Wireless gateways link field and bus securely

Data encryption protects against espionage and hacking; web page facility provides 'SCADA for free'

The Westermo Elpro 105U range of wireless gateways and IO modules for applications in industrial plant, can now offer improved security for industrial users.

The addition of Polynomial Encryption Security Protocol (PESP), a 64-bit soft-key data encryption algorithm, provides highly effective protection against industrial espionage, hackers or anyone intending malicious damage.

The encryption technique is based on Internet standards so is capable of providing high levels of protection on a local and global basis.

The 105U range communicates in the 458MHz and 868 MHz licence-free bands and is designed to provide wireless connectivity between digital and analogue devices in the field and DCS, PLC and SCADA systems.

The equipment can also be used as a wireless bridge to pass data between industrial networks based on incompatible protocols.

Two 105U hardware options are available.

The Elpro 105U-G Gateway acts as an interface between popular communications protocols and their remote field I/O.

Currently, Profibus, Modbus, DF1 and Internet protocols such as HTTP (web), SMTP (email) and FTP services, plus Ethernet are supported.

The Elpro 105U-IO has on-board connections for up to 16 I/O points, for transmitting field data to the fieldbus network via a 105U-G Gateway.

Up to 500 remote addresses can be used, enabling complex wireless networks to be constructed to suit many different types of application.

105U-G Gateways can also 'talk' to each other, enabling wireless bridges to be constructed easily for passing data between any of the buses mentioned.

This can provide an easy fieldbus to databus connection (e.g Profibus to Ethernet).

The Ethernet-enabled Gateway will handle Ethernet I/P and Modbus TCP/IP protocols and also has an on-board web server, which means that data from anywhere in the network can be accessed and displayed remotely using a web browser, in effect providing SCADA services at no cost other than for creating the web page.

Wirelessly connecting instrumentation and control equipment is becoming more popular as a way of cutting cabling costs or reaching out of the way places.

With the Elpro range, line of sight transmission distances can be as much as 10km, according to the location and the transmitter power selected.

Communications can be configured for event reporting, update time, read/write blocks and poll response, with system addressing and error-checking built-in.

Messages may be routed through up to four intermediate repeater addresses.

Alan Bollard, MD of Westermo UK Ltd, said: "Since the 2001 terrorist attacks there has been growing concern about the security of wireless technology in industry.

Elpro has applied modern security technology developed for Internet communications to their 105U range to meet the challenge.

Although no security can be 100% we can make it so difficult that anyone intending malicious damage to plant by intercepting 105U transmissions will be seriously deterred".

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