Industrial Ethernet-only Router (DIN-Rail, 24V, configurable firewall)

Product Discussion Feature Requests
1

We use Peplink routers for our industrial automation systems. We love how easy the router is to configure and how extensive the possibilities are.

The BR1 Mini core is our current choice, but for Ethernet-to-Ethernet use cases, the hardware fit isn’t quite right. We are currently buying mobile routers but “wasting” the cellular hardware, and the form factor isn’t optimized for electrical cabinets.

Our Use Case: We use the router as a security boundary between our internal machine network and the customer’s factory network. Sometimes these are air-gapped, sometimes connected to strict enterprise networks. The goal is simply to shield our internal components while allowing specific, firewall-controlled traffic.

We are looking for a dedicated industrial Ethernet router that strips away the mobile features but improves the physical design for panel builders.

Ideal Specifications:

  • Form Factor: Integrated DIN-rail mount with forward-facing ports and LEDs. (The current BR1 Mini mount forces ports up/down, which is hard to read/access in a crowded cabinet).
  • Power: Standard 24V DC input (terminal block preferred).
  • Connectivity: 1 WAN + 2 to 4 LAN ports. No Cellular, No WiFi, No GPS needed.
  • Software: Full Peplink firmware capabilities (Firewall, NAT, port forwarding, …), with a permanent license for the WAN port. (Since we sometimes run air-gapped, requiring an internet connection to sync PrimeCare just to keep the WAN port active is not an option).

Is anyone else looking for a simple, rugged, Ethernet-only Peplink router optimized for industrial cabinets?

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2

Does the AP One Rugged work? Just turn off the AP, and you have 3 Ethernet ports.

My only issue with it is it’s not clear which the WAN port is, it’s a bit confusing.

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3

Thanks for the tip, I’ll check it out!
It is indeed a bit annoying that the ports are not labeled. Just a 1, 2, and 3 would help.
A version without a wireless connection and with an integrated DIN-rail mount would of course be even better.

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4

According to my sales representative: The AP ONE Rugged is an access point, not a router. It therefore does not have any WAN ports.
So it is not usable for our application.

The B-ONE would work, but it cannot be compactly installed on a DIN-rail.

So exactly my question, are there any other machine builders that would benefit from a basic router that can be compactly built into an electrical cabinet?

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5

It’s been a couple of years since I used the Rugged, and I can’t find it currently to play with, but it does have WAN functionality, and it does have routing functions. You can check the manual for that.

It doesn’t have a dedicated WAN port, which is why I’m confused by it.

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6

You are correct! :grinning:

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I hear it can not function as a WiFi Client, only as a Access Point. In our case we can just turn off the AP and use the Ethernet ports, as you said.

The WAN port depends on the operating mode, so it is not always the same.

With this info, I will definitely check it out!

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7

AP One rugged is essentially a BR1 Mini without the cellular modem.

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AP One rugged and BR1 Mini core are about the same price, but an extra license is required if you want to use the WAN port on the BR1 Mini.

AP One rugged

  • WiFi - AP only
  • Ethernet ports not labeled

BR1 Mini

  • Cellular modem
  • License required for WAN port

B One

  • WiFi
  • Too big for compact electrical cabinets
  • Not rugged

I still see the benefits of having a compact router without wireless that is suited for DIN-rail mounting. So if anybody else is interested in this, please let us know.

9

I now have an AP ONE Rugged. This is in fact unusable in our usage scenario.

Its functionality is much more limited than that of the BR1 Mini core. It is not possible to configure a firewall between WAN and LAN Ethernet ports. (It is possible to configure a firewall on the WLAN.)

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