ProSoft Technology announces the new 802.11n Industrial Hotspot Radios
The new 802.11n Industrial Hotspot(TM) solutions provide premier performance for high-capacity networks and offer a wireless solution to applications with moving, and obstructed environments that are traditionally difficult to solve with wireless technology. The 5 GHz band introduces to users another 23 channels which can operate simultaneously with each other and not conflict with pre-existing wireless applications operating on the 2.4 GHz band.
ProSoft Technology(R) is pleased to announce the new 802.11n Industrial HotspotTM solutions (RLXIB-IHxN). The RLXIB-IHxN series of radios provides plant-wide network integration and easy deployment in the field using a single webpage setup. The RLXIBIHxN series meets the specific needs of industrial customers who demand ease of deployment, ruggedness and reliable industrial communication.
The RadioLinx(R) 802.11n family provides reliable I/O message delivery, industrial temperature range and hazardous location ratings, as well as RADIUS security for centralized management of security policies, VLANs for network traffic segmentation, and Quality of Service (QoS) for data prioritization and dual radio functionality.
The radios leverage the latest technology to provide greater flexibility and performance to a broad range of manufacturing and production applications. The 802.11n Industrial Hotspots improve performance for high-bandwidth video/voice applications and high packet-rate control applications. They also provide better signal sensitivity and range in environments like mobile factory settings. Options are available to suit the application, including Single (RLXIB-IHN), Dual (RLXIB-IH2N), and Watertight Dual (RLXIB-IH2N-W) Industrial Hotspots.
The radios utilize MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output), a technology which uses up to three antennas to enable high-speed data rates up to 300 Mbps, providing advanced performance in industrial environments. Where concerns about network crowding exist, the radios can operate in the 5GHz Band, which contains 23 non-overlapping channels. 5 GHz also provides an alternative to the popular 2.4 GHz Band, which may have limited availability if already used in existing installations.
The 802.11n Dual Industrial Hotspot(TM) solutions provide two radios in one and only require a single Ethernet connection. The dual radios can be used in lieu of a repeater to extend the range of your wireless network without sacrificing speed.
Easy to Configure and Monitor
RadioLinx WirelessN Discovery Tool is a configuration and monitoring tool for the RadioLinx 802.11n Industrial Hotspot radios. Use RadioLinx WirelessN Discovery Tool to view your network topology, assign IP addresses to radios for configuration, monitor network diagnostics, update radio firmware and detect the presence of other vendors' 802.11 radios on the network. ProSoft Technology's free OPC Server allows for HMI-based wireless network diagnostics. User selectable automatic or manual network configuration (can be prioritized or fixed) with self-healing network and master redundancy for reliable large networks (e.g., SCADA)
Additional Features
The RLXIB-IHN includes the industrial features of RadioLinx products including hazardous location certifications (UL1604 Class I Div 2, ATEX Zone 2 Category 3), extended operating temperature range, high vibration/shock resistance, DIN-rail mounting, Power over Ethernet and simultaneous bridge / repeater / access point mode.
Harry Forbes of ARC Advisory Group comments, "These new ProSoft Hotspots are among the first to bring 802.11n technology to industrial automation networks. IEEE 802.11n brings a higher level of wireless performance to plant floor applications. Also, MIMO technology reduces the multipath interference that is common in industrial installations. Standards-based radio technology is continuously improving, and ProSoft is quickly making these improvements available to the plant floor."
All ProSoft Technology products come with a three year warranty and unlimited technical support for the life of the product.