User guide
Quantum Ethernet TCP/IP Modbus Application Protocol
82  
840 USE 115 00 Version 1.0
C.3  TCP/IP Specific Issues
C.3.1 Broadcast/Multicast
Althou
g
h broadcast and/or multicast are supported b
y
 both IP network address and 
IEEE 802.3 MAC address, the Modbus Application Protocol does not support either 
broadcast or multicast at the application la
y
er.
Schneider Automation’s Quantum PLCs use broadcast addressin
g
 because the
y
use ARP as the means of locatin
g
 the destination node. The client interface to the 
Modbus Application Protocol service on the PLC, the MSTR block, re
q
uires the 
user to provide the destination IP address. Also the embedded stack does use a 
pre-confi
g
ured default 
g
atewa
y
 IP address in the case where ARP does not 
succeed.
C.3.2 TCP Port Number
Schneider Automation has obtained a well-known s
y
stem port from an Internet 
Authorit
y
. Schneider Automation’s well-known s
y
stem port number is 502.  The 
Internet Authorit
y
 assi
g
ned the s
y
stem port number 502 to asa-appl-proto with 
Dennis Dubé as the compan
y
 point of contact. 
This port number allows Schneider Automation to transport various application 
protocols over with TCP or UDP. The particular protocol is indicated b
y
 the value of 
the proto_id parameter in the mbap_pdu. Currentl
y
 the onl
y
 assi
g
nment is 0 
meanin
g
 Modbus Application Protocol. 










