The industrial Ethernet enablers are here!

The remaining fundamental challenges to implementing Ethernet in the field are now solved: MTL make available intrinsic safety, and the need to use just a single cable to the device

MTL and CSL have overcome these hurdles with the release of the Intrinsically Safe Power over Ethernet (PoEx) line of products.

The products are suitable for mounting in all area classifications through to Zone1 with a true intrinsically safe Ethernet cable, meaning they can be "live" connected or disconnected from either end and provide sufficient power so it is not necessary to bring an additional cable to power either the IS Ethernet device or the end device on the port.

If the PoEx option is not required because power is readily available, it is possible to power the units locally instead.

A full range of intrinsically safe products suitable for Zone1 mounting are available, including:.

* Intrinsically Safe Layer 2 Managed Ethernet Switch with 5 additional ports.

* Protocol Gateway converter to convert EIA-485, EIA-422 or EIA-232 to Ethernet and back at the other end: also Ethernet based protocols to serial conversion eg: Modbus/TCP and Modbus RTU.

* Copper to single and multi-mode Fibre Optic media converter.

* Wireless access point and bridge capable of supporting 802.11a/b/g/h and Super AG standards, up to 108Mbps while also being able to operate as a wireless repeater.

* Isolating power supply as a means of powering the IS Ethernet devices.

* Ethernet Isolator to connect IS Ethernet into a safe area network.

Of course all these 10/100Mb Ethernet products are designed for the industrial environment with temperature ratings to +70C, Status LEDs and a wide range of electrical approvals.

All Ethernet communications are full/half duplex with auto-negotiation and auto-detection so no crossover cables are required.

Consistent with the new MTL security offering these products also have built-in security features such as WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK and IEEE 802.1X (Radius) for the wireless products and IEEE 802.1q Tag/Port based VLAN, Quality of Service (QoS) with priority programmable managed features including VLAN, Rate Limiting, Port Mirroring plus more on the wired versions as a basis on which to build a complete system.

Come and visit MTL on stand E27, Hall 7 and see these and the many more innovative products to make your industrial networks safe, secure, and reliable.

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