Astro-Med ToughSwitch 3 ruggedised ethernet switch

The ToughSwitch 3 from Astro-Med is a dedicated, ruggedised ethernet switch designed to meet MIL-STD environmental and electromagnetic requirements. It operates from 24 VDC power in accordance with MIL-STD-1275B, making it suitable for use in vehicles and other moving equipment.

The switch is painted with a chemical agent-resistant coating, meaning it will resist the effects of biological and chemical decontamination agents, including DS2 and STB, applied to external surfaces and components using standard decontamination procedures and methods. It also meets MIL-STD-108 requirements for steam and water jet cleaning. It is equipped with two MIL-STD connectors, one for power and a second for ethernet connectivity. Since all the ports are auto-MDI/MDIX, any port can be connected to another ethernet switch as an uplink.

The switch is designed to minimise collisions and network loading. It also buffers messages and transmits them using real-time store-and-forward switching. The switch includes nine dedicated 10/100BaseT ports with automatic speed sensing.