FireSight OT · alternatives
An Ewon and Talk2M alternative you host yourself
If you're looking for an Ewon or Talk2M alternative, you probably like the idea of a gateway at each machine that connects out to a central service, but want something different about where that service runs or how access is controlled. This page compares HMS Ewon and Talk2M with FireSight OT, using only what HMS describes in its public documentation.
Being fair
When Ewon and Talk2M are a good fit
Ewon Cosy and Flexy gateways connect out to the Talk2M cloud. Engineers connect with the eCatcher client, or through M2Web in a browser.
- Outbound connections from the gateway to Talk2M, on TCP 443 or UDP 1194.
- Web HMIs, RDP and VNC in the browser through M2Web.
- Access per gateway with pools on Talk2M Pro, and multi-factor sign-in by SMS on Talk2M Pro.
- Email when a gateway stays offline, for 1 hour to 1 week, with pools (not in Talk2M Light).
- A hosted cloud, so there's no server for you to run.
Side by side
Ewon / Talk2M and FireSight OT: where they differ
Only the points where the two differ, or where one side's public docs don't describe something.
| Point | Ewon / Talk2M (public docs) | FireSight OT |
|---|---|---|
| Where the server runs | The Talk2M cloud. Self-hosting: not described in their public docs. | Your own server, in your data centre or a cloud VM. A hosted option is planned. |
| Identical sites with the same addresses | Not described in their public docs. | Each site's machine network maps 1:1 to its own range on the Hub. No renumbering. |
| Access granularity | Per Ewon gateway, through pools on Talk2M Pro. | Per machine (a web HMI, RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet, a serial console or one TCP port) or per Cloud Connector. |
| SSH in the browser | Not described in their public docs (M2Web covers web HMIs, RDP and VNC). | New in 0.3.0: SSH, Telnet and serial consoles in a browser terminal, as well as RDP and VNC in the browser. |
| Multi-factor sign-in | By SMS on Talk2M Pro. | Authenticator apps (TOTP), which can be required for everyone and always are for vendors, or single sign-on. |
| Offline alerts | Email when an Ewon stays offline, 1 hour to 1 week, with pools. Not in Talk2M Light. | Email when a Cloud Connector is offline or a machine is unreachable for N minutes, with one line per site outage and maintenance mode. |
| Gateway hardware | Ewon Cosy and Flexy hardware gateways. | Ready-made Cloud Connectors from us, or build your own from standard parts. |
FireSight OT
What's different with FireSight OT as an Ewon alternative
A Hub you run
The Cloud Hub runs on your server, so users, access rules and the audit log stay with you. A machine builder can run one Hub for every company it supplies, each kept fully separate. It needs only TCP 443 open inbound; the sites need nothing open.
Built for identical lines
Machine builders ship the same line again and again, often on 192.168.1.x. With 1:1 mapping, every copy gets its own range on the Hub, and machines see connections from the Cloud Connector, so nothing changes on the PLCs.
Hours and end dates
Plants can give a machine builder a vendor account for their own machines only, with two-factor sign-in, access hours and an end date. Connections close when time is up, and every session is in the audit log.
Desktop, terminal and serial in the browser
RDP and VNC with clipboard and Ctrl+Alt+Del, plus SSH, Telnet and serial consoles in a browser terminal. Terminal sessions are kept as text transcripts for 90 days. For engineering tools, a client for Windows, macOS and Linux opens a local port.
No hardware lock-in
Cloud Connectors are Raspberry Pi-based: buy CC-3, CC-4, CC-5 or the industrial CC-4i and CC-5i from us, or build your own from parts at a local store. New in 0.3.0, 4G/5G modems work as the main link or a backup, with a standby mode that uses about 15 MB a month.
Per Cloud Connector
A Hub licence per company or a device licence per connector, so a machine builder can license per machine shipped. If a licence lapses, it keeps working in a restricted mode and security updates continue.
Running both
Moving from Talk2M one machine at a time
There's no need to swap every gateway on day one. A Cloud Connector can sit next to an existing Ewon on the same machine network while you try it.
- Start with one site or one new machine. The 30-day evaluation covers up to three Cloud Connectors.
- Ship new machines with a Cloud Connector and keep existing Ewons in service until they're due for replacement.
- Use maintenance mode during the changeover so the new alerts don't fire while people work on the site.
Comparing several products? Use our eleven questions for any OT remote-access product.
Related: remote support for machine builders, industrial remote access over 4G/5G, and the FireSight OT overview.
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Facts checked against public documentation on 25 October 2026; tell us at hello@firesightsystems.com if anything has changed.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is there a self-hosted alternative to Talk2M?
FireSight OT's Cloud Hub runs on your own server, in your data centre or a cloud VM, so users, access rules and the audit log stay with you. A hosted option is planned.
Can I replace Ewon gateways gradually?
Yes. A Cloud Connector can sit next to an existing Ewon on the same machine network, so you can start with one site or one new machine and keep existing gateways in service.
Does FireSight OT work for machine builders with identical machines?
Yes. Each machine network is mapped 1:1 to its own range on the Hub, so many machines on the same default addresses work side by side. Licensing is per Cloud Connector, with a 30-day evaluation for up to three.
Does it work over 4G or 5G?
Yes, from version 0.3.0. A Cloud Connector can use a USB modem or modem HAT as its main link or a backup, and on mobile data it stays on standby using about 15 MB a month.
See it on a test line
Tell us about your sites and who needs to reach them. We'll show you FireSight OT in a live demo Hub, with real machines behind a Cloud Connector.
