Westermo has introduced the Ibex-4000 series, new access points that support Wi-Fi 6/6E technology. The device series was developed in accordance with EN 50155 to improve wireless connectivity in demanding railway environments.
With the Ibex 4000 series and the 802.11ax standard, more mobile Wi-Fi-enabled devices can communicate with the Internet or access local data in a passenger train or underground railway than ever before, enabling much-needed connectivity.
The new series allows the simultaneous operation of up to three 4×4 MU-MIMO radio modules and triple-band operation in the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz frequency bands. This ensures higher capacity thanks to wider channels and reduced interference, as well as faster data throughput. This higher capacity enables other onboard systems to wirelessly connect without any throughput constraints.
Furthermore, the Ibex 4000 series uses the open-source operating system OpenWRT, ensuring maximum transparency and traceability of all software components. Integrated cybersecurity features, including the latest encryption standards, WLAN monitoring to detect unauthorised rogue access points masquerading as access points or clients and a Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0), which securely stores crytographic keys and prevents unauthorised manipulation, offer comprehensive protection. In addition, an integrated Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) enables intelligent monitoring of key system parameters such as boot processes, temperature and voltage levels.
The interfaces of the Ibex 4000 series allow multiple devices to be linked in sequence through daisy chaining. This reduces the need for additional switches in many applications and ensures cost-efficient implementation. Thanks to the built-in Ethernet bypass relays, a stable high-speed connection is guaranteed even in the event of an access point switching off. This helps reduce potential network outages and enables more efficient infrastructure planning.
With its powerful 10 GbE performance, the Ibex 4000 series enables ultra-fast data offloading and efficient processing of large data volumes, making it suitable for modern railway communication systems and networked systems with high bandwidth requirements.
The maintenance-free series has a robust IP54-certified housing and is designed for reliable use under extreme conditions. It operates in an extended temperature range from -40°C to +70°C and even fulfils requirements up to +85°C in accordance with the OT4 standard. Thanks to an integrated wide-range power supply of 24 to 110 VDC, it is suitable for worldwide deployment in any type of train. As an option, power can also be supplied via Power over Ethernet (PoE+ or PoE++), which is available on both ports.
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