# Can Ignition connect to USB devices? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [January 14, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276 "2020-01-14T14:29:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chris.m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Chris.m](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Chris.m)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/1 "2020-01-14T14:29:15Z")
Hello, I’m pretty new to all of this, and have some questions. I just purchased a labjack U3, and it’s the model that only has USB connectivity. ( [https://labjack.com/products/u3](https://labjack.com/products/u3) ) There is a python library for it, but I believe it’s incompatible because it’s written in C? So right now I’m looking for a way to connect to the device through USB and it’s looking like that’s unlikely as well. Do I have any other options? ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/2 "2020-01-14T15:17:14Z")
Unfortunately after poking around the software section on their website it seems like there are plenty of connectivity options but none of them are usable without writing a custom module for Ignition. ---
**Author:** ![grietveld](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/grietveld/32/6984_2.png) [@grietveld](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/grietveld)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/3 "2020-01-14T15:33:53Z")
Looks like some of the platforms support Modbus TCP, but there aren’t any examples for the U3. Not sure if its a limitation of hardware, or just no examples written. [https://labjack.com/support/software/examples/modbus](https://labjack.com/support/software/examples/modbus) ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/4 "2020-01-14T15:34:07Z")
Looks like a pain to write a module for it, at least in a cross-platform way. ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/5 "2020-01-14T15:40:09Z")
From what I found it’s Modbus TCP _over their USB connection_, using their special socket class in their DLL. ---
**Author:** ![grietveld](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/grietveld/32/6984_2.png) [@grietveld](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/grietveld)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/6 "2020-01-14T15:45:58Z")
Yeah, looking at this page, it looks like only the T series allows Modbus, and those have ethernet ports to communicate. [https://labjack.com/support/software/modbus-client-applications](https://labjack.com/support/software/modbus-client-applications) For USB, I guess the module would be the only likely route. ---
**Author:** ![Chris.m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Chris.m](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Chris.m)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/7 "2020-01-14T16:07:52Z")
Yea that’s not sounding good. I had to go with the USB only model because anything with ethernet capabilities just cost too much. I have other programs I can use to mess around with it still (labview), but I was hoping to get some more ignition experience with it if possible. If I was any good at this stuff I WOULD take a crack at creating my own module, but I’m literally on chapter four of “Python Crash Course” right now, so that’s gonna be a no from me. : P ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/8 "2020-01-14T16:13:01Z")
> [@Chris.m](#): > > but I’m literally on chapter four of “Python Crash Course” right now, so that’s gonna be a no from me. : P Modules are written in Java anyway, and basically expect that you're already a Java programmer and familiar with Java build systems, or can become familiar quickly, ---
**Author:** ![Chris.m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Chris.m](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Chris.m)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/9 "2020-01-14T16:18:02Z")
Well my point still stands then, that I’m not properly equipped! ---
**Author:** ![Chris.m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Chris.m](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Chris.m)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/10 "2020-01-14T19:59:43Z")
I suppose I could use external scripting to log changes on the device pins, and then use ignition to read that log. Would be quite limiting but it would give me something to do. ---
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/11 "2020-01-14T21:30:12Z")
Sounds like the cost of engineering will pay for the Ethernet version of the device (and probably more) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chris.m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Chris.m](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Chris.m)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/12 "2020-01-14T23:03:16Z")
This is for education purposes, the only money being transferred is coming out of my credit card. ---
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/13 "2020-01-15T00:19:42Z")
Fair enough. But in that case, why not try using an Arduino or Raspberry Pi with Ethernet and modbus TCP? These would be a far cheaper option and would give you Ethernet. Possibly more playing around required though… Just my 2c ---
**Author:** ![Chris.m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Chris.m](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Chris.m)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 1:36am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-ignition-connect-to-usb-devices/31276/14 "2020-01-15T01:36:46Z")
I already own a pi that’s running my home HVAC. It’s a bit difficult to program for in labview, so I wanted to try out different hardware that had better compatibilities with THAT software. Ignition was sort of an afterthought, despite it being required for a job I’m looking at.