HIRSCHMANN MS4128-L3P EEC Managed Industrial Ethernet Switch

HIRSCHMANN MS4128-L3P EEC Managed Industrial Ethernet Switch

The Hirschmann MS4128-L3P EEC is a high-performance, fully managed, modular industrial Layer 3 Ethernet switch belonging to the renowned PowerMICE (Modular Industrial Communication Equipment) family. 

Engineered to support mission-critical automation and harsh environment operations, this switch seamlessly combines robust hardware flexibility with advanced routing and switching features.

The "EEC" (Extended Environmental Conditions) designation guarantees reliable, fanless operation across a broader temperature range, making it ideal for substation automation, traffic control, and heavy industrial settings.

Technical Parameter List

Product Features & Core Advantages

Fully Modular "Pick-and-Mix" Design: The chassis accepts a wide variety of hot-swappable media modules, allowing you to easily scale and mix copper (RJ45) and fiber (SFP or fixed transceiver) connections as your physical network demands evolve.

Advanced Layer 3 Routing: Equipped with Hirschmann’s Professional (L3P) Software, the switch goes beyond Layer 2 switching to support static routing, dynamic routing protocols (such as RIP and OSPF), multicast routing, and VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol) for robust network segmentation.

High Availability & Redundancy: Featuring HIPER-Ring (with a recovery time of less than 50 ms), RSTP, MRP, Dual Homing, and link aggregation (LACP), ensuring your automation system maintains zero-downtime operations even during a link failure.

Industrial-Grade Security: Supports Access Control Lists (ACL), port-based security (802.1x), IEEE 802.1Q VLANs, SNMPv3. and secure device management via SSH/SSL.

Seamless PROFINET Integration: 100% compatible with PROFINET Real-Time (RT) environments, facilitating easy diagnostic feedback directly to PLCs.

Model Classification & Software Versions

The Hirschmann MS4128 series is classified by its software implementation levels to meet different budget and routing requirements:

MS4128-L2P (Layer 2 Professional): Fully featured Layer 2 industrial switch with robust redundancy and management.

MS4128-L3E (Layer 3 Enhanced): Introduces basic static routing and Layer 3 management capabilities.

MS4128-L3P (Layer 3 Professional): The premium configuration. Offers complete dynamic routing capabilities (OSPF, RIP), advanced multicast routing, and high-performance network backbone routing.

EEC (Extended Environmental Conditions) Variant: Specially ruggedized hardware version designed for wider temperature profiles and higher vibration tolerances.

Environmental Tolerance Conditions

The EEC variant is specifically optimized for harsh, unforgiving field environments:

Operating Temperature: Extended range from -40 °C to +70 °C (standard versions are limited to 0 °C to +60 °C).

Storage/Transport Temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C.

Relative Humidity: 10% to 95% (non-condensing).

Shock & Vibration Resistance: Tested to IEC 60068-2-27 (15 g, 11 ms duration) and IEC 60068-2-6 (vibration stability in cabinet setups).

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC): Enhanced immunity against electrostatic discharge (ESD) (EN 61000-4-2), radiated EMI (EN 61000-4-3), and fast transients/bursts (EN 61000-4-4).

Installation Method

The modular chassis of the MS4128 series is designed for quick, secure cabinet mounting:

1.Mount the Chassis on DIN Rail：Chassis Positioning。

Hook the upper slot of the MS4128 backplate onto the top edge of a standard 35 mm DIN rail, then press down firmly until the bottom locking latch clicks into place securely.

2.Insert Media Modules：Slot Configuration。

Slide your desired MM2 or MM3 hot-swappable media modules into the vacant expansion slots on the switch backplane. Hand-tighten the module mounting screws to ensure proper electrical contact and earth grounding.

3.Connect Redundant Power：Terminal Block Wiring。

Wire your primary and secondary 24 V DC power sources to the 4-pin plug-in terminal block. This provides seamless redundant failover in case of power supply loss.

4.Establish Grounding：System Protection。

Connect a solid copper ground wire from the protective earth (PE) screw on the chassis to your local cabinet ground bus.

Operating Instructions & Commissioning

First-Time Access (IP Assignment): Out of the box, the switch does not have a default IP address. Use the free Hirschmann HiDiscovery software utility or a DHCP server to detect the switch by its MAC address and assign an IP.

Web Management: Open a secure browser session using the newly assigned IP address (https://[Your-IP]) to configure ports, VLANs, and advanced redundancy settings.

Console Configuration: For command-line access (CLI), connect a serial terminal cable to the RJ11 "V.24" interface port. Use standard serial settings (9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity).

USB Configuration Backup: The unit supports the auto-configuration adapter (ACA21-USB). Plugging this in automatically saves your network configurations, allowing immediate, plug-and-play device replacement if needed