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Because Ethernet is achieving more and more acceptance in the industrial world, the routing capabilities offered by the eWON industrial router now give instant access to any devices on a remote industrial Ethernet network (LAN) through a classic dial-up modem. Interactive and seamless access to the human-machine interface (HMI) of remote equipment allows centrally located experts to perform maintenance on the remote device or even troubleshoot it. Thanks to an additional WAN (wide area network) uplink, the eWON industrial router not only offers remote access but can also interconnect an IT LAN and an industrial LAN. This particular feature provides local access to the industrial LAN for supervision and control.
TCP/IP protocol runs over a wide variety of physical media. The media can be Ethernet cables, as in a LAN, or telephone lines, as in a wide area network (WAN). When connecting to a remote device using an eWON embedded dial-up modem, the PC using its own internal or external modem opens a dial-up connection in which a Point-to-Point (PPP) connection to the eWON is created. This PPP protocol ensures IP connectivity over the serial line. Once the dial-up connection is established the programming software running on the PC accesses the device transparently. By connecting the PLC or device to the serial port or over Ethernet, you gain the same control as being on-site. As a result, the eWON industrial router brings all remote devices “virtually” onto the PC LAN. Today, different modem technologies exist:
The technologies involved and cost structure are very different between these two categories. While using dial-up modems the user needs a dial-up number in every case, with IP modems dial-up numbers are not needed. Instead, the user needs an IP address to reach his eWON industrial router. The cost structure for this last category is also different. Since the communication is data oriented, Telecom Providers mostly offer a cost structure based on the volume of data exchanged. A dedicated application note is proposed for IP modems. In our architecture, a router is required because on the one hand the PC resides on a LAN, with its own IP address and subnet mask, and on the other hand the eWON industrial router - and any other automation devices - reside on another LAN, with different IP addresses and subnet mask. The fact that IP messages must travel between two separate IP addresses and subnet masks requires an IP routing functionality.
The eWON industrial router acting as both a modem and an IP router replaces the good old modem based on RS232/character oriented communication. Using IP messages to exchange information is more reliable and robust than classical RS232-based modems. PPP is actually better because the connection ensures framing and deframing of IP packets, which is not the case in RS232 modems. In case of an erroneous IP packet, a higher layer protocol like TCP can handle the problem and initiate a retransmission of this frame. A simple serial connection does not provide any framing facilities. Instead, the data is just a stream. The receiving side would not be able to explicitly identify the start and end of a packet, and an error requires the resending of the whole stream. On a noisy line (in case of long distance international calls), this can make a huge difference.
PPP is an Ethernet standard which ensures interoperability between systems from a wide variety of vendors. Moreover, Ethernet allows communication with more than one device. Therefore, eWON has been designed to support up-to 20 TCP sessions. This means that up to 20 different connections can be done on the same PPP connection. All these benefits make PPP the best choice for connecting remote devices via dial-up line.
Featured products
The basic choice is an eWON 2101CD industrial VPN router with following modem options:
In the second architecture, eWON features a router between two LANs: an IT LAN and an Industrial or Machine LAN. The router allows different IP addresses and subnet masks between the two LANs. For example, a machine builder working with fixed IP addresses for all of its production machines no longer has to worry about the fact that he would have to reconfigure all IP addresses to fit the IP address range and subnet mask of the IT LAN.
Thanks to the eWON router functionality, all devices connected to a LAN become accessible on the other LAN and vice versa. A user connected to the company LAN could have access to any automation device on the Machine LAN, for supervision and control purposes. An engineer could monitor his machine from his PC connected on its IT LAN directly in his office and does not have to connect his PC directly to the LAN used by the machine. A PLC could store data directly into a database server connected to the IT LAN. In other words, a machine could store its own production data directly on an IT database.
Of course, in this pattern, security is becoming an important issue as the user may want to restrict the access of some people from one side to the other side of the router.As described in architecture 1, a remote PPP dial-up connection can also enable a third party to have access to the Industrial/Machine LAN. In other words, a machine builder could also connect to his customer’s machine remotely without interfering with his customer’s IT LAN.
Featured products
This architecture requires an eWON 2005CD industrial LAN router. The basic choice comes without built-in modem. If you need additional dial-up connectivity, the choice is merely the same as for the first architecture:
The main advantage relies on the versatility of the eWON 2005CD industrial LAN router to connect an automation device and to provide both remote access to the Machine Builder and a local access for its customer. The eWON 2005CD industrial LAN router comes with an integrated switch on the industrial/machine side avoiding the use of other connectivity devices.
The eWON industrial router is the ideal solution to a variety of industrial Ethernet based communication needs. It provides, first, a powerful and flexible pathway to Ethernet based devices on a remote industrial LAN. Thanks to the remote access possibilities, the eWON industrial router helps machine builders to avoid unplanned on-site visits and travel. And secondly, the eWON industrial router enables an industrial/machine LAN to be isolated from an IT LAN. All these features are integrated in the same casing: modem, IP router…all in one!
Architecture 1: remote PPP dial-up router
TCP/IP protocol runs over a wide variety of physical media. The media can be Ethernet cables, as in a LAN, or telephone lines, as in a wide area network (WAN). When connecting to a remote device using an eWON embedded dial-up modem, the PC using its own internal or external modem opens a dial-up connection in which a Point-to-Point (PPP) connection to the eWON is created. This PPP protocol ensures IP connectivity over the serial line. Once the dial-up connection is established the programming software running on the PC accesses the device transparently. By connecting the PLC or device to the serial port or over Ethernet, you gain the same control as being on-site. As a result, the eWON industrial router brings all remote devices “virtually” onto the PC LAN. Today, different modem technologies exist:
- Dial-up modems such as PSTN, ISDN, and GSM data;
-
IP modems such as GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA/HSUPA or ADSL.
The technologies involved and cost structure are very different between these two categories. While using dial-up modems the user needs a dial-up number in every case, with IP modems dial-up numbers are not needed. Instead, the user needs an IP address to reach his eWON industrial router. The cost structure for this last category is also different. Since the communication is data oriented, Telecom Providers mostly offer a cost structure based on the volume of data exchanged. A dedicated application note is proposed for IP modems. In our architecture, a router is required because on the one hand the PC resides on a LAN, with its own IP address and subnet mask, and on the other hand the eWON industrial router - and any other automation devices - reside on another LAN, with different IP addresses and subnet mask. The fact that IP messages must travel between two separate IP addresses and subnet masks requires an IP routing functionality.
Advantages
The eWON industrial router acting as both a modem and an IP router replaces the good old modem based on RS232/character oriented communication. Using IP messages to exchange information is more reliable and robust than classical RS232-based modems. PPP is actually better because the connection ensures framing and deframing of IP packets, which is not the case in RS232 modems. In case of an erroneous IP packet, a higher layer protocol like TCP can handle the problem and initiate a retransmission of this frame. A simple serial connection does not provide any framing facilities. Instead, the data is just a stream. The receiving side would not be able to explicitly identify the start and end of a packet, and an error requires the resending of the whole stream. On a noisy line (in case of long distance international calls), this can make a huge difference.
PPP is an Ethernet standard which ensures interoperability between systems from a wide variety of vendors. Moreover, Ethernet allows communication with more than one device. Therefore, eWON has been designed to support up-to 20 TCP sessions. This means that up to 20 different connections can be done on the same PPP connection. All these benefits make PPP the best choice for connecting remote devices via dial-up line.
Featured products
The basic choice is an eWON 2101CD industrial VPN router with following modem options:
- ISDN: eWON ref. EW332x3. ISDN connectivity is the best choice because of the guaranteed bandwidth of 64 Kbits. But it cannot be widely used, because it is difficult to put in place (special equipment required) and is available only in Europe.
- PSTN: eWON ref. EW332x4. Worldwide available, PSTN connectivity has a theoretical bandwidth of 56 Kbits depending on the quality of the line.
- GSM Data: eWON ref. EW332x8. GSM Data has a very limited bandwidth of 9.6 Kbits, which is not recommended for PLC maintenance.
- ‘6’ if the MPI/Profibus protocol must be used for connection to the PLC(s)
- ‘0’ otherwise.
Architecture 2: local IP router with optional remote PPP dial-up routing
In the second architecture, eWON features a router between two LANs: an IT LAN and an Industrial or Machine LAN. The router allows different IP addresses and subnet masks between the two LANs. For example, a machine builder working with fixed IP addresses for all of its production machines no longer has to worry about the fact that he would have to reconfigure all IP addresses to fit the IP address range and subnet mask of the IT LAN.Thanks to the eWON router functionality, all devices connected to a LAN become accessible on the other LAN and vice versa. A user connected to the company LAN could have access to any automation device on the Machine LAN, for supervision and control purposes. An engineer could monitor his machine from his PC connected on its IT LAN directly in his office and does not have to connect his PC directly to the LAN used by the machine. A PLC could store data directly into a database server connected to the IT LAN. In other words, a machine could store its own production data directly on an IT database.
Of course, in this pattern, security is becoming an important issue as the user may want to restrict the access of some people from one side to the other side of the router.As described in architecture 1, a remote PPP dial-up connection can also enable a third party to have access to the Industrial/Machine LAN. In other words, a machine builder could also connect to his customer’s machine remotely without interfering with his customer’s IT LAN.
Featured products
This architecture requires an eWON 2005CD industrial LAN router. The basic choice comes without built-in modem. If you need additional dial-up connectivity, the choice is merely the same as for the first architecture:
- ISDN modem: eWON ref. EW262x3.
- PSTN modem: eWON ref. EW262x4.
- GSM Data modem: eWON ref. EW262x7.
- ‘6’ if the MPI/Profibus protocol must be used for connection to the PLC(s)
- ‘0’ otherwise.
Advantages of the solution
The main advantage relies on the versatility of the eWON 2005CD industrial LAN router to connect an automation device and to provide both remote access to the Machine Builder and a local access for its customer. The eWON 2005CD industrial LAN router comes with an integrated switch on the industrial/machine side avoiding the use of other connectivity devices.
Conclusion
The eWON industrial router is the ideal solution to a variety of industrial Ethernet based communication needs. It provides, first, a powerful and flexible pathway to Ethernet based devices on a remote industrial LAN. Thanks to the remote access possibilities, the eWON industrial router helps machine builders to avoid unplanned on-site visits and travel. And secondly, the eWON industrial router enables an industrial/machine LAN to be isolated from an IT LAN. All these features are integrated in the same casing: modem, IP router…all in one!
