How to Connect Robustel Cellular Routers to TagoIO

Robustel makes industrial cellular IoT routers and gateways used in remote monitoring, utilities, transportation, and industrial automation. Their R2000, R3000, and R5020 series connect field equipment via RS-232, RS-485, Modbus, and I/O interfaces, and communicate over 4G LTE, 5G, or Wi-Fi.

TagoIO is the application layer: it receives data from Robustel devices, stores it over time, drives dashboards, and triggers alerts. Connecting Robustel to TagoIO gives your field operations a cloud application backend without building a custom server.

This guide covers MQTT-based integration (recommended for real-time data) and HTTPS REST forwarding.

What you need before you start

A TagoIO account (free plan available)
A Robustel gateway (R2000, R3000, R5020, or compatible model)
Cellular SIM card with data plan installed in the Robustel device
Field instruments connected to the Robustel RS-485 or I/O ports

Architecture overview

[Field instruments] → (RS-485/Modbus or digital I/O) → [Robustel gateway]
                                                               ↓ (MQTT or HTTPS over cellular/LTE)
                                                          [TagoIO]

Path 1: Robustel → MQTT → TagoIO (TagoTiP)

Robustel devices support MQTT natively through their RobustLink application framework and the built-in MQTT client.

Step 1: Create a TagoTiP device in TagoIO

Log in to admin.tago.io.
Click Devices → Add Device.
Search for TagoTiP and select it.
Name the device and set a Serial Number (used in the MQTT topic).
Copy the Authorization Hash from the General tab.

TagoTiP MQTT docs: docs.tago.io/docs/tagotip/transports/mqtt

Step 2: Configure MQTT on the Robustel gateway

Setting	Value
MQTT Broker Host	`mqtt.tip.us-e1.tago.io` (US) or `mqtt.tip.eu-w1.tago.io` (EU)
Port	`1883`
Client ID	any unique string
Username	First 8 hex characters of the Authorization Hash
Password	Last 8 hex characters of the Authorization Hash
Publish Topic	`$tip/YOUR_SERIAL/push`

Step 3: Map field data to TagoTiP payload

Configure the Robustel RobustLink data collection to poll your Modbus registers or digital I/O at the desired interval, and format the publish payload using the TagoTiP syntax:

[temperature:=87.3#C;pressure:=4.32#bar;alarm_input:=0]

For Robustel devices with the RobustLink SDK (supports Python scripting on R5020 and R3000 Pro):

import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt

SERIAL = "robustel-site-01"
AUTH_HASH = "your_auth_hash_here"
HOST = "mqtt.tip.us-e1.tago.io"

# Read Modbus registers (example using pymodbus)
temperature = read_modbus_register(1, 40001)
pressure = read_modbus_register(1, 40002)

client = mqtt.Client()
client.username_pw_set(AUTH_HASH[:8], AUTH_HASH[8:])
client.connect(HOST, 1883)

payload = f"[temperature:={temperature}#C;pressure:={pressure}#bar]"
client.publish(f"$tip/{SERIAL}/push", payload)
client.disconnect()

Path 2: Robustel → HTTPS REST → TagoIO

For simpler deployments or devices without full MQTT configuration, use the Robustel HTTP client to POST data to the TagoIO API.

Step 1: Create an HTTPS device in TagoIO

In TagoIO, go to Devices → Add Device → HTTPS.
Name the device and copy the Device Token.

Step 2: Configure HTTP POST on the Robustel device

In the Robustel web interface, navigate to Services → RobustLink → HTTP:

URL: https://api.tago.io/data
Method: POST
Headers: Device-Token: YOUR_DEVICE_TOKEN, Content-Type: application/json
Body template:

[
  {"variable": "temperature", "value": ${temperature}},
  {"variable": "pressure", "value": ${pressure}},
  {"variable": "signal_strength", "value": ${rssi}}
]

Robustel’s RobustLink HTTP client supports variable substitution in the payload body using the ${variable_name} syntax for mapped data channels.

Sending data docs: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/devices/sending-data

Step 3: Verify in the Live Inspector

Open the Live Inspector in TagoIO and confirm readings arrive on the expected schedule.

Live Inspector docs: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/devices/live-inspector

Step 4: Build dashboards and alerts

From Dashboards → +, create an operator dashboard. For Robustel remote monitoring deployments:

Map widget showing all remote site locations (use latitude/longitude from GPS-equipped Robustel devices)
Time-series charts for key process variables
Status cards showing last communication time and cellular signal strength
Alert log showing recent threshold events

For multiple sites with identical layouts, use Blueprint Dashboards.

Set up Actions for offline alerts when a Robustel gateway stops reporting (cellular outage or power loss).

Use case examples

Remote pump station monitoring

Robustel R2000 at a water utility pump station. Reads flow, pressure, and level via Modbus from a PLC. Sends to TagoIO every 60 seconds over LTE. TagoIO dashboard shows real-time station status. Alert fires and triggers an SMS if the pump goes offline or pressure drops below minimum.

Pipeline leak detection

Robustel R3000 Pro at multiple points along a gas pipeline. Pressure sensors connected via RS-485. TagoIO Analysis scripts run delta-pressure calculations between adjacent points and flag anomalies consistent with leak signatures.

Analysis docs: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/analysis

Fleet and mobile asset tracking

Robustel R5020 in trucks and construction vehicles. GPS + CAN-bus data sent to TagoIO every 30 seconds. TagoIO map widget shows live fleet positions. Idle time and fuel consumption calculated via Analysis and surfaced on an operations dashboard.

Taking it further with AI

TagoIO’s MCP server lets AI assistants query your Robustel field data in natural language. Ask: “Which remote sites lost connectivity in the past 24 hours?” or “Show me average pump pressure for each site over the last week.”

MCP docs: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/getting-started/tagoio-mcp-ai-powered-iot-data-integration

Summary

Robustel cellular routers connect to TagoIO via MQTT (TagoTiP) or HTTPS REST, sending Modbus and I/O data from field instruments over LTE. The integration is configured on the Robustel side through its RobustLink framework, with no additional middleware required.

TagoTiP MQTT: docs.tago.io/docs/tagotip/transports/mqtt
Sending Data: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/devices/sending-data
Analysis Scripts: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/analysis
Actions: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/actions
MCP: docs.tago.io/docs/tagoio/getting-started/tagoio-mcp-ai-powered-iot-data-integration