Everything engineers need to know about Basic Types, Common Data Classes, and how they appear in GOOSE, Sampled Values, MMS, and SCL. IEC 61850 is much more than a communication protocol—it is a semantic language designed to describe protection, control, measurement, and automation inside modern substations. At the core of this language lies one essential concept: 👉 Every… Read More »

What Is CIP? Common Industrial Protocol Explained

The CIP protocol (Common Industrial Protocol) is an open, object-oriented communication standard used across modern industrial automation. It defines how devices organize data, how services are requested, and how real-time I/O, safety, and motion extensions operate — while running over multiple network types such as EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet, CompoNet, and (through CIP Safety) safety-rated networks. This guide is… Read More »

Modbus Data Types & Formats: How to Decode Register Values Correctly

Modbus is a simple protocol, but the values inside registers can be displayed in many different ways. A single 16-bit register can represent: The challenge is that the Modbus protocol never tells you how to interpret the number. Only the device’s documentation explains the meaning. To decode Modbus data correctly, engineers must understand the different data type formats… Read More »

Modbus TCP/IP Explained: Complete Beginner-to-Expert Guide

Modbus TCP/IP is one of the most widely adopted methods for connecting industrial devices over Ethernet networks. It is used in factories, power plants, water treatment facilities, building automation systems, and countless other fields where equipment must exchange information reliably. Even though modern automation protocols offer advanced features, Modbus TCP/IP remains extremely common because it is easy to… Read More »

IEC 61850 Sampled Values (SV) Explained: Complete Process Bus Reference

A complete reference for substation engineers covering Sampled Values — IEC 61850-9-2 specification, frame structure, ASDU/APDU, SmpCnt and SmpSynch, ASN.1 BER encoding, multicast addressing, IEC 62351-6 security, PRP/HSR transport, and field troubleshooting Quick Reference Item Value Standard IEC 61850-9-2:2011 (Edition 2.0) + IEC 61869-9:2016 profile Transport Raw Ethernet (Layer 2), no TCP/IP EtherType 0x88BA Multicast MAC range 01-0C-CD-04-00-00… Read More »

GOOSE vs Sampled Values (SV) in IEC 61850: Clear Differences, Use Cases & Engineering Guide

IEC 61850 has transformed how substations communicate. In the past, everything depended on copper wiring, physical contacts, and slow serial links. Today, digital substations use Ethernet-based messages that move information instantly between IEDs. Two of the fastest and most important IEC 61850 services are: Even though both use Ethernet multicast, they serve completely different purposes. GOOSE carries decisions… Read More »

IEC 61850 GOOSE Explained: Complete Guide to Fast Substation Messaging

GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented Substation Event) is one of the most important communication services defined in IEC 61850. It is used to exchange fast, event-driven messages between protection IEDs, bay controllers, and automation devices. GOOSE is designed to carry protection signals such as trips, interlocks, blockings, permissives, and alarms with very low latency and high reliability, replacing copper… Read More »

IEC 61850 MMS Explained: Full Guide to Reporting, Control, and Communication in Digital Substations

IEC 61850 is the modern communication standard used in power utility automation systems. It defines how intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) communicate inside substations and across modern electrical networks. One of the most important technologies inside this standard is MMS (Manufacturing Message Specification). MMS is used for supervisory communication, real-time monitoring, remote control, reporting, configuration, file exchange, and system… Read More »