RuggedCom Inc. has introduced the RuggedWireless and RuggedVDSL Ethernet switches designed specifically to address the needs of electric utility, intelligent transportation systems, industrial process control and military applications.

The new RuggedWireless products include:

• RS910W: wireless device server with 2 serial and/or 2 Ethernet ports
• RS920W: wireless device server with Ethernet over VDSL interface
• RS930W: wireless Ethernet with integrated 6-port switch and Ethernet over VDSL interface

Combined with the available RS900W (wireless Ethernet with integrated 8-port switch), the RuggedWireless family of products provides a complete line of LAN-based industrially hardened Ethernet switches with IEEE 802.11b/g and wireless data rates of up to 54 Mbps. All wireless communications are protected by the latest "robust security networks" based on IEEE 802.11i, which features strong encryption protocols, AES support, and IEEE 802.1X/Radius user authentication. These products can be used to convert serial and/or wired Ethernet to wireless Ethernet, which in turn reduces installation and cabling costs. Multiple wired Ethernet and serial port options exist to allow greater flexibility in network architecture design.

The new RuggedVDSL products include:

• RS910L: one Ethernet over VDSL interface with two serial and/or two Ethernet ports
• RS920L: one Ethernet over VDSL interface with two serial ports
• RS930L: two Ethernet over VDSL with integrated 6-port Ethernet switch

Combined with the RS900L (one Ethernet over VDSL with integrated 8-port Ethernet Switch), the RuggedVDSL family of products is a complete line of hardened Ethernet switches supporting Ethernet over VDSL. Ethernet over VDSL is suitable for bringing Ethernet networking to applications where telephone-grade wiring (or other copper twisted pair wiring) is already present, thus saving the cost of installing a new fiber or copper Ethernet network. Up to 50 Mbps speeds and up to 4km LAN segments are possible. Multiple options exist to accommodate varied network architecture requirements, including the ability to cascade RuggedVDSL products to provide an Ethernet network that spans long distances.

“To address the many demanding and varied needs of our customer base, we have developed a very flexible platform with the RuggedSwitch RS900 product line,” said Roger Moore, vice president of engineering for RuggedCom. “With this product line we can function with many different networking topologies that include both new and legacy equipment, thus allowing our customers to effectively utilize their current asset base while introducing newer technologies.”

These new products are RuggedRated to provide a high level of immunity to electromagnetic interference and heavy electrical surges typical of environments found in electric utility substations. RuggedRated products meet or exceed a wide range of industry electric utility standards including IEC61850 and IEEE1613 Class 2. They feature a wide operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C (no fans); can be powered
from a variety of sources (12 VDC, 24 VDC, 48 VDC, 88-300 VDC/35-264 VAC); and have high MTBFs and reliability characteristics.