Industrial radio survives in the field

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jan 14, 2008

The RLX-IHW-66 offers power over Ethernet (PoE), which allows the radio to be installed next to the antenna, reducing antenna cable loss and maximising range.

Field applications exposed to severe conditions benefit from ProSoft Technology's RadioLinx 802.11abg Industrial Hotspot, with a IP66-rated water resistant, dust-proof enclosure (RLX-IHW-66).

This radio functions as an access point, repeater, or client and its water-resistant enclosure permits it to be directly installed in areas which are exposed to harsh industrial or environmental conditions, including wash down areas, offshore oil rigs and outdoor towers.

The RLX-IHW-66 offers power over Ethernet (PoE), which allows the radio to be installed next to the antenna, reducing antenna cable loss and maximising range.

The 802.11abg radio is designed for global applications and creates a reliable, versatile solution for demanding industrial networks.

The RLX-IHW-66 is equipped with RF-based internet group management protocol (IGMP) snooping, a tool which allows multicast filtering at the wireless level, so that the radio transmitting data from the producer (such as a distributed I/O block) is able to identify the consumer and transmit the producer data directly to the consumer as opposed to multicasting the information to the entire wireless network.

Since the RLX-IHW-66 sends the data directly to each of the consumers, it's able to confirm receipt of the data and retransmit the data if necessary.

RF-based IGMP prevents crowding over the air by sending messages only where they need to go and it increases reliability by confirming receipt of the data.

The IP66 enclosures guarantes that the product will be protected against high-pressure water jets from all directions, with a limited tolerance for ingress, as well as total protection against dust.

The RLX-IHW-66 can be used in industrial operating temperatures and is vibration and shock-resistant.

For applications needing a secure connection, the RadioLinx 802.11abg Industrial Hotspot offers cryptographic strength security with WPA2 (802.11i-128/192/256 bit) advanced encryption standard (AES) and CCM integrity check.

The radio is also equipped with MAC ID Filtering to limit access to approved device MAC IDs and it monitors the wireless environment for approved and rogue radios.

The 802.11abg Industrial Hotspot uses OFDM modulation for excellent noise immunity at maximum speeds.

This technique distributes data over multiple carriers which are assigned individual frequencies, so that each carrier only sees its own, translating into less distortion or interference.

The RadioLinx 802.11abg is a cost-effective wireless solution for plant and field engineers who need real-time access to remote or mobile equipment, particularly when the environment is exposed to harsh temperatures, moisture, dust and weather.

The radios allow users to reduce costs including those associated with downtime, labour and installation and leased-line or wireless service fees.