Unlike the Ethernet switches in your wiring closet or computer center, the Ethernet switches at the edges of your network have to put up with the bumps and dirt that happen out in the real world. This is where Heavy-Duty Edge Switches from Black Box comes in.

The switches featured here are our Hardened models, but we also offer Standard and Extreme versions of our Heavy-Duty Edge Switches. Because all three types work together seamlessly, you can use the inexpensive Standard Switches in protected office environments and choose the more robust Hardened or Extreme Heavy-Duty Edge Switches for harsh locations at your network's edge.

Ideal for use in dusty or dirty environments, Hardened Heavy-Duty Edge Switches are tough, 6-port Ethernet switches that enable you to expand your network into harsh factory floor environments. They're also rated for a temperature range of -13 and +140° F (-25 and +60° C), and their sturdy, metal case functions as a heat sink so no internal airflow is needed for cooling. A sealed case resists contaminants such as dust, dirt, moisture, smoke, and insects.

Multiple power options.
In addition to being robust, Hardened Heavy-Duty Edge Switches are available with an array of interface and power options. AC-powered switches feature 100- to 240-VAC power supplies. DC-powered units have internal screw terminals for connecting DC power. You can even provide redundant power input with the optional Dual-Source Cable Kit.

Run the distance!
Multimode models support up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) between switches. For longer distances, choose single-mode models for up to 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) or single-mode, long-distance models for an incredible 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) between links.

You can daisy-chain Heavy-Duty Edge Switches together indefinitely, making them ideal for applications such as traffic signals where many switches are needed over a long distance.

Easy to set up.
Heavy-Duty Edge Switches are literally plug-and-play. All copper ports are autosensing for speed and duplex, adjusting to the connected device automatically. Plus, the UTP ports feature Auto MDI/MDI-X, eliminating the need for crossover cables.

Each switch has two full sets of LED indicators: one set on the front for viewing convenience when the switch is DIN rail or wall-mounted and one set mounted in the end next to the media ports for easy viewing when units are in a rackmount tray.

Heavy-Duty Edge Switches feature non-blocking switching architecture with a 2K MAC address table. The 128K buffer memory makes it easy to interconnect 10- and 100-Mbps devices.

Fast, redundant backup.
Heavy-Duty Edge Switches feature Link-Loss-Learn (LLL) for fast network recovery when using the switches in a redundant application. In a normal network situation where you have a primary link and a backup link, the network can take as much as a few minutes to recover after the primary link goes down. This is because, when the link breaks, the switch will use its old MAC address table to try to send data to the disabled port.