# Data from remote sites, seeking advice **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [November 3, 2026, 4:25am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706 "2026-11-03T04:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AngrySparky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f07891/32.png) [@AngrySparky](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/AngrySparky)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 4:25am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706/1 "2026-11-03T04:25:19Z")
Been fighting comms on my legacy system right now and would appreciate a discussion on the topic as I start building our new ignition system. We have around 50 remote sites; tanks, prvs, booster pumps, etc all connected through 900 mhz radios. The radios are new xetawaves and work pretty well. The current comms are mostly a central compactlogix ethernet messaging remote site plcs or remote I/O units. A few sites have factorytalk view polling slc500s directly. Some of the data is packaged into integers for efficiency but its not as good as it could be. Not a huge amount of data from any one site, probably 20-30 tags typically. This setup works but is not what I would call bullet proof. Trying to decide on a better path forward for the new ignition system. Seems there are several options. 1. I could continue with using plc to plc ethernet or modbus comms from a data collector plc to remote sites and connect the data collector plc to ignition. Comes with an unruly plc program to manage. Not sure how this compares as far as network usage. 2. I could poll everything directly from ignition and just slow the poll rate way down. Seems to be generally accepted as a bad idea. 3. Install some sort of opc-ua server device at each site, then ignition connects to that. Long term this could work out as eventually I need to upgrade plcs and the plcs I would put in could do this. 4. Install an mqtt device at each site that pushed data to a broker that ignition connected to. This seems like the poster child example use case for mqtt. However I would have to either buy the mqtt modules or install a different broker. Also seems there are some nuances of handling mqtt tags to make them behave reliably. The radios im already using can publish data to mqtt. If I upgrade plc that ability would also be there. This option seems like the most to learn. What advice can anyone share on this topic? ---
**Author:** ![lane.duncan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/lane.duncan/32/83700_2.png) [@lane.duncan](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/lane.duncan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 4:59am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706/2 "2026-11-03T04:59:36Z")
I think both MQTT and/or Ignition Edge via a Gateway network are valid options. Hardware and operating environment would be my biggest concerns. Data storage requirements if the system goes offline also needs to be considered. ---
**Author:** ![tgarrison](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/tgarrison/32/80965_2.png) [@tgarrison](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/tgarrison)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 12:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706/3 "2026-11-03T12:36:46Z")
MQTT. Publish on exception to drop your bandwidth requirements way down, and get the updates as quickly as they happen. Either the Cirrus Link broker in Ignition, or a standalone Mosquitto is pretty simple to setup. Ignition Edge IIoT if you don't need local visibility, running on a cheap(ish) linux box like an Onlogic CL250 works great and comes with Transmission. Also that gives you a pretty easy heartbeat capabilitty to monitor comms from both ends and restart stuff if needed. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706/4 "2026-11-03T12:49:09Z")
Consider reducing the use of TCP/IP. Radio links, including WiFi, are not well-suited to Industrial TCP connections, due to packet drops and beacon intervals. (You need significant traffic to mitigate TCP packet drops quickly--far more traffic than PLCs can handle.) Consider using producer-consumer tags to push data over UDP to the Ignition side of the network (either to a dedicated receiving PLC, or my module in Scanner mode). No help for the SLC500. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![AngrySparky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f07891/32.png) [@AngrySparky](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/AngrySparky)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706/5 "2026-11-03T14:21:57Z")
I dont think I will be able to benefit from produce-consume tags much. Currently the data collector plc is a compactlogix, but everything in the field is either a micrologix, a slc500, or a turk remote io unit. All the field devices will be getting upgraded over the next few years but as an organization we are trying to move away from AB entirely. Simple sites will likely get wired straight into the built in IO of the radios which means modbus or mqtt. Larger sites will get a new plc ( probably brx) which can talk just about anything. Theoretically could put a plc at each site like now with built in opc server. Then connect ignition to that. How would opc compare to mqtt on network usage ? OPC would be less setup and licensing than mqtt ? ---
**Author:** ![AngrySparky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f07891/32.png) [@AngrySparky](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/AngrySparky)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/data-from-remote-sites-seeking-advice/117706/6 "2026-11-03T14:26:48Z")
I have 4 edge panels going in at larger sites. Dont think I can justify the cost and licenses for an edge install at these smaller sites where all the data can be sent in half a dozen 16 bit registers. Edge is cheap but not for 50 sites. This is also for a smaller municipality so trying g to keep the upfront as well as recurring cost as low as possible.