Hardware for fibre-ethernet conversion

[Daryl 1]

Hi folks, I have a fibre optic connection to connect a remote PLC to a SCADA system. Our electrical engineers have installed the fibre cables and have left them as a junction box at each end, now I need to convert from that fibre connection to the ethernet port on the CompactLogix CPU. The connection type at the junction box is an "ST" connection using multi-mode fibre, and the ethernet port is 100Base-T. I would like confirmation, specifically, if someone is kind enough, a web link to a media convertor that would be used in this situation to do the conversion. Part of my query is also will 100Base-TX suit my application, or does it need to be 100Base-T specifically? thanks in advance. Daryl Edited 13 Dec 2010 by Daryl

[b_carlton 61]

Here's some from AutomationDirect

[Daryl 1]

Ideal! That's confirmed to me what I need. A single ethernet port for 100Base-T and a Tx/Rx multimode ST fibre connection. thanks.. Daryl

[Ken Roach 194]

Good old Wikipedia tells you everything you always wanted to know about the terminology and termination of 100Base-TX: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_twisted_pair If you have the rail space and budget, I prefer to use a small switch so that I can access the Ethernet network locally at the controller panel. There are hundreds of commercial vendors, and industrial vendors run the spectrum of price and durability. My favorite heavy-duty media converters are from N-Tron: http://www.n-tron.com/products_detail.php?product=3&series=6. They are install-and-forget even under very bad environmental conditions.

[Mike Lamond 1]

I've had several of these converter/switches from Black Box in the hardened DIN rail version running on outdoor distributed I/O since 2006: http://www.blackbox.com/Store/Results.aspx/search-lbh100a%60%60si_product. The second port lets us connect a laptop for programming or remote HMI use. Mike

[Daryl 1]

Thanks Ken/Mike, I need no functionality/extension beyond simply conversion... ST-SC fibre cable >>> 100Base-TX/100Base-FX convertor >>> cat5e ethernet cable This config at each end is what I think I'll go with. thanks... Daryl