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EtherNet/IP Network

EtherNet/IP Network

The EtherNet/IP™ Network provides plant-wide network systems using open, industry-standard networking technologies. It enables real-time control and information in discrete, continuous process, batch, safety, drive, motion, and high availability applications. The EtherNet/IP network connects devices such as motor starters and sensors to controllers and HMI devices and on into the enterprise. It supports non-industrial and industrial communications on a common network infrastructure.

Why EtherNet/IP?

  • Globally the #1 industrial network by every meaningful measure
    • Largest installed base with several million nodes
    • 300+ vendors
    • Thousands of product lines available
    • Preferred network of Rockwell Automation customers
  • Uses standard Ethernet and TCP/IP exclusively
    • Same technology used on the Internet and in your enterprise networks
    • Integrates easily into your enterprise
    • Leverages existing IT expertise and previous Ethernet training
    • Supports a mix of commercial and industrial devices
  • Offers the broadest industrial solutions and is proven in the most demanding applications

Rockwell Automation and Cisco Systems Strategic Alliance

Our leading adoption and expertise in EtherNet/IP for industrial applications is why we are a Strategic Alliance Partner with Cisco Systems®. Together, we are working to provide products, solutions, services, education and standards development to aid the convergence of IT and manufacturing around EtherNet/IP.

Evaluating EtherNet/IP: Is This the Network for You?

Answer the questions in the three steps below to determine if EtherNet/IP is the right choice for your application.

Step 1. What will you use the network technology to do?

Older networks were designed for single-purpose use. EtherNet/IP is designed to be the one network with the broadest use across all plant disciplines, with the ability to handle communications from the bottom to the top. It supports the following uses:

  • Business System / Automation Integration—Exclusively uses standard IEEE 802.3 and TCP/IP/UDP
  • HMI—Offers plenty of bandwidth to support very large, data-intensive HMI applications, with support from nearly every HMI vendor
  • Device Programming & Configuration—Uses the Ethernet port on your PC
  • Peer-to-Peer Communication—Provides interlocking and data transfer between controllers, robots, and others
  • I/O Control—Provides update rates below 1 ms
  • Time Synchronization & Time Stamping—Sub-microsecond coordination
  • Drive Control—Configuration, monitoring, and coordinated control
  • Safety Control—Mixes standard and safety devices on the same network
  • Motion Control—Provides precision motion control for the most demanding coordinated-motion applications

Step 2. Will your devices connect to EtherNet/IP?

Use the links below to find your preferred devices.

Step 3. Does the technology fit your applications?

Ensure these technical characteristics are right for your applications. Review the Converged Plantwide Ethernet (CPwE) Architectures resources for more details.

CapabilityDescription
Topology
  • All traditional Ethernet options for star, tree, switch ring, and other high-availability topologies
  • Many automation devices include two physical Ethernet ports and follow the ODVA DLR (Device Level Ring) standard to support linear and ring topologies, without the need for external Ethernet switches
Distance
  • 100 m between devices for copper twisted-pair wiring
  • Fiber cabling permits longer distances (design dependent)
Capacity
  • Unlike older networks, no practical limits on capacity
  • Constrained only by communication limitations of devices on the network
  • For a quick estimate of capacity for your application, use the EtherNet/IP Capacity Estimator tool
Performance
  • I/O update rates of <1 ms
  • Sub-millisecond precision motion control and time synchronization
  • Exceeds mechanical and device limitations for most precision motion control applications
  • Performance prioritization for motion control and real-time I/O
Segmentation
  • Lets you divide a large network into smaller networks for security or management efficiency via standard segmentation methods such as subnets and VLANs
  • Enables selective routing of real-time control and other traffic across segments

EtherNet/IP Features

  • Portability across different data links (Ethernet and WiFi) and IP routability throughout the plant-wide network infrastructure and across WANs
  • Seamless bridging and routing requires no additional assets such as proxies or store-and-forward devices
  • Flexible and secure system implementation allows IT and manufacturing to collaborate easily to deploy and maintain security, reliability, and quality of service across the enterprise
  • Scalable, future-ready network architecture use open standards, enabling you to quickly and efficiently deploy new technologies and capabilities

Integration with the Enterprise

  • Easily integrates into existing Ethernet and TCP/IP installations, with no special requirements, products, or conditions to meet
  • Uses commercial products such as Ethernet switches/routers/firewalls, IP cameras and IP telephony, as well as technologies like wireless and power line carrier
  • Common tools for both industrial and enterprise networks require no special training, tools, or knowledge to leverage the IT workforce
  • Future-proofs your application and networks by leveraging the ongoing advancements of standard Ethernet and TCP/IP
  • Tested and validated designs provide implementation guidance as well as best practices for a converged Industrial/IT network architecture

Security Solutions

Our Security Solutions provide unique capabilities and expertise to reduce risk and enable greater operational uptime in control system networks.

Network and Security Services

Our Network and Security Services team can collaborate with you to achieve your production and business goals. As a Cisco Solution Technology Integrator (STI) partner, we can provide you with a solution that incorporates both Rockwell Automation and Cisco Systems hardware and services.

EtherNet/IP Connected Products

We offer 4000+ automation products for a wide variety of applications. Products have either a built-in network interface or an optional communication module. We continue to expand our EtherNet/IP™ offerings with new and innovative products.

Infrastructure (Media & Switches)

Optimize your EtherNet/IP™ network infrastructure with switches, taps, modems, and media designed to meet the unique needs of industrial automation. Our infrastructure products are optimized for use in the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture™ and can be used in other industrial applications that use standard Ethernet and TCP/IP.

Frequently Viewed Publications

TitleNumberLanguage
NetLinx Networks Selection GuideNETS-SG001PDFEN, ZH
Converged Plantwide Ethernet Design and Implementation GuideENET-TD001PDFEN
Fiber Optic Infrastructure Application GuideENET-TD003PDFEN
Ethernet Design Considerations Reference ManualENET-RM002PDFEN
EtherNet/IP Media Planning and Installation Manual00148R0PDFEN
Network Infrastructure for EtherNet/IP: Introduction and Considerations00035R0PDFEN
More EtherNet/IP Network publications in Literature LibraryAll Languages

Product Catalog

Find catalog numbers, certifications, and specifications.

Certifications

See our Product Certification site for Declarations of Conformity, certificates and other certification details.

Can’t Find What You Need?

Browse our Literature Library where you can search for additional publications in more languages. You can also use the Advanced Search feature to search by catalog number, publication type, title, or keywords to narrow your results.

Build This Catalog Number

Build or verify a catalog number, and get information and CAD drawings for these products.

Configuration & Selection Tools

Other Resources

Converged Plant-wide Ethernet (CPwE) Reference Architectures

To support and accelerate network convergence of industrial and enterprise networks, Rockwell Automation® and Cisco Systems collaborated to develop Converged Plantwide Ethernet (CPwE) Architectures to provide education, design guidance, recommendations and best practices. These reference architectures provide the foundation for success in deploying the latest technology by addressing topics relevant to both engineering and information technology (IT) professionals, including the cultural and technical challenges of Ethernet network convergence between IT and engineering.

Available Resources

Network Design Services

Plant-wide deployment of EtherNet/IP™ requires an industrial network design methodology. Following a methodology helps create structure and hierarchy to help maintain real-time network performance. In addition, it helps enable the convergence of multiple control and information disciplines, including: data collection, configuration, diagnostics, discrete, process, batch, safety, time synchronization, drive, motion, energy management, voice and video. Rockwell Automation has tools, design advice and resources to help you with your industrial network, including our Networks Services design team.

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