Ampcontrol’s new Intrinsically Safe Ethernet Switch (ISES) and Serial to Ethernet Converter (STEC) provides communication options in hazardous environments. ISES is used to interconnect other fibre optic Ethernet devices, forming an underground network. It uses an Ethernet based communication protocol over multiple or single mode fibre technologies at both 10 Mbit/s and 100 Mbit/s data rates. “STEC allows users to integrate new and existing serial devices such as VoIP phones, web cameras, PDAs and fixed and wireless sensors to Ethernet networks”, the company says. (more…)