Network Solution

Network Equipment for Hazardous Areas

Digital work in a zoned area depends on the network that reaches it. Every part of that network that sits inside the zone, from the access point on a pipe rack to the switch in an analyser house and the antenna on a tank roof, has to be certified. This category collects the ATEX and IECEx approved network equipment we supply, grouped by function.

Without cables

ATEX Wi-Fi access points and wireless routers bring the plant network into Zone 1 and Zone 2, either as an extension of the existing Wi-Fi or as a cellular router where no network exists. The Armadex Ex UAP-AC-PRO, the SWAR0033 MiFi router and the Digi WR31 4G/LTE router are the most requested models, and routers have their own page.

With cables

Certified Ethernet switches, including a managed hardened 16-port switch and a 7-port gigabit switch with Profinet connectors and optional PoE, form the backbone inside the zone. The P-EX OTR OPIS intrinsically safe fibre optic media converter is certified for Zone 0/1/2 and is the standard way to bring fibre into a tank or vessel. The Wolverine 220 industrial Ethernet extender runs Ethernet over existing copper pairs, and connectors and cables are listed under connection.

Antennas and sensor networks

ATEX antennas, from omnidirectional to sector and panel antennas and RFID antennas, are available with Zone 0 approval for tank mounting, together with the iSOLATE501 RF galvanic isolator. For sensor networks there are BLE gateways for Zone 1, the Xemgate 250 multimodal gateway and datalogger, and LoRa and GSM dataloggers from the myDatalog series, which send measurements from the field to your server without a wired connection.

Specifying a network in the zone

Most network projects start with a drawing: where the devices are, which zone applies at each point, and where the nearest safe-area connection is. Send it to us and we will propose the equipment list. Stock items ship in 1-3 working days across Europe and worldwide.