Rockwell Automation 1788-EN2DNR EtherNet/IP to DeviceNet Linking Device User Manual - Manual (Page 7)

Rockwell Automation Publication 1788-UM059A-EN-P - August 2014 7
Chapter
1
Linking Device Overview
About the Linking Device The 1788-EN2DNR EtherNet/IP-to-DeviceNet linking device lets you
seamlessly connect your information or control-level networks with your
device-level network.
The linking device provides full DeviceNet master functionality, so you can
connect up to 63 DeviceNet slave devices to an Ethernet TCP/IP interface that
supports the EtherNet/IP network and an HTTP web server. For example, you
could use the linking device to do the following:
• As a gateway to connect information or control-level networks to device-
level networks for programming, configuration, control, or data collection
• As a router/bridge to connect the EtherNet/IP network to the DeviceNet
network
The linking device provides centralized data storage, or I/O tables, for data
shared between the DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP networks. Data is placed into
the I/O tables by one network interface, allowing the data to be read through the
other network interface.
The linking device appears as a single device on either network by using standard
protocol mechanisms. No special, or extended, protocol features are required for
the devices on either network to read or write the data flowing through the I/O
tables; all cross-network activity is transparent to the devices on either network.
The linking device also supports Device Level Ring (DLR) and CIP Safety
connections.
Phoenix connectors are provided for power and DeviceNet connections. Two
RJ45 style connectors are provided for EtherNet/IP connection.
The linking device can be mounted to a DIN rail.