Order 1783-US16T now for high-density, plug-and-play network expansion
The Allen-Bradley 1783-US16T is a high-density, 16-port unmanaged industrial Ethernet switch belonging to the highly reliable Stratix 2000 product family. Designed to provide instant, out-of-the-box connectivity without the need for complex IT configuration, this switch is the perfect solution for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and panel builders who need to network a large volume of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and remote I/O blocks within a single, localized machine cell. Housed in a ruggedized metal enclosure, it is built to survive the harsh realities of the factory floor.
Technical Specifications
- Total Network Ports: Sixteen (16) active ports.
- Port Configuration: 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet RJ45 copper interfaces.
- Switching Architecture: Store-and-forward wire-speed switching with non-blocking backplane.
- Auto-Negotiation: Full support for Auto-MDI/MDIX and automatic speed/duplex detection.
- Input Power: Redundant terminal blocks accepting 12 to 48V DC or 18 to 30V AC.
- Environmental Protection: IP30 rated industrial metal housing with an extended operating temperature of -10°C to 60°C.
Comprehensive Technical Overview
While managed switches are required for plant-wide routing, unmanaged switches like the 1783-US16T are the workhorses of the individual machine cell. With 16 available ports, this switch drastically reduces the need to daisy-chain multiple smaller switches together, thereby eliminating unnecessary failure points and reducing overall panel clutter. The device operates at Layer 2, utilizing a robust store-and-forward switching mechanism that verifies the integrity of every data packet via a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) before passing it to its destination, preventing corrupted data from flooding your automation network. Furthermore, the Stratix 2000 series includes built-in broadcast storm protection, a critical feature that prevents localized network loops or malfunctioning devices from overwhelming the network bandwidth and crashing the connected PLCs. It also prioritizes EtherNet/IP traffic implicitly, ensuring that your time-sensitive I/O data is transmitted reliably even under heavy network load.
Expert Installation Advice
The 1783-US16T is designed for rapid deployment via standard 35mm DIN rail mounting. Because this is a high-density 16-port switch, cable management is a primary engineering concern. We strongly advise utilizing deeply channelled wire ducts in your control panel to route the 16 Ethernet cables, ensuring the bend radius of the Cat5e/Cat6 cables is not violated, which could cause internal wire breakage. Electrically, wire two physically separate power supplies to the redundant power inputs. If your primary 24V DC power supply drops out, the switch will automatically draw power from the secondary source, preventing a total network blackout on the machine.
Professional Maintenance Guidelines
As an unmanaged device, the 1783-US16T requires zero software maintenance—there are no firmware updates to install or configuration files to back up. If a device on the network loses communication, troubleshooting is strictly physical. Check the front-facing LED indicators; a solid green light indicates a valid link, while a flashing green light confirms active data transmission. If a port goes dark, verify the integrity of the Ethernet cable and the power status of the connected end device.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can the 1783-US16T be used in a Device Level Ring (DLR) network?
A: No. Unmanaged switches do not possess the necessary logic to manage ring topologies. They must only be used in linear or star network configurations.
Q: Does this switch require an IP address?
A: No, it operates purely on MAC addresses at the hardware level and does not require, nor can it be assigned, an IP address.
Q: Does it support Gigabit speeds?
A: No, all 16 ports on this specific model operate at Fast Ethernet speeds (10/100 Mbps).
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