Westermo recently added two access points to its Ibex brand of wireless LAN products to support communication onboard trains, industrial vehicles, and outdoor applications. The Ibex 1310 and Ibex 1510 are concurrent dual-band (2.4-GHz and 5-GHz) access points and clients designed to meet the WiFi 6, IEEE 802.11ax, standard. “By delivering enhanced performance and speed, especially in device-dense environments, the access points create networks that better support applications such as maintenance access, train data offloading and management systems, and hotspots for passenger WiFi,” the company said when announcing the new products.
It further explained the Ibex 1310 is approved for use in industrial vehicles, while the Ibex 1510 has been tested and certified to meet rail standards EN 50155 and EN 45545-2, allowing the 1510 to be deployed both onboard trains and trackside. “The devices are designed to withstand the tough environment onboard vehicles, including the exposure to constant vibration, extreme temperatures, humidity and demanding electromagnetic environments,” Westermo added. “An extremely compact and power-efficient design enables easy integration in space-restricted installations.”
“WiFi 6 is the next-generation wireless standard that provides improved performance in areas containing lots of connected WiFi-enabled devices, faster data transfer speeds, and functionality to enable lower power usage from connected devices,” said Sami Anttila, business development manager for Westermo. “The new Ibex access points have been designed to deliver these benefits within the demanding environments typically found onboard trains and buses.”
Westermo pointed out the access points’ GORE-TEX membrane prevents internal condensation, while IP66 protection prevents ingress of water and dust—including at the QMA connectors available on the Ibex 1510. “A high level of isolation between all interfaces enables direct connectivity to vehicle auxiliary power and protects against overvoltage and surges,” the company said, adding that both devices are powered by its SW6 operating system.