Techniques to facilitate linking a control device to a specific industrial asset in an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, an initiating link is established between a mobile device and a target device (e.g., the target device being selected from one or more industrial assets discovered within a close-range initiating range of a proximity communication system of the mobile device). This initiating link can be established using Near Field Communications (NFC), QR code, an optical indicator, and/or other means. The initiating link enables and is used to establish a functional link between the target device and a control device. The functional link can include a larger range, higher performance networking connection. In some implementations a secondary communication device serves as proxy for the target device.