Security layers for wireless industrial control user interface

An industrial control system, comprising:

• a motor drive having a plurality of interface ports and being operable to store a first password, the motor drive including a control application, the control application including instructions for controlling power control electronics to apply a voltage to a motor, the interface ports including at least one of serial ports, human-machine interface (HMI) ports, and network interfaces;
• a wireless interface module coupled to a first interface port of the motor drive and operable to store a second password;
• and
• a wireless user interface operable to prompt a user for the first and second passwords, connect to the wireless interface module using the second password, establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive using the second password, retrieve a status of the motor drive using the wireless interface module and transmit control instructions to the wireless interface module in response to a user input, the control instructions including at least one of start instructions, stop instructions, jog instructions, forward instructions, and reverse instructions, the wireless user interface establishing an exclusive connection to the wireless interface module and being operable to communicate with the wireless interface module using a first protocol and to communicate with the motor drive using a second protocol different from the first protocol, wherein messages formatted using the second protocol are encapsulated by the first protocol for communication between the wireless user interface and the wireless interface module.