Hello automation experts,

recently I have come across to an industrial PC computer that has two integrated (onboard) LAN adapters and CP1613 communication card.

Only one LAN onboard adapter is actually used for communication and CP1613 is also used (RJ45 port) for communication.

 I know for sure, that 100 Mbps network is established (actually two different networks called plant and terminal bus), but I didn't have time to investigate further.

What could be a reason that CP1613 is used instead of second onboard LAN adapter? CP1613 means additional costs for the customer. 

So, what are technical advantageous of CP1613 compared to regular onboard LAN?

Plant bus is used as a connection to S7 400 PLC system, so maybe different protcols are used even though in network properties in the PC, IP address settings looks like normal ethernet tCP/IP connection

Thank you.

Hello Jasner

And the Communication Processor has (as the the name shows) a prozessor for communication on the Card´s hardware. So the communication performance of a common ethernet card runs on the CPU of the PC. If you use the Hardnet communication with a CP then the performance runs on the CP itself.

Bye Murof