ETS6 essentials every new KNX installer should master
By Mohamed Ali, Founder
Engineering Tool Software (ETS) version 6 introduced a faster project loader, a redesigned diagnostic suite, and tighter integration with the KNX cloud catalogue. New installers often skip the building structure panel and dive straight into devices, but treating the building tree as the source of truth pays off later: every group address, room, and device benefits from a clean hierarchy.
Four panels deserve permanent tabs. The Building panel describes the physical site. The Group Addresses panel is the logical wiring of the project. The Topology panel handles couplers, lines, and areas. The Diagnostics panel hosts the bus monitor, group monitor, and device info readout you will need for every commissioning session.
Licensing matters: ETS6 Lite supports up to 20 devices, ETS6 Home up to 64 devices, and ETS6 Professional handles full-size projects with secure commissioning, multi-user collaboration, and project replication. Renting a Pro licence by the month is now possible for installers who only run one or two large jobs per year.
Two habits to start with from day one. First, save the .knxproj file to a versioned folder after every commissioning session, never overwrite. Second, name everything descriptively. Device names like 1.1.5 mean nothing six months later, while names like Living Room Dimmer Channel A read clearly to anyone who opens the project. ETS6 will not enforce these habits for you, but your future self and your colleagues will thank you.