July 5, 2016 – Communication Networks (ComNet)—a U.S.-based manufacturer of fiber optic transmission and networking equipment—is announcing an expansion to the Reliance product line for the utility and industrial markets. The RLGE2FE16R is the company’s first ethernet switch/router, designed specifically for use in electrical utility substations and switchyards, heavy manufacturing facilities, and as railway track-side electronic equipment.  

Fully compliant with IEC6185-3 and IEEE1613 class 2, it is for use where high levels of electromagnetic interference are routinely encountered, ComNet says. The switch/router is designed to prevent unauthorized access to a network and offers an enhanced security version that allows for secure firewalls to be setup where multiple levels of authentication must be followed before access is granted.

This 18-port switch offers ethernet layer 2 switching and layer 3 IP routing with integrated VPN and link protection per ITU-T G.8032. It has 16 10/100Mbps ports with optional PoE and two-gigabit combination SFP/TX uplink ports. An internal 2G/3G/4G LTE cellular radio is also available for remote deployments.