---
title: Add an OPC UA Server Connection with UA Expert Client
slug: bhdo-v1/add-an-opc-ua-server-connection-with-ua-expert-client
createdAt: 2022-09-26T17:15:59.000Z
---

You can connect a new client to the OPC UA server.

:::hint{type="warning"}
**Important**: If you are using the Docker version of Belden Horizon Data Operations and have issues connecting to an OPC UA server, do the following:

1. When adding the OPC UA server from the client, use advanced mode instead of discovery. 
2. Manually enter the endpoint URL with the respective port of the Docker. 
3. In Belden Horizon Data Operations, navigate to **OPC **>** Management**, click Configure, and configure the IP address to 0.0.0.0.  
:::

In the following use case, the Simulator is used as the selected device and UAExpert on Windows 10 is used as the client.

To add an OPC UA Server Connection, you will need to do the following:

- Step 1: Add the Simulator Device
- Step 2: Add a Tag for the Simulator Device
- Step 3: Add Nodes to the OPC UA Hierarchy
- Step 4: Connect a Client with UA Expert

To jump to a specific section, refer to the Table of Contents on the right side and click the corresponding step. 

# Before You Begin

Before completing the steps below, make sure you do the following: 

- Add nodes to the OPC UA Hierarchy. See [Add a Node](docId\:dvqvjZw5NXk3Ogn7PmZ9U) or [Import Nodes](docId\:PuClSiR8hy7bByoZw07K3) for more information.
- Start the OPC UA Server. See [Manage the OPC UA Server](docId\:p0hI_3Snb82jjd0MftpGg) for more information.
- Run your server on port 4840. See [Manage the OPC UA Server](docId\:p0hI_3Snb82jjd0MftpGg) for more information.

# Step 1: Add the Simulator Device

**To add the Simulator device:**

1. Navigate to **DeviceHub**.
   The *Devices *pane appears. 
2. Select the **Add **box. 
   The *Connect Device* dialog box appears.
3. Click the **Connect Device **drop-down list, and select **Simulator **from the list.
4. Click the **Driver Name **drop-down list, and select **Simulator **from the list.
5. The *Connect Device* form drops down beneath your selections.
6. Enter **PLC1 **in the **Name **field. 
7. (Optional) Enter a short description of the device in the **Description **field.
8. Click **Add Device**.

# Step 2: Add a Tag for the Simulator Device

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**: You should add multiple tags to the Simulator (for example, plc1\_tag1, plc1\_tag2, plc1\_tag3, plc1\_tag4).
:::

**To add a Tag for the Simulator device:**

1. Navigate to **DeviceHub **>** Tags**.
2. From the Tags pane, click **Add Tag**, and then select **Add One**.
3. Click the **Select a Device **field, and then select **simulator **from the drop-down list.
4. From the *Add Tag* form , enter the following details:
   - **Value Type**: Select **int**. 
   - **Name**: Select **int-integer**.
   - **Tag Name**: Enter `plc1_tag1`. 
   - **Polling Interval**: Enter `1`.
   - **Address**: Enter `0`.
   - **Min Value**: Enter `1`.
   - **Max Value**: Enter `100`.
   - **Description **(Optional) Enter a description for the tag.
5. Click **Add Tag**.

# Step 3: Add Nodes to the OPC UA Hierarchy

You can add nodes to the OPC UA Hierarchy in the following ways:

- [Add a Node](docId\:dvqvjZw5NXk3Ogn7PmZ9U) 
- [Import Nodes](docId\:PuClSiR8hy7bByoZw07K3) 

# Step 4: Connect a Client with UAExpert

**To connect a client with UAExpert:**

1. [Download UAExpert from Unified Automation](https://www.unified-automation.com/downloads/opc-ua-clients.html).
2. Open UAExpert. Click the **Add Server **button at the top.
3. From **Custom Discovery**, double click to add a server.
4. From the *Enter URL* dialog box, enter the Belden Horizon Data Operations IP address with the ocp\:tcp\:// protocol on port 4840. For example: `ocp.tcp://192.168.1.130:4840`.

   ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/SSUUxKZUk9bFTEPNn_6Zo/laNSZcPf8w-Le5CdHGg-b_addcustomserver.png" size="80" width="872" height="425" caption="The Enter URL dialog box" position="center" showCaption="true"}
5. Click **OK**. The Belden Horizon Data Operations OPC UA server should automatically discover your new client.
6. Once connected successfully, verify that you can see the *Root > Belden Horizon Data Operations > PLC1 > tags* hierarchy in the *Address Space* panel.

   ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/SSUUxKZUk9bFTEPNn_6Zo/3sIcMZExQyyby4jeYgLCr_ua-expert-project.png "Address Space panel")
7. Select a Tag to view the the Tag's current value.