KNX Telegram Decoder
Decode KNX TP telegram hexadecimal bytes into control fields, individual and group addresses, routing counter, NPDU length, TPCI, APCI, application data and frame checksum.
0xFF. Equivalently, the
checksum byte equals the one’s complement of the XOR of all preceding telegram
bytes.
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What Is a KNX Telegram?
KNX is a standardized building-automation system used for lighting, HVAC, shutters, sensors, energy management and other control functions. On KNX TP, devices exchange compact bus telegrams containing control information, individual addresses, destination addresses and application data.
A telegram can address another individual KNX device or a group address used by one or more communication objects.
KNX TP Telegram Structure
Control Field 1
Source Address High
Source Address Low
Destination High
Destination Low
Control Field 2
TPCI / APDU bytes...
ChecksumThe exact number of APDU bytes depends on the length information carried in Control Field 2.
KNX Individual Address
A KNX individual address is commonly written in the form Area.Line.Device. It occupies 16 bits in the telegram.
Address bytes:
11 01
Binary structure:
Area = high nibble of first byte
Line = low nibble of first byte
Device = second byte
11 01
→ 1.1.1The calculator applies this format to the source address and to the destination when the telegram indicates individual addressing.
KNX Group Address
When the destination-type bit indicates a group address, the destination bytes are interpreted using the KNX group-address bit layout.
The calculator shows both common three-level and raw 16-bit representations.
Three-level group address:
Main / Middle / Sub
Main:
5 bits
Middle:
3 bits
Sub:
8 bitsKNX Control Field 1
The first control byte includes frame-format and link-layer control information, including repeat behavior and priority bits.
This tool exposes the complete hexadecimal byte and separately reports the priority and repeat flag rather than hiding those bits behind one label.
KNX Priority
The two priority bits in Control Field 1 can represent different KNX telegram priorities.
| Bits | Priority |
|---|---|
| 00 | System |
| 01 | Normal |
| 10 | Urgent |
| 11 | Low |
KNX Control Field 2
The second control field contains the destination address type, routing counter and NPDU length information.
Bit 7
Destination Address Type
0 = Individual address
1 = Group address
Bits 6–4
Routing Counter
Bits 3–0
Length informationKNX Routing Counter
The routing counter limits how many routing steps a telegram can pass through. Routers can decrement the counter as the telegram crosses KNX network segments.
Routing Counter:
3 bits
Possible encoded values:
0 through 7KNX TPCI
TPCI means Transport Layer Protocol Control Information. It occupies the upper bits of the first transport/application byte and helps distinguish unnumbered, numbered and transport-control communication.
A general raw decoder can extract the TPCI bits reliably even when full higher-layer state is unavailable.
KNX APCI
APCI means Application Layer Protocol Control Information. It identifies the application service carried by the APDU, such as group-value read, response or write.
| Common APCI | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | GroupValueRead |
| 1 | GroupValueResponse |
| 2 | GroupValueWrite |
| 3 | IndividualAddressWrite |
| 4 | IndividualAddressRequest |
| 5 | IndividualAddressResponse |
| 6 | AdcRead |
| 7 | AdcResponse |
Additional APCI values exist, and some use extended encoding. The decoder reports the numeric APCI value and common names where safely recognized.
KNX GroupValueRead, Response and Write
Three of the most frequently encountered KNX application operations are GroupValueRead, GroupValueResponse and GroupValueWrite.
GroupValueRead:
requests the current value of a group object
GroupValueResponse:
returns a group object's value
GroupValueWrite:
writes or distributes a new group valueThe actual engineering meaning of the data depends on the object’s Datapoint Type, or DPT.
KNX Datapoint Types
A KNX telegram does not itself provide the full engineering definition for an application value. The group address is associated with a Datapoint Type in the KNX project configuration.
Examples:
DPT 1
1-bit boolean / switch
DPT 5
8-bit unsigned/scaled value
DPT 9
2-byte KNX floating point
DPT 12
32-bit unsigned value
DPT 14
32-bit IEEE floating pointThis decoder therefore preserves application bytes and does not claim that an unknown value represents temperature, dimming, humidity or another measurement without a known DPT.
KNX TP Checksum
The checksum byte allows corruption to be detected in a KNX TP telegram. A convenient validation method XORs every telegram byte, including the received checksum.
Valid telegram:
byte0 XOR
byte1 XOR
byte2 XOR
...
checksum
= FFThe equivalent checksum-generation method XORs all bytes before the checksum and then applies a one’s complement.
KNX Telegram vs KNXnet/IP
A raw KNX TP telegram is not the same thing as a complete KNXnet/IP packet. KNXnet/IP adds its own IP-level header and tunneling or routing structures around KNX cEMI information.
This calculator focuses on the compact KNX TP telegram bytes themselves rather than decoding UDP/IP encapsulation.
KNX Telegram Decoder FAQs
What is a KNX telegram?
How is a KNX individual address written?
How is a KNX group address written?
What does TPCI mean?
What does APCI mean?
What is GroupValueWrite?
What is GroupValueRead?
What is a KNX Datapoint Type?
Can the decoder determine temperature from raw bytes?
How is the KNX checksum checked?
Decode KNX TP Telegram Bytes
Inspect KNX control fields, individual and group addresses, routing counters, TPCI/APCI services, application bytes and checksum validity directly from raw hexadecimal telegrams.