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I was searching for suitable Modbus hardware (we have some already installed) for point-to-point communication via existing network, I came across new EtherCAT one. So wonder if different protocols can coexist together. In other words, when a certain automation protocol (EtherCAT, Modbus, Powerlink, EtherNET/IP, Profinet IO etc.) can be used as a plug-and-play solution or when additional modifications must be done to the existing network? It depends on switches?

P.S. I will give it a try how EtherCAT performs. It looks to be future-proof.

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    Commented Dec 25, 2018 at 9:58

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These protocols, and many others, can certainly coexist on the wires and through the routers.

Whether they can simultaneously work on a given host all depends on the software on that host. I've certainly used PLCs, for example, which will simultaneously accept Modbus over TCP/IP and RS-232 and other networking over the ethernet.

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  • What about "Modified Ethernet"? As I know, sometimes some modification is necessary. There are some protocols which requires special Ethernet controllers other than TCP/UDP/IP.
    – stardust
    Commented Nov 7, 2018 at 7:20
  • It all depends on what you're needing to control. For most of my industrial process lients, 100 ms is considered extremely fast, and many events are tens of seconds, so they don't care at all about ethernet jitter. Thus I try to keep them on absolutely the plainest protocols available, without special ether requirements.
    – jonathanjo
    Commented Nov 7, 2018 at 13:23

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