Keeping a network alive in a rail yard or factory floor is no small feat. Dust creeps in, water seeps past seals, and vibration from heavy machinery shakes everything in reach. One loose connector in the wrong place, and you could be looking at insufficient data, stalled systems, or, in the worst cases, hours of downtime. In environments where uptime is money, that’s a problem no one wants.
Antaira’s answer comes in the form of its new eight-port Ethernet switch series, built to survive conditions that would take lesser hardware offline. With an IP67-rated enclosure and vibration-proof M12 connectors, these switches are aimed squarely at the two worlds where reliability is king: railway systems and industrial automation.
Antaira’s new LNX-0800-M12-67 series features an IP67 housing and industrial M12 connectors to withstand water and vibration. Image used courtesy of Antaira
IP67 Unmanaged Ethernet Switches
Instead of the usual RJ45 jacks, Antaira’s LNX-0800-M12-67 series of Fast Ethernet unmanaged switches uses an M12 D-coded connector for all eight data ports. This means a secure, locking fit that resists vibration common on train cars, trackside equipment, or factory machinery. There’s also a dedicated M12 A-coded connector for power, so the supply line is just as secure as the data lines.
Power input ranges from 12 to 48 VDC, making the switches adaptable to various setups and handy for redundant power schemes. The housing itself meets IP67 requirements, shrugging off dust and handling water exposure without losing its seal. For installers, this resistance means less worrying about enclosures and more freedom in installation location.
The LNX-0800-M12-67 switches comply with various electronic equipment standards required in the railway industry. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock
Railway Standards, Checked Off the List
The railway world is strict about what electronics can go on rolling stock or trackside, and for good reason. The LNX-0800-M12-67 series complies with EN 50155, EN 50121-3-2, and EN 50121-4 standards, covering electrical performance, vibration resistance, and electromagnetic compatibility.
In practice, this means the switches are cleared for work in train control systems, signaling gear, station display networks, security cameras, and access control systems, all of which have zero tolerance for downtime.
Factory-Ready, Too
Antaira’s new series isn’t just for rail. In automation and energy facilities, space is often tight, and M12 connectors’ circular design can fit neatly into cramped machinery panels or sensor assemblies without hogging space.
Additionally, not every site uses the same mounting setup. Some have control cabinets set up for DIN rails, while others require a wall-mounted unit in an open area. The LNX-0800-M12-67 works either way, allowing you to standardize on one model across multiple locations, eliminating the need to juggle different part numbers.
The LNX-0800-M12-67 switches feature eight 10/100BASE-TX ports with M12 D-coded connectors and one M12 A-coded connector port. Image used courtesy of Antaira
The LNX-0800-M12-67 switch itself comes in two temperature ratings: -10 °C to 65 °C for the series’ standard model and -40 °C to 75 °C for the series “T” model, suitable for extreme environments.
Reliable Industrial Networking
Loose connectors are a common cause of network dropouts in heavy-vibration environments. The LNX-0800-M12-67 series’ M12 locking connectors can solve this problem. The switch’s sealed case keeps dust and moisture from doing slow damage over time, and with its wide power range and temperature tolerance, it can withstand cold snaps or heat waves.
The new LNX-0800-M12-67 series is suitable for operators in rail, manufacturing, substations, or even oil and gas. It features eight secure ports to give room for expansion, meets compliance with railway standards, and can withstand harsh industrial conditions. Antaira has built its switches to be the kind of hardware users can install once and then forget about because it just keeps working.
