Overview

Industrial Ethernet is the term used to represent the industrial protocols that use the standard Ethernet physical layer.

On an Industrial Ethernet network, you can connect:

oIndustrial devices (industrial protocols)

oNon-industrial devices (other Ethernet protocols)

In this document, Industrial Ethernet covers:

oEtherNet/IP

oModbus TCP

oTCP/UDP

oSercos

This document focuses on Industrial Ethernet devices connected on the device network of a controller.

Industrial Ethernet Features

This table gives an overview of the Industrial Ethernet implementation features:

Feature	Industrial Ethernet capability
Number of devices and network flexibility	Star configuration. Infrastructure virtually unlimited. Superior total network distance. Advanced network management.
Data rate, wiring and distance	Capable of mixing fiber optic and copper cables within a system. 10/100 Mbit/s, up to 100 m (328 ft) for copper cable runs and up to 2000 m (6561 ft) for fiber optic cables. Noise immunity.
Protocols	Variety of protocols based on Ethernet.

Feature

Industrial Ethernet capability

Number of devices and network flexibility

Star configuration.

Infrastructure virtually unlimited.

Superior total network distance.

Advanced network management.

Data rate, wiring and distance

Capable of mixing fiber optic and copper cables within a system.

10/100 Mbit/s, up to 100 m (328 ft) for copper cable runs and up to 2000 m (6561 ft) for fiber optic cables.

Noise immunity.

Protocols

Variety of protocols based on Ethernet.